Youth culture

The "New footsteps of youth culture 2008" award was granted to Jyvaskyla Live Music Association (Jelmu). Jelmu is a non-profit NGO, organising rock concerts and offering training facilities for bands in Jyvaskyla. The work is mainly done by young volunteers. The association runs the Tanssisali Lutakko building, where 120-130 events are organised each year. The annual number of visitors totals nearly 40,000 and 90% of the events are open for persons under 18. The association is 99% self-sufficient and not dependent on public financial aid. Targeting events at young people is an ideological decision of Jelmu, and becomes possible through volunteer work.

Tanssisali Lutakko was built in 1953 as a bakery. Based on a town plan prepared in the 1980s, the building was meant to be demolished. Thanks to the efforts of Jelmu and its members as well as public opinion, the building was saved and, after 10 years permanently handed over to be governed by Jelmu. The building was renovated in 2005, partly financed by the city and the ERDF. After this the building has earned increased fame and recognition; Tanssisali Lutakko has been regarded as one of the most important rock clubs in Finland for several years. Receiving the UBC Cultural Award 2008 may mean, in general, that the public support of culture is neutral age-wise, but the reality is that a vast majority of public funding is directed at cultural forms in which the participators are middle-aged or older, or at the very least adults. The youth culture that the society recognizes is either seen as education or as entertainment. In the former case, the role of youth is then a learner or a target of edification and in latter case only the role of consumer is available for youth. The culture produced by youth for youth does not fit into either of these categories and does not get the recognition it deserves in terms of respect or funding. It does not even count as culture. However, it is the case that anyone worried about the decline of sense of community ought to go to a line in punk concert and hear how people out of town find a place to sleep. Anyone worried about growth of violence should go to a metal music concert and see how aggression and angst is defused on the floor. True sense of community is not built in committees; it can not be handed to youth. Rather, the true feel of affinity springs from shared experiences that can not be ordered from above; sense of community must be construed by each generation for themselves. The society should pave the road for youth to be able to live through those constructive experiences.