The Right to Party: The Political Value of Independent Grounds

In environments marked by political hostility, non dominant cultures often function as essential social infrastructure, providing indispensable services like mental health support, distribution networks for mutual aid, and alternative employment centers. But fundamentally, it holds the potential of becoming an intellectual engine, generating counter-narratives and alternative ways of life, posing threat to the authoritarian status quo. To ground this discussion, we turn to two compelling examples: the first LGBTQ+ bar in Georgia, which persists in the city center amidst the country's rising ultra-right sentiment, and Ezo Festival, a multi-directional musical platform recently subjected to systemic regulatory pressure.