Tóm tắt tiếng anh: Không gian sáng tạo trong đời sống văn hóa đô thị (qua nghiên cứu một số không gian sáng tạo tại Hà Nội).

Không gian sáng tạo trong đời sống văn hóa đô thị (qua nghiên cứu một số không gian sáng tạo tại Hà Nội).Không gian sáng tạo trong đời sống văn hóa đô thị (qua nghiên cứu một số không gian sáng tạo tại Hà Nội).Không gian sáng tạo trong đời sống văn hóa đô thị (qua nghiên cứu một số không gian sáng tạo tại Hà Nội).Không gian sáng tạo trong đời sống văn hóa đô thị (qua nghiên cứu một số không gian sáng tạo tại Hà Nội).Không gian sáng tạo trong đời sống văn hóa đô thị (qua nghiên cứu một số không gian sáng tạo tại Hà Nội).Không gian sáng tạo trong đời sống văn hóa đô thị (qua nghiên cứu một số không gian sáng tạo tại Hà Nội).Không gian sáng tạo trong đời sống văn hóa đô thị (qua nghiên cứu một số không gian sáng tạo tại Hà Nội).Không gian sáng tạo trong đời sống văn hóa đô thị (qua nghiên cứu một số không gian sáng tạo tại Hà Nội).VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES PHAM THI HUONG CREATIVE HUB IN URBAN CULTURAL LIFE (BY EXAMINING SOME CASE STYDIES OF CREATIVE HUBS IN HANOI) SUMMARY OF THE THES.

VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

PHAM THI HUONG

CREATIVE HUB IN URBAN CULTURAL LIFE (BY EXAMINING SOME CASE STYDIES OF

CREATIVE HUBS IN HANOI)

SUMMARY OF THE THESIS

HANOI - 2022

The work was completed at Gradute Academy of Social Sciences – Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences

Name of supervisor: 1 Assoc.Prof.Dr Bui Hoai Son

2 Dr Dao The Duc

Reviewer 1: Assoc.Prof Dr Tran Thi An

Reviewer 2: Assoc.Prof Dr Vu Thi Phuong Hau

Reviewer 3: Assoc.Prof Dr Pham Thi Thu Huong

The doctoral thesis can be found at:

- National Library of Vietnam;

- Library of Graduate Academy of Social Sciences

INTRODUCTION

1 Rationale

1.1 In recent years, cultural life in Vietnam in general, and in Hanoi, in particular, has witnessed an "explosion", an exciting and vibrant atmosphere of creative hubs Not only increasing in number, but the creative hubs are also diverse in the way of organization, rich in operating models From Zone 9 (Tran Thanh Tong street) in 2015 - one of the original buildings, born spontaneously and freely, like "an explosive dream", short-lived but it is already a playground which is full of sublimation and inspiration for other spaces

in the future such as Hanoi Creative City (Luong Yen street), Heritage Space (Tran Binh street), Manzi (Phan Huy Ich street), Bar 98 (Ngo Van street) Department), Ơ kìa Hanoi (Hoang Hoa Tham Street), Cà phê thứ bảy (Ngo Quyen Street), Tổ chim xanh (Dang Dung Street) The creative hubs are still forming, maintaining, and developing as spaces for art, a place to be freely creative and academic, a place to connect thoughts, exchange stories about society, education, culture, art, religion through which forming communities that share many commonalities in interests, personalities, opinions, and lifestyles Many spaces were opened but soon closed silently after many struggles and difficulties to survive Many spaces are still trying to find ways to maintain, new buildings are being created to meet the needs of many groups of people in the city The creative hubs have many fluctuations and changes in the number, operation methods and cultural practices which also creat great impacts on social life The appearance, maintenance, existence and development of creative hubs raise many questions: how is a creative hub created and what does it mean for groups of subjects? What makes it attractive? Why does

it appeal to many strata of society? In what context do creative hubs exist and are discussed so much, and what dynamics do they reflect in contemporary society?

1.2 Recent discussions in Vietnam as well as in the world have considered creative hubs

as a new business model aimed at developing creative industries, and creative cities, providing exhibition space and business This business supports young people to become entrepreneurs in the creative field, where to meet the demand for entertainment spaces, to create an urban identity from renovating old spaces to become spaces for creativity… These points are given to explain the strong development of ecotourism However, these reasons aren’t able to fully explain about the distinctive features of the practices in ecotourism as well as the purpose of people who created creative hubs From a concept pioneered in Vietnam by the British Council to support and promote the development of creative industries, but when “embedded” in the modern Vietnamese urban context, it has been granted an additional new class of meanings If we consider a creative hub as a business model to gain profits and promote creativity to develop the cultural industry, it seems to reflect only a part of the meaningful dimensions of creative hubs In addition to the meanings which mentioned above, what other meanings does creative hub have? Why are cultural practices in those spaces important to subject groups? Through cultural practices in those spaces, what do groups of subjects want to express, and by extension, what needs of society do they represent? In this thesis, from a cultural perspective, placing ecotourism in the contemporary urban context, I want to find out about cultural practices

in ecotourism as well as see more clearly the profound motivations and purposes of building creative hubs in the contemporary context

For the reasons mentioned above, the Ph.D student chose "Creative hub in urban cultural life (by examining some case studies of creative hubs in Hanoi)" as the research topic for the thesis

2 Research purpose and tasks

- Research purpose: The thesis focuses on the development of creative hubs in Hanoi, explores cultural practices and diverse meaningful dimensions of creative hubs in the contemporary urban context

- Research tasks: (1) The system of important theoretical aspects in the study of urban space, creative hubs; (2) Analyze and explain factors affecting the formation, existence and development of creative hubs associated with contemporary urban contexts; (3) Analysis of cultural practices in two creative hubs sites in Hanoi: Giấc mơ nhỏ and Cà phê Văn; and 4 Analyze the meaning of cultural practices in creative hubs

3 Object and scope of research

3.1 Research object

- Research subject: cultural practices give meaning to spaces to become creative hubs, in other words, the way to construct a creative hub of subject groups Two creative hubs in

Hanoi were selected as case studies, including: Giấc mơ nhỏ and Cà phê Văn

- Research object: In the case of the two creative hubs mentioned in this thesis, they are young people at creative hub named Giấc mơ nhỏ and intellectuals at Cà phê Văn

3.2 Research scope

The thesis focuses on cultural practices of constructivist groups The thesis pays attention

to the meaning of practices in creative hub, puts those practices in interaction with the cultural, political and economic contexts of contemporary urban, considers creative hub as

a place to reflect people's concerns about the problems that are happening in society

About the research period: the thesis was carried out from mid-2017 to the end of 2020 About research space: The creative hubs mentioned in the thesis are all in Hanoi

4 Research methodology

The Ph.D student identified this as a qualitative study The main methods used in the thesis include: Synthesis and analysis of secondary documents; Observe attendance; In-depth interview method; The material of the thesis is also gathered from the thoughts and feelings of the individual researcher after each event as a participant

5 Contributions of the thesis

- The thesis is the first work to explore the cultural dimensions of the creative hubs in Vietnam

- The thesis investigates cultural practices and the meaning of those practices to groups of subjects in society, who participate in the creation of creative hubs

- The thesis provides explanations on the causes and motivations of cultural practices at creative hubs, thereby pointing out the social impact of creative hubs as well as changes in the Vietnamese social context nowadays

6 Theoretical and practical implications

- Theoretical implication: Firstly, from the analysis of cultural practices at creative hubs, the thesis expands the meaningful aspects of creative hubs, recognizing them as important places for subject groups in the field, cities that contribute to the creation of groups and individual identities, where intellectuals express their concerns about many important issues of social life, where efforts are made to widen the boundaries of freedom of

expression within the limited context of urban public spaces Secondly, the thesis contributes an academic perspective on a type of space set in the context of contemporary urban space: creative hubs, adding to the research an overview of urban space which is already very dynamic and diverse in Vietnam

- Practical implication: Through the study of cultural practices and the meaning of cultural practices in creative hubs for groups of subjects, the thesis shows that creative hub plays

an increasingly important role in urban life, reflecting the desire to widen the boundaries

of freedom, as a forum for open discussion, a place to express the aspirations of citizens and the right to participate in the society Creative hubs are considered social spaces, cultural spaces, which take on many roles in daily life at the same time: providing information and bringing opportunities to enjoy and create art, a place to meet, chat and connect Above all, creative hubs are an ideal environment that allows people to express their thoughts about many ongoing issues in society With that in mind, the thesis is a reference for cultural researchers, policymakers related to creative hubs, cultural management agencies, as well as urban authorities

7 Structure of the thesis

Besides the introduction, conclusion, and references, the thesis is structured into 4 chapters:

Chapter 1: Overview and theoretical framework

Chapter 2: Social context in cities and the formation of creative hubs

Chapter 3: Cultural practices in creative hubs

Chapter 4: Creative hubs: freedom of expression and identity creation

CHAPTER 1 OVERVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 1.1 Overview

1.1.1 Research on urban space

Studies on urban space often focus on two basic aspects of urban space: functional space and social space In this thesis, in order to build a theoretical basis for the following analysis of creative hub, the researcher only selected an overview of some studies from the perspective of the second approach, considering urban space as a social space

With the theory of social production of space, the classic work The production of space by Henri Lefebvre (1901-1991) – a French sociologist and philosopher - written in 1974, the English translation in 1991, has made an important contribution to urban spatial theory, creating a "spatial turn", opening a new interest in urban space According to Lefebvre, space is not a static structure but a social product created by humans, constructed and recreated by people, and shaped by ideas, beliefs, values and, principles, from people's preferences and preoccupations In this study, Lefebvre proposed the concept of space as the unity of three aspects: physical space, social space and, mental space Later, the research on space more and more Meaningful aspects of space are gradually opened up in relation to people, contributing to explaining the meaning of many cultural practices

In the urban context in Vietnam, the construction of different communities and groups of cultural subjects also creates different spatial dimensions, reflecting the dynamics of society as well as the needs and expectations Most of them are public space (KGCC) studies The concept of public space is mentioned and studied from many different angles: architecture, urban planning and, management; sociology; school culture; anthropology… The studies all acknowledge the positive contributions of public spaces to city life, the variety of types of public spaces as well as their significance for each specific group of people The researchers also look into the size of public space through the understanding

of the "elasticity", expansion or contraction of spaces and strategies to personalize public space for personal purposes

In the discussion of daily urban life and the socio-political-economic transformations reflected in urban spaces, many studies have shown the ways in which spatial groups are constructed with diverse subjects, such as Youth-friendly public spaces in Hanoi in 2015, Youth-Driven Tactics of Public Space Appropriation in Hanoi: The Case of Skateboarding and Parkour by Stephanie Geertman, Danielle Labbé, Julie-Anne Boudreau and Olivier Jacques shed light on the ways in which young people bond with the city, find ways to access space for recreational activities, sports, meeting friends or for new practices such as skateboarding, parkour To be able to "appropriate" public spaces, urban youth adopted small-scale, non-ideological, and non-confrontational tactics, in the face of many of his principles Various parties, from the space management policy of the State, business organizations and the people… Study on Hanoi sidewalk - interactive multi-dimensional space by Nguyen Thi Phuong Cham - Hoang Cam (2021) Focus on sidewalk space, explore the layers of meanings that sidewalk space carries

The sidewalk space in urban areas in general and in Hanoi, in particular, appears through many studies by foreign authors, under the prism of the concepts of "public space",

"private space" is an interesting and lively variation of public space, superimposed with layers of meaning that the lives of urban people have created Some typical studies can be mentioned such as: Street scenes: practices of public and private in urban Vietnam by Lisa Drummond (2000), Wards of Hanoi by David Koh (2006), The pavement as civic space: history and dynamics in the city of Hanoi Hanoi) by David Koh (2007) … These discussions focus on blurring the distinction between “public space” and “private space” in the Vietnamese urban context where the present day is often present The idea is that private activities are allowed to take place in public places (inside out) while private spaces are subject to interference from outside, from the state (outside in) (Lisa Drummond, 2000) According to the authors, in Vietnam, there is no clear distinction between "public space" and "private space" like traditions in Western countries Academic concepts of the West, when applied to Vietnam, need to take into account the specific social context, and therefore also need to be understood flexibly

Research Redefiding public space in Hanoi: places, practices and meaning by Sandra Kurfürst (2011) focus on changes in relationships The power between the state and society are reflected in the development of public spaces in Hanoi From the perspective of a sociological approach, Lam Thi Anh Quyen (2011) considers public space as the main feature of urban space, where the urban face as well as urban identity is expressed, making

"good cities" (words used by Douglas, 2008) Public space is defined by the people's ability to access and use it The author thinks that public space has a relationship with

"public" (pulic sphere) in the sense that "public requires a physical space This space is called a public space.”

Studies on Semi-Public Space and the Formation of Public Opinion by Nguyen Quy Thanh, Trinh Ngoc Ha (2009); The thesis Rumors and the formation of rumors in semi-public spaces (a case study of coffee shops in Hanoi) by Lu Thi Mai Oanh (2019) considers a particular form of public space which is the public spaces semi-public space, seeing it as a place to form public opinion

Through the thesis of some works, it can be seen that studies have shown the importance

in different ways of public space for groups of subjects in urban space Public space holds different roles associated with the purpose of construction: it can be a space for recreational activities or social interaction, a space to maintain the legitimacy of political power, or a space for competition, dispute and compromise, or to form public opinions

1.1.2 Research on creative hubs

Creative hub from the perspective of the creative industry

Numerous studies and reports show the interest of countries in the creative hubs, the role

of creative industries in economic growth, community cohesion and social security: Needs analysis on culture and creative hubs in Asia and Europe 2005, Cultural and creative hubs network Asia-Europe: a project for kick - starting a new network between Asia and Europe

2015 by Cultural and creative hubs network Asia - Europe Asia-European creative cultural space), Creative hubs: understanding the new economy by the British Council, etc and a series of researches on mapping the creative hubs in many countries In the world Creative hubs have become a global concern, connecting creative economies, creative industries, and cultural industries

Ragarding to research on creative hubs in Vietnam, the British Council - the UK's international educational and cultural organization has made many important and pioneering contributions towards the goal of supporting Vietnam to develop a creative economy From the Creative Economy project in 2008 until now, the British Council has had many activities in many aspects: from policy advocacy in the years 2014-2016 through consulting support for the drafting of the Strategy for the development of cultural industries in Vietnam to 2020, vision to 2030 to organize the implementation and publication of independent researches on the creative hubs, training to improve the capacity of the creative hubs or organize conferences to connect and expand the understanding about creative hubs

In a series of activities in the field of arts and creative industries, in 2014, the British Council in Vietnam released the Report on Creative Hubs in Vietnam by journalist Truong Uyen Ly The term used in the report is translated from “creative hub”, which means the association of dynamic entrepreneurs in a specific space to experiment new projects or business ideas and connect to find investment and opportunities Independent studies by the British Council in Vietnam have also clarified various issues on creative hubs, such as Initial Research on Creative Hubs in Vietnam, Research on Policy and Creative Hubs in Vietnam, Report on Creative Hubs in Vietnam Studies show a stronger, more diverse and

geographically widespread development of creative hubs (from 40 creative hubs in the

2014 report to 140 creative hubs in the 2018 report) as an indicator of the rapid development of the creative economy in Vietnam The definition of KGST in these independent studies is based on keywords such as “connection”, “creation”, “business orientation” The studies mention the social impact of ecotourism in many aspects: connecting, supporting businesses, supporting leasing premises, supporting space for young artists in displaying, communicating and providing space for young artists business your art works or entertainment space, bringing art closer to the community

Creative hub - from an artistic perspective

From the perspective of art researchers, many domestic and foreign authors have mentioned a number of creative hubs in Vietnam and consider this a space of art, for art Some important studies approaching this perspective include Vietnamese Anti-Art and Anti-Vietnamese Artists: Experimental Performance Culture in Hanoi's Alternative Exhibition Spaces by Nora Taylor (2007), Vietnam comes of age, a new arts complex in Hanoi reveals a generational shift by Elisabeth Rosen (2013), Nguyen Nhu Huy (2013) with a series of articles and interviews in Sports and Culture newspaper

Thus, creative hubs have been studied from different perspectives in both domestic and international studies, which mainly focus on the role of creative hubs in creative industry, cultural industry, with the development of contemporary art However, these reasons do not seem to be able to fully explain the distinctive features of the practices at the creative hubs as well as the reasons of the architects and users of the creative hub in the contemporary Vietnamese urban context And if we only consider creative hub as a core element to develop the creative industry, from a cultural point of view, perhaps the meaning of the creative hub has been simplified, leaving out many other layers of meaning KGST is a concept translated from a foreign term (creative hub), but when used, mentioned here opens up many different layers of meaning associated with the unique dynamics of Vietnamese cities Placed in the context of urban space, the study of the creative hub - a place where free and open discussions take place, where democratic values are practiced, thus contributing to the recognition of a spatial form of urban areas, thereby reflecting the dynamic changes of Vietnam's urban landscape

cannot respond Creative hub was created to spark creativity, bring an open atmosphere, and promote freedom of expression

Urban cultural life

It is possible to understand that urban cultural life is formed and developed in the process

of social activities and interactions of urban people in the urban context It includes all the cultural practices of people in the urban space, satisfying the cultural needs of the people, and those cultural practices, in turn, have a strong impact on the cities themselves, the subject of practice, contributing to the formation of people's thoughts, opinions, and personality, and broadly affecting society

Public sphere

Habermas is one of Germany's contemporary sociologists and philosophers and the public sphere is an important subject of study for him The concept of the public sphere was presented in the 1960 work The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere The public sphere, according to him, is place of open discussion which open for citizens, rational to form public opinion The public sphere is open, where groups of people voluntarily come together to conduct free discussions Habermas is interested in the public sphere because he sees it as the foundation, the source of nurturing and maintaining democracy and equality The public sphere is a necessary condition for democracy, where discussions happen to form opinions and show the aspirations and desires of citizens which are expressed

Public space

In this thesis, public spaces are understood as specific places where the public organizes many discussion activities, exchanges, and discusses many issues in society, where the opportunities to access are for all people, a place for democratic and free expression

1.2.2 Habermas's public sphere theory

In this thesis, the Ph.D student uses the theoretical concept of "public sphere" of Habermas to understand the creation and formation of the creative hub as well as to consider and recognize the meaning of the creative hub as a specific expression of the

"public sphere" in the context of urban Vietnam

The public sphere, according to Habermas, has the following characteristics: 1 Being public, where all citizens have the right to access and participate in expressing opinions and debating issues of their interest 2 The content of those discussions is public domain issues with unlimited scope 3 Critical, where they can critique and control, where consensus or conflict occurs, can form common views, common opinions Habermas views the public sphere as an intermediary between society and the state, organized by the public and in accordance with the principles of the public sphere

Habermas' theoretical concept of the public sphere provides a useful analytical lens for interpreting the significant dimensions of the creative hub If the research of Lisa Drummond (2000) has shown that in Vietnam, there is believed to be very little evidence

of the tradition of a public sphere as well as a public space - where the expression of the public sector is lacking Traditionally about a field of public discussion due to state interventions, the practices in the creative hub shows the expansion of democratic practices, creating spaces for freedom of expression and discussion It is possible that the

practices in the creative hub do not fully reflect the characteristics of the “public sphere”

as mentioned by Habermas, but these are efforts to widen the boundaries of freedom, creating space for freedom diverse expressions in the contemporary urban context

Sub-conclusion of chapter 1

CHAPTER 2 THE SOCIAL CONTEXT IN THE URBAN AND THE BIRTH OF THE

CREATIVE HUBS 2.1 Hanoi city - an urban area – a favourable environment for creative hubs

Hanoi is a rich cultural and artistic environment, a lively place with a bustling entertainment life, where many new ideas and cultural trends are received This city used

to have many cultural spaces, a place to keep and maintain the habits of intellectuals, writers and artists, a place to meet and interact in the style of a cultural salon, associated with the need to share, exchange, discuss, open up creative ideas Since the colonial period, the city began to witness many new ways of living, many new places with characteristics of urban lifestyle such as streets, parks, theaters, cinemas, bookstores, cafes … Going back to Hanoi in the early years of the twentieth century, there were also many clubs established, such as the Association for Enlightenment, which was established

in February 1919 with many activities such as: organizing lectures on culture, history, places to comment, talk Thus, although creative hub has only been talked about in recent years, it is not a completely new phenomenon and has certain connections with people In the past, such space existed in urban cultural life before

2.2 Changes in Vietnam’s society since Doi Moi

Since the Doi Moi policy in 1986 with the transition from a planned economy to a market economy, the speed of Vietnam's integration with the outside world has been rapid and extensive Also from this starting point, until now, Vietnam in general and Hanoi in particular have witnessed many profound changes in social and cultural life The busy economic, political and social context of the city is considered to be extremely important conditions for the birth of the creative hubs, and is also a "material" for many discussions

at creative hubs after that

The process of economic liberalization with the reduction of government regulations and restrictions and in exchange for more participation of the private sector has contributed to the integration of the country into the global economy, bringing about economic prosperity over the past 35 years The transition to a market economy has brought positive effects such as poverty reduction, job creation, social stability, and the pressure on social issues has also been significantly reduced This process also requires the legal system as well as the operation of state agencies when it comes to accountability and improvement of the legal system, along with fundamental reform However, many shortcomings and shortcomings have also been revealed such as group interests in the political system, corruption, wastefulness, lack of publicity and transparency, abuse of power for profit These are also topics that are talked about a lot in stories on sidewalks and public spaces

The process of democratization takes place in many ways, on a wide scale, in many areas

of life, bringing profound changes, especially under the impact of globalization In the context that the internet and social networks are powerful tools to disseminate and spread information, people can easily access policies, regulations as well as the implementation of

government policies country and public authorities In addition to the insights and background knowledge obtained from many different sources, many people have commented, criticized and contributed to the implementation of those policies Many spaces become forums for sharing and dialogue, where people can participate and express their views on policies and policy implementation around issues such as the environment, education, economy, freedom of speech, art, etc In addition, after the Doi Moi policy, civic spaces have been formed, expanded, and many groups have appeared in the society, especially since the 1990s, when Vietnam joined the international community

The process of globalization affects many aspects of society, especially cultural life Many new cultural values have been strongly imported into Vietnam thanks to globalization, changing cultural practices and relationships between the state and society (Pham Quynh Phuong, 2020) Many new cultural phenomena have appeared also

2.3 Publications of the publishing industry in Vietnam and the democratization

process

The production of books and magazines, as well as the process of receiving and transforming publications by readers, play a particularly important role in the formation of public spaces This is also true of the creative hubs when it is possible to find a fairly close relationship between the atmosphere of exchange and debate at the creative hubs with the strong development of the publishing industry in Vietnam after Doi Moi, especially some important publications after Doi Moi that contribute to creating and nurturing open thinking, positive social criticism, forming a new consciousness for people in urban areas

The early 2000s saw a new development in Vietnam's publishing industry with the birth of many new publishers (Nha Nam, Tri ), many funds to support translation activities (Phan Chau Trinh translation Foundation, translation activities are also supported by foreign cultural centers in Vietnam such as French Cultural Center, Goethe-Institut ) In particular, efforts to translate, annotate, proofread, evaluate, and build a team of translators for classic books, introducing many ideas from around the world, have created an environment that fosters creativity, stimulates humanistic ideas, a sense of freedom, democracy, and human rights In other words, those important books have been the factors that rekindle and expand people's minds, improve the knowledge base, and help people integrate into the flow of civilization in the world

2.4 The role of foreign cultural centers in Vietnam

Foreign cultural centers are like gateways for the people of the capital to interact with world culture and world culture is also introduced more and more in Vietnam These include L'Espace (1991), British Council in Vietnam (1993), Goethe-Institut Hanoi (1997) These are multi-functional integrated spaces that are both a library, a school, a place for seminars, book introductions, art programs, and exhibition spaces Here, new trends, new knowledge are updated and introduced to the public in the capital For a long time, in the eyes of the people of the capital, they are cultural centers that are up-to-date and especially pioneering in the contemporary Vietnamese socio-cultural context

2.5 The emergence of the internet, social networks and the context of globalization

Along with making strong strides in many areas of life, the internet has become a tool to connect, share, and form online communities (Nguyen Thi Phuong Cham, 2013) and later

the meetings in the creative hubs These “imaginary communities” share common interests, interact, seek empathy, agree on points of view and on the direction The Internet also provides new forms of organization as groups are formed, prolonging unfinished discussions in the real world With social networks, the finiteness of both space and time is broken, creating endless links and interactions The Internet and social networks increase the number and diversity of sources of information access for urban people, providing opportunities for full, multidimensional and up-to-date access to important social issues Cultural practices in creative hubs

Sub-conclusion of chapter 2

CHAPTER 3 CULTURAL PRACTICES IN CREATIVE HUBS

3.1 Young people and diverse cultural practices in Giấc mơ nhỏ

3.1.1 The space to connect independent readers

A creative hub named Giấc mơ nhỏ has certain priorities for reading and organizing events

of reading clubs, discussions, conversations around a book, a topic, sharing of reading experiences, exchanging exchange books, meeting people with similar interests in reading and writing Therefore, in this creative hub, books play a particularly important role

Giấc mơ nhỏ creative hub is also responsible for connecting young people who have a

passion for reading and writing In addition to interacting on social networks, many meetings with group members (often called offline sessions) are also organized by Minh

as an administrator of the group's Facebook page so that members have the opportunity to gather together, get to know new members and talk about books

3.1.2 Free discussion on concerned topics

Also related to reading and networking, Giấc mơ nhỏ is also a place where many groups of

young people organize intellectual activities, discuss and share a previously discussed topic In the minds of the creators of these spaces, they often see this as a forum built on the spirit of "come to talk, come to speak" Content is not a common topic of daily life but

an academic issue, somewhat difficult to understand, but reflected and associated under the lens of background knowledge as well as experience in many fields difference Criticisms, even contradictory ones, are not judged and are acknowledged The story sometimes "randoms" to many other things, reminiscent of this author, the point of another author The circuit of discussion continued to expand, leading participants from one idea

to another, from one point of view to many other points of view The fact that the group of

young people chose Giấc mơ nhỏ for these exchanges and discussions is because of the

open and free spirit that this space creates, unlike many other places, meeting the demands

to have a forum for young people's opinions, views and thoughts

3.1.3 Watching and discussing movies

Besides creating space for independent readers, music and movies are also effective forms

of connection to nurture the "Mozart souls" At Giấc mơ nhỏ, every Tuesday night is the time for movies The movie screenings at Giấc mơ nhỏ are organized in a similar way to

Cà phê Văn and many other creative hubs when they share the same formula: screening -

watching movies - discussing The screenings are completely free; attendees support the cost of the operation by paying for drinks How to conduct a screening (before and during the screening) is usually organized through four steps: 1 Introduction of the event on facebook, 2 Introduction before the screening; 3 Audience watching movies in front of a

small projector screen; 4 Discuss after watching the movie under the coordination of a facilitator

Films selected to screen at Giấc mơ nhỏ are usually pre-conceived and planned, by theme

Choosing a movie is sometimes quite random, by letting the audience vote on the movies they like and want to see, the audience will nominate the movies they have seen, are impressed and want to share with everyone In this case, it is the audience - the movie proponent who becomes the moderator of the discussion after watching, learning more information, and the side story of the film to be able to liven up the discussion The films selected for screening are all artistic films that are meant to evoke other lives in the audience Each film is conceived as a newly created world, thereby questioning the humanity existing in each person The dissecting analysis from many perspectives about which people, and societies are reflected in the film, the most scholarly, academic or simply crude sentimental analyzes are all geared towards understanding The presence of movies can therefore be seen as a means to help individuals deepen their efforts to understand themselves, others, and the world

3.1.4 Discussions relating to environment issues and social responsibility

At Giấc mơ nhỏ also connects and forms a small community that cares a lot about the

environment and social responsibility There is a sustainable consumption corner to introduce environmentally friendly products such as bamboo straws, stainless steel straws, spoons, wooden forks, cloth bags, water bottles, handmade soaps made from natural materials, loofahs for use scouring… When serving guests, this creative hub has not used plastic cups or paper cups for a long time, instead using stainless steel straws Minh – the

founder of Giấc mơ nhỏ also created a Sustainable Consumption Corner with the desire to

create a space for dialogue and sharing about choices towards a sustainable lifestyle in the community

Thus, it can be seen that Giấc mơ nhỏ creative hub is a diverse and flexible space with

many different cultural practices associated with different groups of young people

Cultural practices at Giấc mơ nhỏ described above are a way to give meaning to spaces,

turn ordinary spaces into creativity, into creative hubs Creativity is first and foremost reflected in being in a small physical space, but multi-functional, flexible, and transformative with many meaningful activities Not only a coffee shop, it is also a place where young people organize many cultural events themselves: film screenings and discussions, conversations and exchanges on diverse topics of life, small fairs for products are originated from nature, organizing workshops on crafts… This is also a space for literature, music, cinema, painting, etc., which are classified as creative fields

Through interpretations of the cultural practices of young people in the Giấc mơ nhỏ

creative hub: the group organizes events related to books and reading, the group organizes intellectual activities, the group organizes film screenings and discussions about films and groups interested in environmental issues, can be seen in only a small space, but have connected and created many different social groups Each group is formed based on common interests, shares concerns and questions about people, life, and bonds through