About
Potpuri is an independent publishing platform and collaborative initiative focused on experimental methodologies of research and production. The focus of the work-process of Potpuri is the fostering of collective methodologies in publishing practices for the production of physical newspapers.
Potpuri collective is based between Kosovo and Switzerland, our activity seeks for common social themes and urgencies such as the revival of printed press in Kosovo, the absence of reflective institutional spaces for the Albanian diaspora in Switzerland, the politics and social phenomena under migratory experiences, and most importantly providing a welcoming space for expressions of voices unheard within commercial settings.
Potpuri started in 2021, originally conceptualized as part of the educational and research context of the Master’s on Transdisciplinarity at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). The structured program began in 2022 as a Lab within the study program, titled Prishtina Lab. It ran during six-months, with the first three months based around a program of lectures and discussions with academics, researchers, activists of Kosovo origins, which were attended by the group of students at ZHdK (Zurich team) and group of researchers and activists within Termokiss - a Kosovar community/social center and its Research Club (Prishtina team). This program would support and give shape to the research questions and process for the both teams to understand the Kosovo context, culture and identity and produce written works reflecting and questioning it. The second part of the program included an individual research process, whereby each participant would produce a research article, and collective meetings and joint mentorship which would contribute to the final content for the production week of a collective newspaper. Production week for the first newspaper took place during 28 August - 4 September, during which both teams came together to decide on the title of the newspaper, presentation and distribution, order of the texts, layout and design of the newspaper, play with visual narration, translate and edit the texts, update and maintain the online blog, print and sew the newspaper. During this week more than 30 people from Zurich and Prishtina came together to work on all aspects of the newspaper, ultimately titling it Potpuri, to signify the mix of flavors and elements the newspaper brings as well as the diverse backgrounds of its members/contributors. On 4 September 2022, Gazeta Potpuri 01 was launched in 300 copies, through a public event held at Termokiss in Prishtina, marking the culmination of our joint efforts and an addition to the cultural scene of Kosovo. As an address towards the disappearance of newspaper print in Kosovo in the past 4-5 years, Potpuri contributed to a shift in publishing practices in Kosovo, and was highly regarded for bringing back the tactility of printed informative outlets.
During late 2022 and continuing through the year 2023, Potpuri functioned as a collective, with most of the initial members/contributors of the print engaging in biweekly meetings and joint discussions. These meetings served to discuss shared principles, get aligned on our collective aims and address previous shortcomings, be it individual needs or ways of working in a collective, ultimately solidifying the belief in collective work processes and activism as well as the aim to carry on this work and ensure the sustainability of the newspaper and the collective. In September 2023, the Prishtina and Zurich teams got together again in Zurich, Switzerland. This time around the week together was based around discussing and preparing for the future edition, researching publishing formats, self-publishing initiatives and funding models by visiting various publishing entities in Zurich. Upon conclusion of this week, our meetings continued biweekly within the Prishtina Lab format again. By mid-December 2023 the second set of articles/contributions were to be drafted. In January 2024, the contributions were shared, translated, edited and finalized within the team. During 5-9 February 2024, the second production week took place via online meetings between the Zurich and Prishtina team. Within a week the teams put their forces together and decided on the website, appearance, order, design of the newspaper and printed and sewed 600 copies of Potpuri Gazeta 02, half in Zurich, half in Prishtina.
With shared principles of work and dedication to the collective, Potpuri continues to function as a collective, with an expanded vision for the continuation and spread of the Potpuri newspaper and the novelty it has brought.
With 19 articles published in each edition, more than 40 people contributing to the topics, articles, production and dissemination of the newspaper, Potpuri continues as a yearly print edition.. for now!
Potpuri është një platformë e pavarur botuese dhe iniciativë bashkëpunuese e fokusuar në metodologjitë eksperimentale të kërkimit, gazetarisë investigative dhe prodhimit. Fokusi i procesit të punës së Potpurit është nxitja e metodologjive kolektive në praktikat e botimit për prodhimin e gazetave fizike. Kolektivi Potpuri është i bazuar ndërmjet Kosovës dhe Zvicrës, aktiviteti ynë kërkon tema dhe urgjenca të përbashkëta sociale si ringjallja e shtypit të shkruar në Kosovë, mungesa e hapësirave institucionale reflektuese për diasporën shqiptare në Zvicër, politikat dhe dukuritë sociale nën përvojat migratore, dhe më e rëndësishmja sigurimi i një hapësire mikpritëse për shprehjet e zërave të padëgjuar brenda mjediseve komerciale.
Potpuri is an independent publishing platform and collaborative initiative focused on experimental methodologies of research, investigative journalism and production. The focus of the work-process of Potpuri is the fostering of collective methodologies in publishing practices for the production of physical newspapers. Potpuri collective is based between Kosovo and Switzerland, our activity seeks for common social themes and urgencies such as the revival of printed press in Kosovo, the absence of reflective institutional spaces for the Albanian diaspora in Switzerland, the politics and social phenomena under migratory experiences, and most importantly providing a welcoming space for expressions of voices unheard within commercial settings.
Potpuri ist eine unabhängige Veröffentlichungsplattform und Initiative, die sich auf experimentelle Forschungsmethoden, investigativen Journalismus und Produktion konzentriert. Der Schwerpunkt des Arbeitsprozesses von Potpuri liegt in der Förderung kollektiver Methoden der Verlagspraxis für die Produktion von Zeitungen. Das Potpuri-Kollektiv arbeitet im Kosovo und der Schweiz. Unsere Themen und Dringlichkeiten wie der Wiederbelebung der gedruckten Presse im Kosovo reichen von dem Fehlen reflektierender institutioneller Räume für die albanische Diaspora in der Schweiz und den sozialen Phänomenen der Migrationserfahrungen. Ein Raum für Ausdruck von Stimmen, die in kommerziellen Umgebungen häufig ungehört bleiben.
