Sindh

T2F turns to supporters for a viable return

‘We want to use this hiatus to develop new approaches, re-emerge as vibrant, creative organisation’

Our Correspondent July 27, 2021

Many people, who gathered at T2F on Friday evening to share memories of artist Asim Butt on his sixth death anniversary, use stencils to spray paint some of the artist’s most famous political graffiti. PHOTO: AYSHA SALEEM/EXPRESS

KARACHI:

In view of the mounting challenges facing the PeaceNiche and T2F (The Second Floor), the brainchild of late Sabeen Mahmud, the organisation's board of directors has decided to reach out to friends and supporters for new ideas and suggestions to sustain and rebuild the institution known for its contribution towards cultural production and democractic dialogue.

In a joint statement issued on Monday, board members expressed their desire to seek the support of the T2F community to rethink and re-strategise a viable approach to reopen the communal space, the temporary closure of which was announced last month.

"We are taking this period of temporary closure of physical activities during Covid to rethink and reevaluate the visionary, financial, and administrative challenges facing the future of T2F by engaging in a process of multifaceted consultations in order to come up with viable solutions to these challenges," read the statement.

It stated that T2F was forced to temporarily suspend its activities in June 2021 as the revenue generated from its cafe, gallery rentals and programme tickets, had trickled down during the pandemic. Pandemic closures, restrictions on public gatherings and drying up of funds from donors due to the control regulations by the government besides the surge of online events by other institutions made it unviable for T2F to keep functioning in the immediate term, it added.

The statement mentioned that since the killing of T2F's visionary founder and rights activist Sabeen, the team and the board had attempted to keep the organisation's creative and progressive spirit alive. Despite administrative and financial troubles, some board members kept the institution afloat through personal donations in the past four years.

Reaffirming its commitment to the public and to continuing Sabeen's legacy, the board vowed to bring back the progressive space.

"Creativity, critical thinking and showcasing gifted individuals from the field of visual and performing arts will remain the mainstay of T2F. We want to use this hiatus for stocktaking and developing new approaches. Hopefully, after this process of rethinking and reevaluation, T2F will re-emerge as a vibrant, creative, and viable organisation."

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2021.