Kista Galleria in Sweden was a site of an artistic invasion with the people of the centre creating  art installations together all around the nearby area. The aim of the escapade was to generate a sense of community and to just bring joy to people.

Organised by Citycon-workers, on September 22nd, 14 employees in 3 cross-team groups went outside Kista Galleria, Stockholm, and created a total of 11 small, beautiful art installations in the surrounding public squares and the bus terminal. This activity of corporate social responsibility (CSR), titled “Pothole/Guerilla Gardening”, was inspired by Steve Wheen AKA “The Pothole Gardener” and The Little Book of Little Gardens.

Pothole gardening, for those who are unaware, is the act of looking at an infrastructure, sometimes a poorly maintained one, in a predominately urban environment in a new way. Using existing holes and cracks in pavement, curbs, and walls, inspirational garden street artwork can be created with nothing more than soil, flowering plants, and a few miniature props. It is all about filling holes and defects with small-scale worlds, green, joy and happiness.

From the very start this activity had two main objectives represented by two key words: social and community. “Social” represented the internal Citycon perspective, which was the importance of creating something together, having fun, and getting to know one another more through cross-team involvement. “Community”, on the other hand, represented the external perspective, or the desire to care about the local environment and community, spread joy and live as one learns.

The experience for both the ones who participated in the creation of these little miracles, as well as those fortunate enough to get to enjoy them, was overwhelmingly positive:

"It is astonishing how these small, beautiful art installations affect the urban environment, how they make people stop, shake their head, smile and in many cases take a mobile picture. One strong recollection is the gang of young tough guys at Kista bus station, how they stopped, laughed and chatted with us and promised to look after the small garden between stairs and escalator", says Anna Mocsáry, the organizer of this happening.

With this escapade, the organisers hope to have stirred people into appreciating life’s small joys:

"This was just a brief moment in time but yet a meaningful meeting filled with joy. I believe in a combination of large-scale urban development projects as well as micro-activities in order to build a strong position in the local community. We mustn't neglect the little things – small stuff matters too. I am so proud of my creative Citycon-colleagues who participated. They went all in with heart and soul and seemed to have lots of fun along the way. Many thanks for your great engagement", says Mocsáry