What is stan?
stan is a small, independent space for making, moving, learning, and meeting.
It grew out of a simple idea: that there should be more places where people can share what they know, follow their curiosity, and bring their own practices into a room.
I wanted to make a space that could support the things I care about myself: craft, performance, design, learning, sharing and bringing people together.
why stan?
This space was named in honor of my late grandfather Georges because my share of his inheritance made it possible for me to start this project.
We share a family name, Balestan and he had a small fishing boat called stan.
My grandfather was a quiet man with a curious mind. He spent much of his time teaching himself different things, following his interests and figuring things out for himself. He also shared what he learned, giving lectures until his very last days.
He introduced me to the empiric research method, learning by doing.
And then there is the word itself.
In Swedish, stan is the familiar, everyday way of saying staden, “the city”.
A dynamic space gathering all sorts of people.
In English slang, to stan someone or something is to be an enthusiastic supporter: to care deeply, follow along, and show up.
Both meanings are close to stan’s core concept.
That’s how I decided to name this space stan.
behind stan
I’m Thomas, an artist, designer, maker and producer based in Stockholm.
My professional practice is rooted in product and craft-based design. I work across materials, prototyping, making, and production, and have developed objects and collections with studios and international brands including IKEA, HAY, Kosta Boda, Prada, and Nordiska Kompaniet.
Alongside design, I’ve built a parallel practice in performance and production. I’ve been performing, making costumes and accessories, producing shows, and bringing together teams of artists since 2019.
Those practices might seem different, but for me they are connected by the same things: curiosity, making, problem-solving, collaboration, and a desire to create things that can be experienced by other people.
not just a room
stan is intentionally small.
Rather than building a space around one particular discipline, I wanted a room that could adapt to different ways of gathering.
Move, make, and meet are three ways of describing the room, but they are not meant to limit what can happen there.
The hope is that people will bring their own ideas and find uses for the space that I haven’t thought of yet.
The main goal is to make practice and knowledge less formal and more accessible.
The space is meant to make small exchanges possible: one person showing another how something works, a group trying something together, a conversation that turns into an idea, or a practice that grows through being shared.
for everyone
stan is queer-led and is intended to be a welcoming and accessible space for different bodies, identities, backgrounds, practices, and levels of experience.
The space is still becoming what it will be. And feedback are always welcome!
stan is small enough to listen, adapt, and change—and I hope the people who use it will have a hand in shaping what it becomes.