IMAGINATION DESIGNS EUROPE
659252_KES_BidbEindhoven_cover.indd 1
16-10-12 14:16
IMAGINATION DESIGNS EUROPE
the city of Eindhoven’s bid for the title of European Capital of Culture 2018
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Foreword
Rob van Gijzel, Mayor of Eindhoven Eindhoven is a model for a new
World War Two left Eindhoven
logy, design, light: Eindhoven
how to come up with better
Europe. In our city you can
as one of the most devastated
and the region are working on
products and services. The
already see the contours of the
cities in the Netherlands. Two
innovations to tackle the issues
other is the ‘Triple Helix’, the
Europe of the coming decades.
great bombardments robbed it
facing the society of the future.
network linking academia,
With its network society, smart
of its heart. Post-war reconstruc-
Thanks to Brainport region
industry and government.
economy based on knowledge
tion ushered in a new period of
Eindhoven, smart solutions for
Thanks to this unique form of
and open innovation and its
prosperity. But harsh years were
health, mobility and energy are
collaboration, Eindhoven has
culture of collaboration,
to follow in the 1980s and 90s.
within our grasp.
grown to become a world player
Eindhoven is a ground-
Philips, which in Eindhoven
breaking and trend-setting city.
had grown to become the
This is a fantastic achievement,
combination of knowledge,
2018Eindhoven|Brabant will
Netherlands’ largest private
yet one that often elicits no
expertise and business acumen.
add an extra European
sector employer, began to follow
more than a laconic shrug
dimension to the culture of
the example of other industries
from the people of Eindhoven.
We want to embed this
the city, but it will also
and shift production to
In fact we should be extremely
collaborative model ever more
continue a long tradition.
countries where labour costs
proud of all that we have
deeply in our city’s cultural
Eindhoven has always been a
were lower. This move cost
accomplished over the past
DNA, so that Eindhoven
European city. Its history is
many people in and around
two decades. I believe
develops an urban society that
rooted in that of Europe.
the city their jobs. Even
2018Eindhoven|Brabant will
is of cultural worth in itself,
The Middle Ages with its
harder blows fell in the early
give a fresh impulse to the sense
because it is open to every layer
endless series of conflicts, the
1990s. Philips’ restructuring
of pride and self-confidence in
of the population. This cultural
Enlightenment, the industrial
programme Operation
our city. So its people will
democratisation will ensure that
revolution, the deep economic
Centurion and the decline of
recognise their home more
art and culture are not merely
crisis of the 1930s, the
DAF Trucks shook Eindhoven
clearly as the forceful,
the province of a happy few but
Second World War – each era
to its foundations. But once
cosmopolitan and international
come to life among every
has left its mark but also
again we showed resilience and
city it has become. The secret of
section of society. Culture by
contributed in its own way
determination. In response we
this success has been dubbed
and for everyone: this is what
to Eindhoven’s emancipation
produced the ‘new economy’
the ‘Eindhoven Model’. It is a
will give the culture of the
as a bold, contemporary
with which Eindhoven entered
formula based on two
future its legitimacy! We will
city of technological,
the 21st century as a front-
principles. One of them is ‘open
therefore increasingly be
economic, cultural and social
runner among European
innovation’, whereby companies
reshaping Eindhoven’s public
innovation.
regions. Cutting-edge techno-
in the region exchange know-
space as a venue for high-profile
in practically applying the
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cultural activities, so that
Brabant – a combination we call
culture will be taken virtually
Brabant City. The four cities
for granted as an essential
will contribute to the European
element of everyday life.
Capital of Culture programme
2018Eindhoven|Brabant will
in ways that best suit their
boost the momentum of this
own identities: Breda with its
process. It is one that joins
visual culture, ’s-Hertogenbosch
seamlessly with contemporary
with its cultural history, Tilburg
developments in the arts,
with its social innovation and
whereby traditional divisions
Helmond with its innovative
between disciplines such as
industry. The culture of
theatre, music and visual art are
collaboration extends to the
gradually disappearing and
entire Brabant ‘network
more and more exciting
metropolis’ which, actively
crossovers and connections are
supported by the province,
being created. And the user/
we have succeeded in creating
consumer is no longer a passive
together over the past years.
visitor or follower, but more of an interactive and critical participant. As European Capital of Culture in 2018 we want to stimulate this innovative mindset. 2018Eindhoven|Brabant exudes the atmosphere of collaboration. It is a festival of six: Eindhoven is working together with the four cities of Tilburg, Helmond, 's-Hertogenbosch, and Breda, and the province of
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Table of contents CHAPTERS C1: Imagination designs Europe
Our Legacy
6 16
c7: Long-term strategy
What will we see in 2018?
Examples of the proposed projects
c2: The experimental city – who we are
22 28
our programme proposal
Example features of the programme 76
17 c8: Do it yourself – innovative communication
82
c9: How we are organising
86
c3: We explore the future:
70
2018Eindhoven|Brabant and paying the bills
c10: What else do we want to show in 2018? 96
Some more ideas
Example features of the programme 34 Appendix 1 (A1):
c4: Proeftuin, the method
40
c5: We make the city (programme line 1)
2018Eindhoven|Brabant: cultural city
44
Appendix 2 (A2):
town and country
2018Eindhoven|Brabant: closer than you think
art and technology
nature and technology
Appendix 3 (A3):
young people, heritage and
2018Eindhoven|Brabant: hospitality
traditional skills
104
106
Appendix 4 (A4):
102
Example features of the programme 48 Culture as green inspiration
108
c6: We connect people (programme line 2)
our neighbourhood and us
renewing rituals
European icons
kids join in
digitally streetwise
56
Example features of the programme 62
Appendix 5 (A5): Preparations for our bid
110
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Imagination designs Europe C1
Our mission To place art and culture structurally and lastingly at the heart of society. our vision Europe needs the power of imagination. The continent is creaking at the joints, and we know we need to make some fundamental changes. But how? With 2018Eindhoven|Brabant we will use the creative power of art and culture to seek new inspiration and insights for European society.
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Europe in transition
lisation and a longing for the
Europe can we begin the
Art can teach us to cope with
We are all looking for new ways
local, between digital and
transition to a new society.
the complexities of life, with
of living together in Europe, in
physical realities, yet each of
the Netherlands, in the world. It
these can complement the
Art can teach us
downs. It can teach us to deal
is a matter of urgency, because
other. Many people feel the
The time has come to turn in a
with our fears. It can help
underlying the instability of our
need for a firm footing in this
new direction. We have put our
people accept changes in society
economic system lurks a deeper
fast and complex network
faith in rationality and intellect,
with greater confidence. It can
moral crisis.
society, which provides plenty
but we are failing to find the
make a key contribution to a
of information but little
necessary solutions. Art and
new Europe. The cultural sector
contradictions, with ups and
We are longing both for freedom
security. The network society
culture are vital for us to make
will need to keep transforming
and for a sense of connection,
offers unlimited possibilities
the fundamental changes we
itself to take on this role.
for a society with room for
and produces many fruitful
need to take on the challenges
everyone. We are making frantic
connections, but its speed
of our time, to heal the rifts in
The experimental city
attempts to maintain and
and complexity often drive
society, to reconcile the
In practice it is hard to let go of
restore our foundering social
us to fall back on familiar
apparent contradictions and
old paradigms, for all the
and economic structures, but to
concepts and dogmas
turn them to our advantage.
thought and lines of print that
tackle the underlying crisis we
that can stand in the way
need more fundamental change.
of innovation.
have been devoted to the Artists can show that happiness
process. It is time to create a
and satisfaction are not
place where we can apply new
The crisis in Europe and the
We need time and space for
necessarily related to material
ideas. A place to try out new
Netherlands can be seen in the
reflection. Only then can we
values. They can teach us to
forms, models, ways of thinking
growing divisions in society:
free ourselves of old
enjoy deeper values in life. To
and potential solutions for the
between rich and poor, citizens
mechanisms and obsolete
appreciate solidarity,
future. A place where we can
and government, winners and
structures, and go in search of
spirituality, listening to music,
experiment and demonstrate
losers, the masses and the elite,
fresh connections, solutions
the unfamiliar. Artists and
the results. Where we can
the familiar and the unfamiliar
and insights. Art and culture
scientists can explore and
put thoughts into action, with
– or at least the fear of the
in general and the title of
express the unknown. After all,
different disciplines and
unfamiliar.
European Capital of Culture
pioneering is their business, and
cultures working together, with
in particular will enable us to
the digital technology of our
partners throughout Europe
We are struggling with apparent
set this process in motion. Only
time opens boundless new
on the stage of a European
contradictions between globa-
in association with partners in
territory to explore.
Capital of Culture.
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our STRATEGY We are offering Eindhoven and the region as a complete biotope, ‘a mosaic metropolis’ as an ideal testing ground for the future network city. At the core of our strategy lies a concept whereby international multidisciplinary teams collaborate on art and culture, with the public and experts acting as co-creators. We call this concept a ‘Proeftuin’ (see box on p10): a ‘garden for experimentation’. By embedding art and culture more deeply in our thought processes and actions we want to build the capacity of the city and its inhabitants to design their own future.
Our LEGACY We will strengthen the art and culture infrastructure in society and develop a method to work on a positive future for Europe. We will use this to foster the network city, connect people and practice the art of living together. Our motto
Imagination designs Europe
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We believe in a common
new ideas at Strijp-S, the vast
there is no guarantee of success.
and the prospect of the 2018
approach on a Europe-wide
railside industrial area close to
How can we ensure that
programme is a powerful
scale. With citizens, scientists
the heart of the city. This set
Eindhoven, as a former
impulse for the cities to invest
and government inspired by
the tone for the region and
industrial city with the
in these large inner-city
artists and designers. We will
created the basis for an
associated problems, does not
redevelopment areas.
provide a location that has
interdisciplinary way of working
become post-industrial
exploration, innovation and
which has gained international
wasteland? How can ugly-
Networks as playing
collaboration in its genes:
fame as the Triple Helix model.
duckling Eindhoven go on
field
Eindhoven. A city that has
The concept originated from
developing as a network city –
Over the past decades, different
always offered space to pioneers.
the collaboration between
international but firmly rooted
sectors have become stranded
As a garden for experimentation
university, industry and
in its own region?
on their own islands. Politics
to work on a new cultural,
government. But the Triple
By developing into a European
has been left to politicians,
humane and spiritual society.
Helix is now ripe for renewal.
Capital of Culture, the city will
research to scientist, the arts to
A ‘Proeftuin’ for Europe (see
gain the opportunity to explore
cultural institutions. With the
Philips has gone from Strijp-S
these questions, together with
European Capital of Culture
leaving an empty space behind.
other European cities facing
title we want to weave artists,
Eindhoven is a magnet for
This once closely guarded
similar challenges.
designers and citizens
creative minds. It is a young city
site (known locally as ‘The
with physical and mental space.
Forbidden City’) is now free
The European Capital of
Helix. We are moving from
It is not hampered by inalterable
to become a centre of creativity
Culture programme will have
a Triple Helix to a Multi Helix.
public space or cultural values
for Eindhoven as European
far-reaching and lasting effects
We believe in a new,
set fast by tradition.
Capital of Culture: an open
for Eindhoven and the region,
cooperative culture of
garden for experimentation.
socially, spatially and
solidarity between European
economically. This will be
citizens, between neighbour-
box on p10).
The city’s history has produced
permanently into the Triple
a pioneer spirit. In the 19th
The European Capital of
visible and tangible in the
hood residents, between
century the farmers of the
Culture as an engine
railside zones close to the centre
government, industry and
province of Brabant could not
Eindhoven has proved in the
of Eindhoven (Strijp-S) and its
knowledge institutions.
survive without creativity and
past it can work its way out of
four partner cities, which will
cooperation. Then electronics
an economic crisis. But given
be radically remodelled over the
Art and culture have isolated
giant Philips gave brilliant
the challenges Europe is now
coming years. The title of
themselves too much from
brains the freedom to develop
facing, even for Eindhoven
European Capital of Culture
society, for one thing because in
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What is a ‘Proeftuin’? Proeftuin (roughly pronounced ‘proof-town’ and meaning ‘experimental garden’) is all about working together on a good idea to make it grow and produce concrete results. It is the model we have chosen to develop and present a major part of our cultural programme. Local residents, experts, artists and academics will get together in multidisciplinary teams and roll up their sleeves to create and present art and culture. We want the Dutch word Proeftuin to become a new concept in Europe – because the model and the word are inextricably linked. Although Proeftuin can be literally translated as ‘experimental garden’, this fails to do it justice. The Dutch word proef doesn’t just mean ‘experiment or ‘test’, but also ‘taste’ and ‘sense’. ‘Tuin’ in Dutch means ‘garden’ and so gets close to the openness and development that we are looking to the Proeftuin projects to provide. Because the important nuances are lost in translation, we have decided to hold on to our Dutch word. A European Capital of Culture celebrates not only commonality and connection but also diversity and difference. Language is an expression of diversity in Europe. As we reach out to the rest of Europe, we want to stay true to ourselves, and share the pleasure in our identity with others. Our Proeftuin projects will promote prolific growth – with a bit of judicious pruning along the way – and an organic approach. They will be places where experiment and chance are embraced, welcoming and open to everyone, refuges, places where we will be able to pick up on developments and where new tastes and scents will be born. Creativity will be the raw material of the Proeftuin projects, know-how and inspiration the compost, and art and culture the main crop. The final harvest will be festivals, exhibitions, artworks, performances and other cultural events. We know the smell of the earth in our part of the Netherlands, with its agrarian roots and where the countryside is never far away. Our aim is to bring the garden to the city. And the garden is part and parcel of our sustainability goals. We will entice inquisitive spirits with the scents of the Proeftuin projects so that together we can cause the unexpected to be created and to flourish. There will be many ways to take part. Participants will be able to prepare the ground, sow seeds or harvest the fruit. We will sow generously, but dig deep. We will take the time to allow roots to develop strength. Our aim: a rich cultural harvest and fertile ground which will carry on producing fruit well beyond 2018.
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European translations of the word ‘proeftuin’ Experymentalny ogród (Polish) Campo de pruebas (Spanish) Kokeilualue (Finnish) Gonna esemplari (Maltese) Horta de provas (Portugese) O kipos tis dokimis (Greek) Kísérleti kert (Hungarian) Jardin expérimental (French) Experimentální zahrada (Czech)
’s-Hertogenbosch’s cultural
Art and culture in the
raw material, driving force and
European countries they have
history, Tilburg’s social inno-
‘Proeftuin’ for Europe
visible result. The Proeftuin will
become over-dependent on
vation, Helmond’s innovative
Together we intend to provide a
be a place for experimentation
subsidy. We want to increase the
technical history, Eindhoven’s
vast cultural garden for
and exploration. With as much
legitimacy of art and culture in
pioneering mentality and the
experimentation for Europe
freedom as possible for the
society by giving the sector joint
countryside that connects the
– what we call in Dutch a
hand, the head and the heart.
responsibility for finding solu-
cities. Without each other we
Proeftuin. With art and culture
To slow down, take time, create
tions to the problems of our age.
can’t exist. We need each other
as a source of inspiration, we
space for chance discovery. And
We believe in doing away with
so we can develop, so we can
want to embed a mentality of
thus to generate new insights
the divisions between sectors
open and build networks on a
cross-border, open source and
and concepts.
and disciplines. Networks are
European scale.
multidisciplinary collaboration
the Netherlands and other
the new spaces in which we
deeply in our thought processes
In the mosaic metropolis in
operate. Eindhoven is also a
This connectedness can’t be
and actions. We will invite
2018, we want to receive the
node in networks of regional
taken for granted. Even in your
artists and the general public
visitors and participants in the
and European partners. The
own region it is sometimes
from every country and every
most exciting locations. The
network society is our habitat.
easier to see the differences as a
section of society to cooperate
epicentre will be Strijp-S, the
reason to go it alone. The
in mounting a socially and
site of the most important
We have begun with our own
interplay between the urban
culturally innovative
Proeftuin projects. The former
region, in which Eindhoven is
and the rural deserves a mutual
programme that will be public,
inner-city industrial area will
linking up with ’s-Hertogen-
and sincere interest which we
large-scale and of major inter-
be buzzing with life, activity
bosch, Tilburg, Breda and
sometimes lose sight of in the
national appeal and standing.
and creativity. From the hub
Helmond. Together the cities
hustle and bustle of everyday
form a complete biotope, a
life. With the European Capital
The programme will centre
to put together their own
‘mosaic metropolis’ in which
of Culture title, art and culture
on a concept we are calling
programme by visiting the
different areas of expertise are
will gain a huge impulse of
the Proeftuin, a Dutch word
railside zones of other cities
represented. Where present,
energy which we will harness
meaning ‘garden for
in the province, where they
past and future meet, where
in the search for connection
experimentation’. In these
will equally be able to take part
arts and sciences come together,
and solidarity.
projects, multidisciplinary
in Proeftuin projects and see
where nature and engineering
teams will work together on a
their results.
are in constant contact. We
wide range of issues in society,
have Breda’s visual culture,
with art and culture as the
of Strijp-S, visitors will be able
One plan for a Proeftuin is
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2018: Eindhoven with Breda, Helmond, ’s-Hertogenbosch, Tilburg and the province of Brabant Eindhoven is the candidate for the title of European Capital of Culture for 2018 and to mount the programme it will work together with Tilburg, ’s-Hertogenbosch, Breda, Helmond and the province of Brabant as a whole. Ten years ago, the five cities and the province got together to form an administrative network called BrabantStad, or Brabant City. In 2018, headed by Eindhoven, we will be making use of the specific strengths of each city and the province as a whole. By working together as cities and province we will maximise our capacity to mount a wide-ranging and high-quality programme. Eindhoven will be contributing the combination of art and technology, with the emphasis on new media, design and urban culture. Helmond’s strength lies in its industrial heritage and technological innovation, for example in the automotive sector. Breda and ’s-Hertogenbosch will contribute their historic city centres, and at the same time Breda specialises in innovation and visual culture. ’s-Hertogenbosch also has an innovative food sector. What’s more, the city will be commemorating the 500th anniversary of the death of Jheronimus Bosch. Tilburg is investing in social innovation and has a long-established tradition in the performing arts. The margins between city and countryside in the province, where urban flows into rural, can also help make the connection between technology and tradition, with large-scale heritage complexes and a strong amateur arts sector. The province has dubbed such areas stadteland, or ‘cityside’, a cross between city and countryside.
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the World Design Expo in 2018,
European cities. An art district,
able to generate solutions,
which will bring together
built from waste material, in
but also to gain a new grasp on
creatives, visionaries, scientists
which people from different
the art of living together.
and users from all over
cultures and European cities
Ensuring that art is firmly
Europe to show what design
will be represented, where both
embedded in our culture.
can do for human well-being.
young and old can offer or find
The increasingly complex
something to suit their tastes.
interweaving of nature and
Visitors who would find the
engineering will be an impor-
threshold to a gallery or
tant source of inspiration. In
museum too high in an
the run-up to the Expo, which
ordinary city will be plunged
will already start in 2014, we
into a whirl of colours, smells,
will ask the public to identify
and sounds. Packed into the
issues in society for designers to
same little square you might
explore. The public will be
find anything from artist
given the role of co-curator,
studios and vegetable stalls to
and the Proeftuin will thus act
storytellers and coffee bars. The
as a lab for industry. The
district will also be a Proeftuin
designs will be shown in 2018
for new income generation
in a caterpillar-like pavilion, a
models, because artists will
design by Florian Idenburg.
be able to rent very low-cost space and will be briefed to
Another highly practical plan
take a fresh approach to
for a Proeftuin in 2018 is
the concepts of value and
Piet Hein Eek’s ‘cultural souk’.
exchange.
This will be an alternative, organically evolving
By 2020 we aim to have shared
neighbourhood in a run-down
the results of all our Proeftuin
inner-city railside site which
projects with the whole of
fails to attract project
Europe and to have developed
developers, as in many other
a model with we will not only
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Our Legacy
We are preparing a programme
Cultural effects
tensions, which lead to
programme of distinctive art
that will run until at least 2020,
After 2018, the cultural sector
problems in underprivileged
and culture, in 2018 Eindhoven
two years after the European
in Eindhoven will have
neighbourhoods. With the
will be a magnet for talent.
Capital of Culture year.
changed. Art and culture will
European Capital of Culture
However, we intend its
be a much more visible and
programme we will work to
By 2020, Eindhoven wants to
consequences to be felt for
structural element of society.
develop a city that is better able
have strengthened its position
much longer. Our starting-point
The sector will naturally
to shape itself, where active
as an important node in a
is the urgent need for transition
form a part of new forms of
involvement on the part of local
network of creative and
in society. In the medium and
cooperation in the city. A shift
residents is the norm. We don’t
innovative regions. We want to
long term we aim to produce
will have taken place from the
have any illusions that we can
be known internationally as the
lasting cultural, urban and
passive consumption of culture
solve all our city’s social
place that generates significant
ecological effects.
to active participation by the
problems with art and culture.
and lasting innovation. To bring
public. The cultural sector
But we do have the ambition
this about, the creative and
will have been renewed and
with the European Capital of
structural input of art and
strengthened, partly by the
Culture programme to create a
culture are indispensable. The
creation of new networks and
new sense of involvement and
European Capital of Culture
increased national and inter-
commitment, shared
programme will help us to
national collaboration. We will
responsibility, pride and
realise our ambitions.
have developed new business
self-confidence. Effects on education
and income generation models and attracted new audiences,
Economic effects
The foundations for creative
so the sector will be less
Talented people are the essential
collaboration are laid in
dependent on public funding.
raw material for economic
education. By 2018 education,
strength, and we need to make
art and culture will be firmly
Social effects
sure our city is an appealing
woven into the fabric of the
Eindhoven faces social
place for them to live. With our
educational curriculum. With
challenges comparable to those
ambitions as a European
the European Capital of Culture
of many other European cities,
Capital of Culture we aim to
programme we will also create
such as unemployment (also
boost our cultural image, both
fresh links between art and
among young people), lack of
nationally and internationally.
culture, knowledge institutions,
social contact and multicultural
With an extensive and exciting
government and industry.
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What will we see in 2018? Urban effects
The two programme lines
we will describe just a few of the
After 2018, Eindhoven will have
We make the city and We connect
ideas for possible elements of
more visible culture in its public
people are central to the
the programme. Some plans are
space, helping to express the
2018Eindhoven|Brabant artistic
already well advanced, while
identity of the city. In the
programme, which
others are just getting off the
partner cities, the European
will ultimately comprise
ground. Together, they give a
Capital of Culture programme
hundreds of projects. In outlines
good overview of what we are
will also accelerate the progress
spread through the bid book,
setting out to do.
of key urban redevelopment. By 2018 Strijp-S will be fully established as the cultural heart of Eindhoven. As it develops into a European Capital of Culture, Eindhoven, together with its partners Breda, Helmond, ’s-Hertogenbosch,
<10.000 visitors 10-100.000 visitors 100-500.000 visitors >500.000 visitors
Tilburg and the province of Brabant, will become a ‘mosaic metropolis’. Sustainable ecological effects
AN EXAMPLE OF A PROGRAMME ELEMENT THAT INCREASES cultural participation among the citizens of Eindhoven, Brabant and Europe as a whole.
By 2018, art and culture will have proved that they can play a valuable role in ‘green
AN EXAMPLE OF A PROGRAMME ELEMENT THAT INCREASES
awareness-raising’ and serve as
engagement with Europe.
a source of inspiration for new sustainable development.
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programme
Cultural souk: art meets economic innovation Eek’s plans for a cultural souk Piet Hein Eek is one of the most
It will remain in the centre
successful Dutch designers of
of Breda for a maximum of
recent decades. Eek is a born
ten years.
creative entrepreneur. His enclave in Eindhoven’s Strijp-R
Eek will explore the potential
– with its workshop, shop and
for recycling (as well as keeping
restaurant – is a phenomenon.
down costs) by building with
Eek has outlined plans for a
plywood, salvaged timber and
cultural souk as part of
truck tarpaulins. It will mean
2018Eindhoven|Brabant. It will
that spaces at the souk are
be an alternative retail area right
affordable for many artists and
in the centre of Breda, built
new entrepreneurs. Just like at
from scrap materials and aimed
an old-style flea market,
at creating a new economic
everybody should be able to
and creative dynamic. “If this
join in. This souk will be an
works out, we’ll have achieved
alternative model for the inner
something amazing.”
city and attract worldwide attention.
The souk will be an alternative shopping mall, a place where
From 2018 to 2028 Tilburg
designers, artists and other
University will monitor cultural
entrepreneurs can operate
and economic aspects of
temporarily. It is a micro-level
the souk, and the data will
experiment with new economic
be shared online through a
models that match the
network of European partners.
dynamism of the modern network society. Although Eek will design the souk, local artists and other inhabitants will continually adapt it to the ever-changing conditions.
Designer Piet Hein Eek. >
< Eekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s studio in Eindhoven.
19
Dynamic impoverishment
myself was, how can you
and businesses that they
its own dynamic for success. It
Central to Eek’s philosophy is
facilitate an economic dynamic
wouldn’t get elsewhere. And
will lead to a completely new
the belief that an organised
in a wealthy Western nation
you’re creating a new and
economic and social force that
world with clear-cut plans and
that normally only arises out
unique dynamism in the city.
will give people the chance to
aims leads to unnecessary waste
of poverty? The answer is to
It’s beneficial to the artists, too,
make a living in a different way
of time and energy. He prefers
create affordable spaces and
because if you want them to
to what was possible before. If
a more organic approach,
build a trading area as cheaply
become commercially successful
this works out, we’ll have
explaining that it is more
as possible – one that can
you shouldn’t hide them away
achieved something amazing.”
efficient to respond to the
develop organically.”
in some protected zone.
process than focus on the goal.
Another important benefit is
ORGANISATION:
“That’s the paradox: you
Is the goal to create yet another
that it will bring people into
Eek en Ruijgrok BV (Eindhoven)
reach your goal more quickly
safe haven for artists?
contact with art who would
if you don’t pursue it.”
“No, definitely not. The Dutch
never see it otherwise.”
system of providing cheap
PARTNERS: Business association Brabants-
How do you expect to see that
communal workspaces for
How will you measure the
Zeeuwse Werkgeversvereniging
reflected in the souk?
artists is just another form of
project’s success?
(BZW), MKB Brabant and the
“I reckon that lots of problems
overregulation. They’re a kind
“It’s actually a pretty simple
Chamber of Commerce Brabant,
in the Netherlands and Europe
of sanctuary. Art’s got to have a
little plan and the financial
Tilburg University
come from things being too
public function. So I want to
investments are close to zero.
regulated, and lots of good ideas
use this souk as a place for
But as an experiment, it could
that could grow organically
artists to engage with their
have big social implications.
from the ground up never have
public function, where they’re
It’s just that there are too
a chance. In poorer countries
stimulated by external forces as
few examples of successful
you often find a strong
much as possible. There should
government intervention.
economic dynamism in the
be other forms of outlet too,
It’s often so overregulated and
most impoverished areas, and
like a Vietnamese eating house
goal-oriented – which is
that’s because nothing’s
or a stamp collector’s shop –
understandable because there’s
regulated. But of course in the
businesses that wouldn’t be able
always tax money involved.
Netherlands you’re not going to
to afford to operate anywhere
I’m using the souk as a context
let a whole area get run down to
else. So you’re offering an
in which the government can
have that effect. What I asked
opportunity to tradespeople
facilitate something that creates
20
programme
Can design save the world? World Design Expo Over the past decades,
Nowadays it is known as ‘the
Design ‘Proeftuin’
Eindhoven has become one of
Milan of the North’, and in
The 2018 World Design Expo
the best-known cities for design
2011 it attracted no fewer than
will take shape via a Proeftuin
in the world. This is partly
1500 designers and 180,000
operating from 2014 onwards.
thanks to the Design Academy
visitors. It is in this fertile
We will start by taking stock of
Eindhoven, which for many
ground that we are planting the
the most important social issues
years has been a cradle of
2018 World Design Expo.
worldwide to which design can provide a response. International
top-level international design. One of 2018Eindhoven|Brabant’s
We will be asking every country
teams of designers, companies,
key projects will be the first
in the world to build a pavilion
social organisations and end
World Design Expo. With
in the Eindhoven region show-
users will then set to work on
hundreds of pavilions from all
casing the best in contemporary
these themes, both physically
over the world, the exhibition
social design their country has
and virtually.
will attract at least a million
to offer. They will also be able
visitors. It will take social design
to use existing locations. Central
as its central theme.
locations for the pavilions will be Strijp-S, the campus
The success of Eindhoven
of Eindhoven University of
design is proof of what can
Technology, the Eindhoven
happen when creativity,
region’s High Tech Campus,
engineering and manufacturing
factory De Ploeg in Bergeijk
industry get together. We have
(designed by Gerrit Rietveld)
already mentioned the Design
and additional locations in
Academy, but Dutch Design
Helmond. The World Design
Week (DDW) is also a prime
Expo’s central pavilion will be
example of Brabant’s pioneering
designed by New York-based
spirit. Having started as a
Dutch architect Florian
small-scale experiment, after ten
Idenburg. Situated in the
editions DDW has grown to
railside area of Helmond, it will
become one of Europe’s most
provide a floor area of at least
important festivals of design.
10,000 square metres.
Coen de Koning, student at Design Academy Eindhoven. >
Yuhun Kim, student at Design Academy Eindhoven. >
21
< Jaenah Jung, Master of Contextual Design, Design Academy Eindhoven.
Design guru and
For example, we will stimulate
visitors and participants from
‘Proeftuin partner’ John
co-creation projects around our
A to B in 2018. The results of
Thackara:
railside zones to do with urban
the Proeftuin projects will
“This Design Proeftuin is one in
farming, biodiversity, blue-
ultimately be showcased during
which the whole community
green corridors, and river and
the 2018 World Design Expo.
engages creatively with the
watershed restoration.”
challenges we all face: food,
ORGANISATION:
health, care, and jobs. We
IN EUROPE
Capital D Design Cooperation
envisage, for example, an
With European partners we will
Brainport (Eindhoven)
Eindhoven Food Forum. This
also create a variety of physical
will bring farmers, producers,
Proeftuin projects in Europe,
PARTNERS:
chefs, teachers and citizens
where together with end users,
Design Academy Eindhoven,
together to explore practical
designs can be constructed,
De Ploeg Bergeijk, Eindhoven
questions. This open platform
tested and evaluated in situ.
University of Technology,
will not be a talking shop; its
There may be Proeftuin projects
Helmond city council, architect’s
core activity will be the
in regions with a large elderly
bureau SO-IL New York, John
development of shared agendas
population, for example,
Thackara (Doors of Perception),
and practical ‘to-do lists’. We
generating concepts for
Helsinki Design Week, London
will also start an Eindhoven
alternative homes for the elderly
Design Week, Beijing Design
Health Forum. Citizens will
in which product design,
Week, Design Indaba (Cape
collaborate with health
architecture and home
Town, South Africa), Munich
providers – doctors, nurses,
automation go hand in hand.
Creative Business Week
hospital managers – in the creation of co-care and active
We will also develop a Mobility
welfare services. Inspired by the
Proeftuin, where in 2014 we will
'Forward to our Roots' concept,
already begin generating new
our Proeftuin will focus on
ideas in the field of mobility in
natural system regeneration.
collaboration with the High
We will explore different
Tech Automotive Campus in
ways to reconnect with, and
Helmond – ideas we will also be
regenerate, our bioregion.
able to use in transporting our
22
The experimental city - who we are
C2
View of buildings at the industrial heritage site Strijp-S, the former Philips headquarters in Eindhoven. >
Sky over Strijp-S, also the title of one of the ideas for the programme (see box p50). >
< Strijp-S
23
Welcome to Eindhoven, the city
Philips’ success was founded on
ranging from Spain to Turkey.
Eindhoven has reinvented
of pioneers, inventors and
an unconventional marriage
They helped build up the city,
itself in the past 15 years.
designers – the city of
between technical and creative
and today many of them, and
Government, business and
experimentation. The ugly-
people. It was in Eindhoven
their children and grand-
knowledge institutions put
duckling city, where the energy
that the company grew to be
children, still live in Brabant.
their heads together and got
and the mentality of creative
one of the world’s best-known
processes lies hidden beneath
electronics firms.
the surface. Where does it come
to work, aided by a strong The Miracle of
tradition of social networks in
Eindhoven
the region. This successful
from, this urge to innovate,
The coming of a Philips electric
Eindhoven has been flattened
model of collaboration, which
to turn over new ground and
light bulb factory at the end of
on more than one occasion in
has come to be known as the
push things to the limits?
the 19th century set a lot in
history. Physically, by the
Triple Helix, is now being
Before we unveil more of
motion in Eindhoven. But the
bombing of World War II. And
copied in many other
our cultural programme,
city’s history goes back a long
mentally, by the tough
knowledge-rich areas, both in
we would like to introduce
way. Eindhoven was granted
confrontation with globalisation
the Netherlands and beyond.
you to Eindhoven.
city rights in 1232. In the 19th
in the early 1990s when key
century it grew steadily, partly
parts of Philips left the city and
Imagination is more
The character of the people
due to the rise of the leather
a third of all jobs were lost.
important than
of Eindhoven has largely been
and textile industries, drawn by
formed by the poor sandy soil
a supply of cheap skilled labour.
It was a great shock at the time,
Eindhoven is like a magnet for
the city is built on. It is an area
Philips made Eindhoven into a
but with hindsight Philips’
inventors, researchers and artists
with no fertile agricultural land,
modern city and brought the
departure was an opportunity.
– for people in the business of
no raw materials, no sea, no
world to its doorstep.
‘It made Eindhoven resilient,’
innovation. The city is a
says Mayor Rob van Gijzel. The
breeding ground for talent
major rivers – an environment
knowledge
that obliges its inhabitants to
In the 1970s, US employees
city was left orphaned, but the
because it offers unexplored
be creative. Just to get by,
brought with them the music
people who were left behind
territory, and there is space,
they have had no choice but to
and style of what we today call
became enterprising. They
both physically and mentally.
work together and experiment,
‘urban culture’. From the 1960s
gained more space to think,
The city’s main strength is its
to seek out contradictions
onwards, Philips and other
became more daring, were given
mentality: an attitude of
instead of avoiding them.
companies actively recruited
the chance to exploit their
experiment and daring.
And they keep on doing so
new employees from countries
knowledge, engineering skills
to this day.
around the Mediterranean,
and imagination to the full.
24
It is the mentality that has
of recent years, let’s face it,
Körmeling will be breaking the
increasing social participation
produced Dutch Design Week,
Eindhoven hasn’t entirely got
place open quite literally in
and cultural education, with a
Europe’s biggest design event.
the identity and image to match
2018 by replacing the front
particular focus on young
And festival STRP, equally
its ambitions as a network city
walls of dozens of buildings in
people. We are not under the
one of the biggest art and
of the future.
the city centre with giant doors
illusion that art and culture
(see also p100).
can solve all of the most
technology festivals in Europe.
important problems in
A city’s physical environment Strijp-S is a huge former Philips
is a major factor in determining
Eindhoven wants to
Eindhoven’s deprived areas,
plant close to the city centre
its identity, in the way it is
connect people
but we do believe we can find
which is now being redeveloped.
perceived by residents and
Like other European cities,
new and innovative ways of
It is perhaps the best example of
visitors. Eindhoven is young
Eindhoven has its under-
inspiring more cultural
the city’s potential. Every sector
and modern, typical of many
privileged neighbourhoods.
participation and greater pride
and skill is welcome there to
new cities in urbanised areas of
These areas in particular suffer
and self-confidence.
take on the challenges of our
Europe, without natural
problems that have only
times on the basis of open
resources or a strategic location.
deepened with the current
innovation. The concentration
Eindhoven is a bold and feisty
economic crisis, problems such
of open minds and passionate
city, but you have to go out of
as unemployment (especially
pioneers makes the energy
your way to find that out. There
among young people), poverty
coupled with the inexhaustible
are few historical monuments
and limited social interaction.
urge to experiment more
and the public space doesn’t
And in some areas there
palpable than ever. The slogan
really reflect the fact that
are problems associated with
in large letters on the wall of
Eindhoven is such a city of
prostitution, drug dealing
the NatLab building, the
design and innovation. The
and personal safety. The
famous former Philips lab, is
culture is too well-hidden. So
2018Eindhoven|Brabant cultural
a quote from Einstein:
it is with good reason that one
programme will focus much of
“Imagination is more important
of the programme proposals is
its energy on neighbourhoods
than knowledge.”
to bring out into the open all
because people strongly
the art and creativity that is
identify with their local area.
Eindhoven wants to
going on behind closed doors
2018Eindhoven|Brabant will
make the city
in institutions, galleries and
make it possible for us to
Despite the economic successes
studios. Architect John
commit more systematically to
25
EINDHOVEN IN A NUTSHELL • With a population of 217,000, Eindhoven is the fifth largest city in the Netherlands. The city is in the southern province of Brabant, which has a total population of almost 2.5 million. Officially it is called North Brabant, because there is also a province of Brabant across the border in Belgium. • Until the 1990s Eindhoven was the home base of electronics multinational Philips. The city is also known for its Design Academy, one of the top schools of design in the world. And for football club PSV, winner of the 1988 UEFA cup and many a national championship. • Eindhoven was granted city status as long ago as 1232, though it remained small until the end of the 19th century. Then the city grew considerably, particularly due to the arrival of textile factories, the tobacco industry and the Philips electric light bulb factory. • Eindhoven is not only the greenest of the five largest cities and towns in Brabant, it is also the greenest of the five largest cities in the Netherlands. About a third of all public space in Eindhoven is open green space, with an area equivalent to almost 100m² for every household. • Strijp-S used to be a vast Philips plant and the company’s headquarters, close to the city centre. It was home to a fertile marriage between engineering and creativity, the place where inventions such as the cassette tape and the CD came into the world. Now the
site is becoming one of the most exciting centres for the arts and creative industries in the Netherlands. • Brainport, a successful public-private cooperation region, is among the top three in Europe in terms of patent density. Each year it produces more than half the patent applications in the Netherlands. • If you look at the region’s contribution to Gross National Product, Brabant is the Netherland’s second-largest economic region. • Famous companies have their headquarters in Eindhoven and the region: Philips, truck manufacturer DAF, Sat Nav company TomTom, and the world’s biggest supplier of machines to the microchip industry, ASML. • The region has world-renowned knowledge organisations and higher education institutions: Eindhoven University of Technology, Design Academy Eindhoven, TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research), and Tilburg University, Fontys University of Applied Sciences in Tilburg, the Academy for Fine Art and Design/St Joost in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and Breda, and the National University of Applied Sciences for Tourism and Transport in Breda. • Eindhoven was named European City of the Future in 2010 by leading business news daily the Financial Times.
26
Smartest region in the world “Few were surprised when the envelope was opened and Eindhoven, the Netherlands, was named as the Intelligent Community (Smartest Region) of 2011. Eindhoven’s focus on creativity was essential to its success. Intuition, followed by engineering, are the hammer and chisel of the modern masterpiece. I believe that many communities are intimidated by this cultural endeavour. Not Eindhoven. What made this community so special in 2011 was
its comfort with contradictions. It understood that creativity requires a step into the unknown. Eindhoven’s faith in the power of culture and its inherent creativity will continue to inspire our movement for a very long time.” Louis A. Zacharilla, co-founder Intelligent Community Forum, New York City, USA
27
Eindhoven geeks are in Writer Dirk van Weelden: “In popular culture over the past ten years, quiet, studious, technically clever types, ‘geeks’, have been emancipated from laughing stocks to role models, and yes, sometimes heroes. Thus the once so modest, introverted, nerdy city of Eindhoven is blossoming into a lively meeting place for people from all corners of the world who combine research and creative innovation with a desire to exchange, make contact and mingle with other cultures.”
The ‘New Dutch Masters’ of the Design Academy Apart from Philips, the High Tech Campus and football club PSV, the Design Academy is one of Eindhoven’s strongest international brands. It is no coincidence, because design is by nature the discipline that brings together art, technology and craftsmanship. Originally founded by Philips as the Academy for Industrial Design, the Design Academy Eindhoven is seen by many as the most important of its kind in the world. With internationally acclaimed alumni like Maarten Baas, Hella Jongerius, Richard Hutten and Tord Boontje. An article in the New York Times once said that in the footsteps of Rembrandt and Van Gogh, this was where the ‘New Dutch Masters’ were being trained.
28
We explore the future: our programme proposal C3
29
30
Our society is in transition.
become a giant laboratory with
A society ready to take on the
Collaboration brings out
The economic crisis in Europe
room for experimentation, with
future needs the right balance
differences in culture, mentality,
is symbolic of the way old
our model of the Proeftuin as
between people, environment
experience and professionalism.
paradigms are crumbling.
an important tool. A place
and economy. This is why we
Sometimes that can be
Divisions in society are
where we can work to help
are also sharply focusing our
painful. Working together
increasing, solidarity and sense
renew society through art and
programme on sustainability,
brings us into confrontation
of community are under
culture, in collaboration with
and why we are so fervent about
not only with other people,
pressure, the future of the
other disciplines and with
our energy and climate
but also with ourselves.
environment we live in is a
cultures from all over Europe.
ambitions. Inspiring sustainable technological developments as
So where does culture come
urgent need to seek cultural and
We have the physical space
well as raising public awareness
into all this? In 2018 we want a
societal renewal, to free
for this experimentation.
are the preconditions for many
European Capital of Culture
ourselves of old mechanisms.
At Strijp-S, the former Philips
projects in our 2018 programme.
that helps to bring about social
source of concern. There is an
and cultural renewal in Europe.
With our European Capital of
industrial site, the city is
Culture programme we want to
developing a new creative
The art of living
This is only possible if we make
set in motion the transition to
heart, buzzing with creativity
together
full use of the creative,
new solutions via art and
and talent. With a focus on
To get results through
exploratory and reflective
culture, with amateurs, with
new media, design and
cooperation, you need openness
potential of art and culture.
leading artists, with Europe
cross-pollination between art
and trust. That doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just
We are convinced that art is
and in close collaboration
and technology.
come about by itself. Everyone
essential to a healthy society.
instinctively tends to hold their
And that art â&#x20AC;&#x201C; like science â&#x20AC;&#x201C;
with every sector possible. This is why the central theme
We also have the mental space.
cards close to their chest. But
creates value in two ways: both
of our programme is entitled
In the Triple Helix model we
we have learned from experience
as art in its own right and in a
We explore the future.
have already rehearsed new
that playing a solo game gets us
functional, applied sense.
forms of collaboration aimed
nowhere. On its own the city
Exploring the future means
at producing innovation and
lacks the expertise and strength,
Art and culture should be an
daring to take the lead, to head
renewal. We are open to new
but together with others and
integral component of the
off the beaten track. Pioneering
impulses, and unafraid to
through open innovation, we
network between sectors and
and taking risks. Experimenting.
make mistakes and adjust
can realise new ideas. That is
reside firmly at the very heart of
Taking action. As European
our outlook.
asking a lot of all the partners,
society. At the same time art
that much we have also learned.
must have the space to develop
Capital of Culture we want to
31
autonomously, so it can build
The programme will be created
solution is constantly to keep
its quality and also be of
organically and in different
reinventing yourself, through
functional service. This is what
ways: bottom up, top down,
culture, together with others,
we want to bring about in the
and horizontally, via new
says the Lebanese-born French
run up to 2018 and during the
national and European
author Amin Maalouf.
year itself, with a unique cultural
connections. It’s going to
programme starting already in
develop, it’s going to grow –
“Whether our fellow humans live
2014, much of it produced in
you can already feel the energy
across the street or on the other side
‘Proeftuin projects’ (see chapter
here in Eindhoven! The
of the world, they are only a short
4) and via co-creation with the
prospects that the European
step away; our behaviour affects
public, European participants
Capital of Culture title offers
them as intimately as their
and as many different sectors
are already being put to good
behaviour affects us. It is no longer
as possible.
use by many arts producers in
enough to know others in an
Eindhoven and Brabant to
approximate, superficial, crude
New relationships with
build new relationships with
way. We need to know them subtly,
European partners
European partners.
up close. And that can only be
The programme we envisage has
achieved through their culture.
everything needed to spur
No more strangers
There are no longer any strangers in
Europeans into action. With
Today’s network society offers
top-level art and the best design
unprecedented possibilities, but
this century; there are only travelling companions.” *
in the world. With innovations
it can also be confusing. Many
in urban culture, which we
people feel uprooted. The world
expect to create a buzz
is faster, more ephemeral, less
internationally. With accessible
tangible. There is no single
and surprising events in which
answer to the question of how
traditions are celebrated,
we can keep our footing in a
explored and renewed. In which
fluid environment. We have to
new art is created by blending
keep searching.
different art forms. With events in which everyone can take part.
In today’s digital world, no one is ever far away and the only
* From Disordered World: Setting a New Course for the Twenty-first Century (Amin Maalouf, 2011)
32
33
Two programme lines
In a long-term artistic
environment. We will be
disciplines art can build
programme, with millions of
experimenting and working
connections between people.
visitors we will explore and
together with a wide range of
Diversity is not a burden but
celebrate the future in and for
sectors. The aim: with an
a source of inspiration for
Europe, in and for neighbour-
innovative cultural programme
new solutions. Read more
hoods and cities. This will
to contribute to new visions and
on this programme line in
happen on the basis of two lines
solutions for social challenges
chapter 6.
running through the
in the European city. Read
programme: We make the city
more on this programme line
and We connect people.
in chapter 5.
We make the city
We connect people
The city of the future will be a
With this programme line we
node in a network of cities. The
will be using art and culture
network city will be capable of
to make an active contribution
many things and will have a lot
to the sense of connection
more to offer its inhabitants,
between people in Europe. This
tourists, businesspeople and
is inspired by the idea that you
scientists than the sum of its
canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t create unity in the
parts. Together with European
continent only on an economic
partners, Eindhoven and
and political basis. Not only
Brabant want to work on
among European countries, but
building this city of the future.
also in cities, neighbourhoods and villages, the search for sense
We will depart from the key
of community, solidarity and
issues facing society today.
common values is a challenge.
With a diverse and innovative cultural programme we will
Art at both amateur and top
reflect on challenges such as the
professional level will
aging population, xenophobia,
contribute to this search. In
social segregation and the
collaboration with other
34
programme
Green light over Europe GLOW+ From its home in Eindhoven,
take a fresh look at a building
locations. This will have the
So we will link GLOW+ with
Philips was the company that
in public space, whether it is
dual benefit of ensuring unique
a special Proeftuin where artists,
brought electric light to the
a private home, a mosque, a
and affordable light artworks
designers, scientists and light
world. In 2018 Eindhoven and
deserted industrial estate or
while also giving the artist
producers can explore the
its partners will once again
a football stadium.
a bigger budget and an
potential for new structural
become Europe’s cities of light.
international platform.
solutions for lighting in the
The spectacular light art festival
We are working with GLOW on
After 2018, some of the light
public space – new solutions
GLOW already brings hundreds
plans for a spectacular opening
sculptures in the cities of
that focus on quality of life,
of thousands of visitors to
for 2018Eindhoven|Brabant,
Brabant and elsewhere in
safety and sustainability.
Eindhoven each year. The
using a string of hundreds of
Europe will be installed on
special year-long edition of the
thousands of environmentally
a permanent basis.
festival in 2018 will be a
friendly LED lights sponsored
glowing thread running through
by Philips. It will stretch out
Interaction and co-creation will
OPENLIGHT (the creative lab
the year’s events. Light
across Europe, all the way from
be key to GLOW+. Some light
at Eindhoven University of
installations and projections by
Eindhoven to Malta. And the
installations will react to sounds
Technology’s Intelligent Lighting
world-renowned artists will
lights will even be visible on
or movements made by visitors.
Institute), Baltan Laboratories,
connect the participating cities
nighttime satellite images.
And they will be able to directly
LUX Helsinki (Finland),
in Brabant with many others
control other light artworks,
Lichtfestival Gent (Belgium),
all over Europe.
whether in situ or from
Lichtrouten Lüdenscheid
You control the lights
thousands of miles away using
(Germany), Lumiere Durham
The idea behind GLOW is as
In 2018 GLOW will become
their own laptop.
(United Kingdom),
simple as it is effective: light in
GLOW+, the world’s greatest
the dark connects directly to
light art festival. Existing
A new light shining on
Narracje Festival Gdansk
the imagination. And anyone
collaborations with other
public space
(Poland), Skyway Torun
who has visited GLOW knows
European light festivals in
GLOW will of course run the
(Poland), Festival of Lights
just how magical it can be, with
Ghent, Helsinki and elsewhere
festival as sustainably as
Jerusalem (Israel), Philips
plain buildings transformed
will form a solid foundation for
possible in collaboration with
Corporate Sustainability
into gorgeous edifices, and
this growth. We will all be
sponsor Philips (Corporate
anonymous locations in the
joining forces to commission
Sustainability). But we also
city suddenly gaining new
European artists to design light
want to inspire sustainable use
meaning. Light art make us
sculptures for multiple
of light and energy elsewhere.
PARTNERS: Van Abbemuseum, MU,
Valgusfestival Tallinn (Estonia),
‘Light viaduct’ over the A2 motorway near Eindhoven, a project by Har Hollands. >
Har Hollands, light architect and one of the curators of GLOW light festival. >
Sketches by Dutch painter Reinhart Dozy made while imprisoned at the Camp Vught concentration camp during the Second World War. >
35
programme
The art of survival Art in wartime People make art in the most
resistance, bringing humour
concentration camps in the
be developing the exhibition
distressing conditions:
and inspiration to a hopeless
Second World War – works such
programme further in the
Schubert’s music could be heard
situation. Art, humour and
as those made in Camp Vught
coming years.
in Auschwitz, paintings were
satire have played an important
(SS Konzentrationslager
made at Guantanamo Bay, and
role in the Syrian revolution,
Herzogenbusch) in Brabant, the
ORGANISATION:
in the secret annex Anne Frank
for example. Cartoonist Ali
only official SS concentration
Camp Vught National Memorial
expressed her reality through
Ferzat’s became the voice of the
camp in the Netherlands.
writing. The Art of Survival is
people with his caricatures of
an exhibition of art made by
the President Assad. Musical
The first phase in the realisation
people in hopeless situations.
time bombs and graffiti are the
of this exhibition was the
Development, Netherlands
new weapons for people who
decision to focus on art from
Institute for War, Holocaust and
Art is often viewed as a luxury.
want to bring about change.
the two ‘bloody decades’ of
Genocide Studies (NIOD), Anne
If this were truly the case, you
In Bamiyan, Afghanistan, the
the 20th century, the 1930s and
Frank Foundation, Dutch Council
would expect art to vanish in
work and motives of amateur
40s. It will present art from
for Refugees (Vluchtelingen
times of suffering. In fact the
photographers express strength
prison camps operated in
Werk Nederland), Amnesty
reverse is true. Art often turns
and a sense of hope and
and on behalf of Nazi Germany
International. The project will
out to be the final sanctuary for
ambition for the future. In
and in and on behalf of the
have the support of expert
people whose lives have been
Baghdad, Iraq, a young refugee
Soviet Union.
advisors including NIOD, the
torn apart by war or some other
returns, dodging the bombs
catastrophe. These are just the
to teach art history. In
We will also show our
sort of situations in which art
Zimbabwe’s Book Café the
solidarity with people caught
offers solace, in which people
microphone was always open
up in modern wars by
look for resources within
to anyone who wanted to
presenting artworks from
themselves that haven’t yet
speak, inspiring generations
more recent hotbeds of
been affected by tragedy. Art is
of authors and poets.
conflict, inviting artists from
in fact a fundamental need –
PARTNERS: Prins Claus Fund for Culture and
Prins Claus Fund, and Camp Vught National Memorial
various fields producing work
a source of strength,
The Art of Survival acknow-
empowerment and hope.
ledges the importance of arts
under difficult conditions.
and culture in wartime. The
Focusing on multimedia will
In wartime, artistic expression
idea for this exhibition was
allow us to present a wide range
can be a form of creative
inspired by artworks from
of artistic disciplines. We will
< Ernst Verduin was in the Camp Vught concentration camp as a teenager. He now works as a volunteer at the Camp Vught National Memorial.
36
programme
The Apocalypse according to Joep van Lieshout
Joep van Lieshout >
Joep van Lieshoutâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s studio in Rotterdam. >
37
The New Tribal Labyrinth “A path through the elephant grass.
sculpture park about techno-
History and the future
Autumn sunshine. Apparently you
logy, art and culture, and
Until recently the industrial site
managed by the art foundation
can use elephant grass to make all
human history. It will deal with
behind Tilburg station was in
dertien hectare (thirteen hectares),
sorts of things. Above your head,
themes of recycling and
use as one of the two most
close to Heeswijk, southeast of
stalks, shoots. In the distance a
reproduction, consumer goods
important and oldest
’s-Hertogenbosch, with an
round tower on the horizon. Left,
and rituals.
maintenance companies for
exhibition of a large collection
Dutch Railways. Locomotives
of sculptural works around the
right, straight on, round the corner.
of the project in the rural site
A pheasant rustles through the
The New Tribal Labyrinth can
were made and repaired here for
theme of Agricola Novus, or
reed-like grass. Round another
be seen as the ultimate portrayal
more than hunderd years. In
‘the new farmer’.
corner. There, amongst all the tall
of Van Lieshout’s apocalyptic
this post-industrial location
grass, stand machines you can’t
ideas about the future. He is
Joep van Lieshout will make his
ORGANISATION:
quite place at first. There’s a loom
pessimistic about the use of
own connection between
Atelier Van Lieshout (Rotterdam)
you can set in motion. Where a
natural energy sources and is
history and the future of work
pathway comes to a dead end,
convinced that within a
and society.
there’s a huge hulk: a steel construc-
few decades human beings
tion bearing shiny tubes, spheres
will have exhausted all the
“In a row on a long strip of land
and barrels. A blast furnace?”
energy available. People will
stand a collection of tall sculptures:
then be left with no choice but
radio masts, totem poles, elongated,
Overexploitation
to keep the machines running
almost Egyptian-looking construc-
Joep van Lieshout is currently
through their own physical
tions. The atmosphere is serene – it
seen as one of the most
exertion. “If we continue
makes me think of a beach in north-
successful Dutch artists, both in
overexploiting the world in the
ern Canada full of dead tree trunks,
the Netherlands and abroad. In
way we’re doing now, it won’t be
or a site where Aboriginals honour
2018 the Brabant-born artist
long before everything is used
their dead. As I walk around it,
plans to grow a field of elephant
up,” he told Dutch art magazine
lying there in the perfect green grass
grass the size of four football
Oog. “And because nobody
I see eggs, bigger than I am.
pitches behind Tilburg’s central
wants to do without anything,
I put my ear to one of them but hear
station. Through this field he
we will end up smashing each
only the rushing of my own blood.”
will then cut a maze, in which
other’s brains in. But I don’t
he will place a large number
want to moralise about it. I just
In the summer of 2012 Atelier
of his own artworks to create a
make art about it.”
Van Lieshout gave a foretaste
38
programme
The Solar World Cinema, powered by solar energy.
(Y)Our Europe
With founder Maureen Prins (L) and Christian Hemmen. >
solar world cinema The Solar World Cinema is a
short filmmaking workshops
Kinemastik film festival (Malta),
unique mobile cinema running
given in collaboration with
Barz-Hippo’s (youth workshops,
on solar energy, which has been
local partners such as film
Italy), CICAE (International
touring all over Europe since
schools, museums and
Confederation of Art House
2010. In 2018 the Solar World
filmmakers. At the end of each
Cinemas), St. Joost Art Academy
Cinema bus will set out on a
visit, they will screen a
(Breda), Festival Playgrounds
quest for the identity of Europe.
compilation of the films.
(Tilburg) and Eindhoven
The project will have its own
University of Technology
In 2018 the Solar World
dedicated portal to which
Cinema crew will be travelling
anyone can upload their own
around Europe as part of the
films and impressions of towns
(Y)Our Europe project, with
and villages. Other films will
open-air screenings of films that
also be available for viewing
focus on European identity.
and all material will be available
They will also be producing
for common use. The first solar-powered
their own film productions on the road: in every city, town
On Solar World Cinema’s
mobile cinema
and village they visit, they will
return to the Netherlands, all
The Solar World Cinema is a
ask local people what they like
the suitable film material will
mobile cinema bus with solar
about where they live or what
be used to produce a full-length
panels on its roof. It has
marks it out as special –
ode to European towns entitled
been travelling since 2010 to
something that they want to
(Y)Our Europe, which will be
towns and villages throughout
share with the rest of Europe.
distributed and screened
Europe, bringing people
The pilot version of the project
throughout Europe.
together for open-air film screenings. The self-supporting
took place in July 2012 with a visit to Malta. Solar World Cinema will ask
ORGANISATION:
Solar World Cinema project is
Solar World Cinema Foundation
refreshing, accessible and
(Tilburg)
practical . It combines culture and sustainability, demon-
people to make a film clip about their own town,
PARTNERS:
strating just how well they can
supporting this process with
Pula film festival (Croatia),
work in tandem.
Solar World Cinema on location. >
Carnival floats under construction for the Oeteldonkse optocht (parade), â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s-Hertogenbosch, 2012. >
39
programme
Celebrating Carnival with the rest of the world Wim van der Donk,
Carnival is one of the oldest
But Carnival can also be a
congress on the origins and social functions of Carnival.
Queen’s Commissioner
popular festivals in the world. It
somewhat isolated event, with
in Brabant:
is the ultimate celebration of
limited exchange taking place
“Carnival is a unique, popular
social connectedness, and there
even between the villages
PARTNERS:
celebration that is integral to
are few places where it is
involved. Nonetheless, if there
Brabant Carnivals Federation,
the identity of local
experienced so intensely as in
is one party where you can
Kunstbalie, Erfgoed Brabant,
communities. It is a strong
Brabant. Culture can offer an
celebrate unity in diversity, it
Nederlands Centrum voor Volks-
social binder bringing people
escape from everyday life, an
is this one. So in 2018 we
cultuur, European Cultural
together in cafes and on the
alternative reality, and that is
will be celebrating Carnival
Heritage Foundation (ECE),
streets to sing along to roaming
certainly a speciality of
the whole year long.
National Carnival Museum
Carnival orchestras. People get
Carnival. It brings together
to step out of their everyday
tradition and creativity in the
We are going to combine art
Kanselarij Nederland van de
roles for the joy of being
rituals, the floats, the music and
and Carnival by asking
Internationale Broederschap
together and celebrating
the costumes. In 2018, Brabant
contemporary artists to design
van het Gulden Vlies and the
together. Carnival is an intrinsic
will share the energy of
Carnival floats for various
Närrische Europäische
part of Brabant, so let’s take
Carnival with the rest of the
towns in Brabant and to take
Gemeinschaft (NEG)
good care of it.”
world, connecting Carnivals in
their inspiration from the many
our towns with Maastricht,
immigrant Carnival traditions.
Cologne, Venice, the Antilles
And we are also going to swap
and of course Malta.
ideas with other countries: in
‘Oeteldonks Gemintemuzejum’,
2016, 2018 and 2020 we will be
< Rob van de Laar, chairman of the Brabant Carnivals Federation.
Some form of Carnival takes
exchanging float designs with
place in almost every country
Germany, Malta and Brazil.
with a Catholic tradition.
And in 2018 we will also share
Besides the Netherlands, it is
our costumes, rituals and music
celebrated everywhere from
by organising an exhibition
South Africa to Germany to
with contributions from
Colombia. For many
eighteen countries about and
neighbourhoods, villages and
as part of Carnival. This
towns in these countries it is
exhibition will run in parallel
the social highpoint of the year.
with a major international
40
Proeftuin, the method
C4
41
Our European Capital of
artistically minded and practical
We plan to involve as many
increasingly interwoven and we
Culture will be one big
people, using art and culture,
people as possible. People who
believe they should no longer
Proeftuin – a Dutch word
technology and knowledge to
used to be known as ‘the
be seen as contradictory but as
meaning ‘experimental garden’,
search for answers to the urgent
audience’ will become co-
complementary forces
similar to ‘test bed’ but with
challenges facing society. The
creators in entire the process.
strengthening each other. The
layers of meaning we think it
relationship between nature
Local, national and European
Proeftuin projects are designed
is important for you to know
and technology will be a major
participants will show where
to allow us to re-examine our
about (see box on p10).
source of inspiration.
their needs lie, come up with
relationship with our land and
creative ideas, give feedback,
nature in the context of the
The Proeftuin will be a place to conceive, practise and
The results of the Proeftuin
and work on performances,
relatively new digital world in
experience art. It will offer the
projects will be diverse, ranging
buildings or art works.
which we live. Digital natives
mental and physical space to
from performances, artworks
take time, contemplate and
and exhibitions to festivals and
People will decide for them-
their homeland. How should we
create. Our programme will
street theatre.
selves which phase they
in Brabant – a region of farmers,
want to take part in, which
green cities and technology
grow out of multidisciplinary
now view the internet as part of
teams, ‘Proeftuin projects’ in
Built on urgency
season of the Proeftuin – the
– and in Europe deal with this
which artists, local residents
There will be many such
experimental garden. Would
new situation? How can we find
and experts will work on art
projects during 2018Eindhoven|
you like to choose the seeds to
new reference points?
and culture together in an open-
Brabant, both in physical
sow? Or help design the layout?
source way designed to break
and digital form, not only in
Or would you prefer to wait till
down barriers. This will be our
Eindhoven and in the
the flowers are in bloom and
method. How will it work?
Netherlands but also elsewhere
just enjoy the scene, or harvest
in Europe. Built on urgency,
the fruit?
The Proeftuin is a concept we
with links to all sectors, focused
are developing to enable artists,
on co-creation. Based on the
One of the themes which will
local residents, academics,
awareness that art and culture
play an important role in many
young people and entrepreneurs
bubbles up to the surface and
Proeftuin projects is the
to inspire and help each other
can best be created without
increasing interdependence
to move forward. We will set
rules or interference. And it
between nature and technology.
up Proeftuin projects to
happens best at unexpected
Nature (including humanity)
work with bright, visionary,
times and places.
and technology are becoming
42
10 Starting points
The Proeftuin projects will be
the economic, social and spatial
will provide new ideas for
and action. Action, not
open laboratories.
ambitions of Europe and its
funding culture. Initiatives have
discussion, is the keyword.
Organisations and individuals
cities. Europe will be invited
to make sense financially.
– with good plans and at least
and encouraged to participate in
6. environmental
The artistic director together
two partners – can put forward
and learn from the Proeftuin
sustainability: initiatives
with a team of experts will
proposals to set one up. Each
projects and vice versa: the
must be environmentally sound,
decide whether a proposal
plan has to deal with a theme
projects will be pro-active in
taking into account the foot-
complies with these starting
that fits within one of the
engaging Europe.
print they leave behind them.
points and fits within the
programme lines, We connect
3.multidisciplinary: the
7. legacy: initiatives will not
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
people or We make the city.
make-up of teams will be as
be simply collections of separate
programme. Each Proeftuin
diverse as possible, not just in
projects. They will be
will have an independent
To guarantee the quality of the
terms of expertise but also in
structured, enabling producers
management team and will
Proeftuin projects and ensure
terms of the roles of their
and users to take new know-how
take its own decisions about
they will produce applicable
members. Each team will
and understanding on board
forms of presentation.
results, we have set out the
include a creative and original
and pass it on to others.
2018Eindhoven|Brabant will
following ten starting points to
person in a central position who
8. the leap from fear
follow the development of
which they must subscribe.
will shake up the process and
to hope: while our era is often
all the Proeftuin projects,
encourage unexpected lines
characterised by crisis and fear
maintain contact regarding
1. open character: each
of approach.
for the future, the projects will
presentations and provide
Proeftuin will be characterised
4. nature and
help us advance through fear
tailor-made advice where
by openness and will set to work
technology: the relationship
and will offer hope.
necessary.
with active contributions from
between nature and technology
9. head and heart:
the public and organisations.
and how they are interwoven
initiatives will look for a new
Social innovation
All the Proeftuin projects will
will play a central role in many
balance between head and
An important partner for
lead to concrete results for a
Proeftuin projects, serving as
heart, between reason and
Eindhoven in the development
broad public. All activities will
a source of inspiration for
emotion. Cultural expression
of the Proeftuin projects is
by definition be recognisably
new insights into and solutions
can help to achieve this.
Tilburg University, a front
linked to and anchored in
for society.
10. thought and action:
runner in Europe in the field of
society.
5. innovative financing
the Proeftuin projects are our
‘social innovation’. In the
2. significance for
METHODS / CREATION of
way of trying to find ways of
projects, the arts and
Europe: initiatives will serve
values: the Proeftuin projects
giving new shape to thought
humanities subjects involved in
43
social innovation will be linked
and in different locations in the
And what will the world be like
to the scientific approach of
rest of the Netherlands and
if we do nothing and keep using
technology and design.
Europe. For example, we will
the earth as if we are all that
have specially-designed
matters and as if resources are
In the Proeftuin projects we will
transparent Proeftuin projects
inexhaustible?
work to create new expressions
with presentation facilities such
of art and culture through
as a stage, projector and screen.
These are questions we might
co-creation. Each Proeftuin will
There will be a pop-up version,
put to artists in the Proeftuin
have its own theme and partners,
and Proeftuin projects that
projects, just as we have
and through crowd sourcing
travel through Europe. We will
asked artist Joep van Lieshout
and active participation, anyone
use the latest methods to make
to explore a world view for
in Europe will be able to
online collaboration and
2018Eindhoven|Brabant.
contribute via an online portal.
presentation a success. And we
We will present the results both
will be keen to draw on the
His first sketches are ready,
live and online, in Brabant, in
experience of the European
ambitious, compelling and
the Netherlands and in Europe.
cultural network. We see the
confrontational. Walking
former, present and future
through a labyrinth cut through
Work in the Proeftuin projects
European Capitals of Culture as
a vast field of elephant grass
will be done in accordance with
our primary partners.
beside the railway tracks of
the sustainability principles of
Tilburg, we will encounter Van
the Framework for Strategic
The urgent issues we will be
Lieshout’s art works presenting
Sustainable Development, an
dealing with in 2018 might not
a vision of the destructive world
open source, scientifically
even have arisen yet – with the
he believes humanity is heading
robust, and widely disseminated
Proeftuin projects we will keep
for if we don’t turn around
framework co-developed by an
our finger on the pulse. We will
and seek new a direction. The
international NGO called The
keep in contact with other
labyrinth itself will form an
Natural Step. It is the backbone
European Capitals of Culture
environment in which visitors
of the approach to sustainability
and make use of the expertise
and other artists will be able to
adopted by multinationals such
they have developed. Umea2014
reflect on the vision that Van
as Philips, Nike and Dow
is paying a lot of attention to
Lieshout presents.
Chemical. Eindhoven City
climate and the environment
Council as well as the city’s five
with the programme Stay Cool,
As well as Van Lieshout’s
housing corporations and the
for example. Wroclaw 2016 is
Proeftuin we will also develop
companies involved in the
dealing with ‘interpassivity’ as a
a range of Proeftuin projects
Strijp-S redevelopment have
symptom of contemporary
that will work proactively and
also adopted the Framework.
technological developments.
concretely on future possi-
The Flexible Platform is the
bilities to use resources more Visualising
economically and sustainably,
The Natural Step. Its office is
a new world view
for example through recycling,
at Strijp-S.
Can we visualise, film, describe,
upcycling, innovation, or
paint, design a world based on
the exchange of objects that
Cultural Capitals United
new values and principles? Can
people no longer use themselves
To make the Proeftuin projects
architects build this world?
more. For examples see Cultural
as high-profile and inviting as
What will the neighbourhoods
souk (p18), detuin|united
possible, we will find ways to
in which we will live together be
(p48), World Design Expo (p20)
give them a conspicuous
like? What form will we give to
and the collaboration with
physical presence in the
the public space in this world?
Philips Corporate Sustainability
Dutch representative of
participating cities in Brabant
(p108).
44
We make the city C5
45
We want to explore the future
according to a recent UN
for contemplation and urban
development of the work
to give the world we live in new
report. In 35 years’ time it will
meeting places. You can
online, and pool ideas as
meaning through art and
be two out of three. This means
see it as an experiment in
co-designers. In producing the
culture, to gain a new purchase
that in many regions of Europe,
which the countryside gets to
design, in collaboration with
on the world through art.
city and countryside will
stake a claim in the city. In
the local authorities, planners,
As an urban network, we are
increasingly overlap. This is
detuin|united, there will be cows
farmers and residents, the art
offering ourselves as a cultural
certainly evident in Brabant.
wandering among the studios
students will put ‘the art of
test bed for the network city of
City and countryside form what
and stages, we will experiment
living together’ into practice.
the future. With Proeftuin
we have come to call a ‘mosaic
with new forms of city
They will personally experience
projects and other cultural
metropolis’. The question of
gardening, and explore whether
the dilemmas and obstacles
activities we will create art and
how the urban and the rural
they can be applied on a larger
an artist has to overcome to
make discoveries to enrich our
can best complement each other
scale. We will seek new
create a large public artwork.
city, also in terms of ecological
is a possible starting point for a
dynamics based on artistic
In 2018 we will present the
sustainability. And we will be
Proeftuin centring on land art.
inspiration and a new exchange
designs and the artworks that
between city and countryside.
have been realised, and we
working together with as many local residents and visitors as
Detuin|united (‘the garden |
will share the young artists’
possible, in a way that
united’, see p48) will be a
We will be asking artists to
valuable experience with
structurally strengthens the
cultural park, a pleasure garden,
develop artworks for prominent
European art academies.
capacity of the city and its
in an industrial area in
locations in the landscape, in
inhabitants to shape their own
’s-Hertogenbosch. The park is
conjunction with the area’s
theme:
future. In this chapter we
inspired by the work of the
direct users, such as farmers,
art and technology
describe the first line to our
city’s most famous artist,
villagers or recreational visitors.
Another plan for a keynote
programme: We make the city.
Jheronimus Bosch. We will be
We will invite European art
programme component is
creating a piece of countryside
academies to have young
STRP XXL. In just a few years,
theme:
in the middle of the city. It will
artists adopt locations in
festival STRP has grown to
town and country
be a Proeftuin in itself, in which
Europe – for example in border
become one of the largest
One of the topical issues we will
we will dream about the society
areas – for which they will
festivals of art and technology
be exploring with a Proeftuin is
of the future. In detuin|united
design a piece of land art and
in Europe. For the European
urbanisation. The city keeps on
we will develop new ideas on
ideally also realise it. Planners,
Capital of Culture year, we will
advancing, and one person in
integrating urban and rural,
architects, designers and fellow
be mounting STRP XXL, an
two now lives in an urban area,
we will create new concepts
artists will be able to follow the
extra-large version which will run
46
Ben Schouten: “In Eindhoven there’s
“Actually I’m always dreaming
distanced from these kinds of
the user, says Ben. “In many
freedom, because people
a bit. I don’t believe in rules so
organisations. The only option
places here there’s an
aren’t trapped in
much. I’m triggered by the
is to bring them closer. To
atmosphere of freedom,
compartmentalised
dynamics of the times.” He is
collaborate. That’s what’s so
because people aren’t trapped
processes.”
mainly interested in processes,
nice about gaming. Through
in compartmentalised
“In how you can involve people,
play, discovering, being able
processes. The self-evidence of
Ben Schouten, originally an
how you can make them
to make mistakes, looking at
working in a multidisciplinary
artist, made the switch into
enthusiastic. How you can
things from the other direction,
way, the combination of
science. With a doctorate in
make them think. The world
throwing things away, starting
social and technological
computer science, since 2010 he
isn’t so deterministic anymore.
all over again.”
aspects. And not being scared
has been a professor of Playful
We’re seeing the bankruptcy of
Interaction at Eindhoven
centrally organised institutions,
The only way to bring about
University of Technology.
like big banks. People are too
innovation is to focus on
throughout the year. Strijp-S
Who will they be? We won’t
young designers, have been
will be the physical heart of
know till 2018.
inspired by the relationship
theme: young people,
between nature and technology
heritage and traditional
2018Eindhoven| Brabant,
of it. We don’t have any sacred cows here.”
and STRP XXL will be largely
theme: nature and
and new developments in the
skills
responsible for the life and
technology
field. Eindhoven-based
The province of Brabant has
dynamics on the location in
One of the themes that we will
bio-artist Jalila Essaïdi, for
a wide range of heritage sites
2018. Many Proeftuin projects
frequently be exploring within
example, is renowned for her
for which it wants to devise
will be based in Strijp-S, and
this programme line is the
‘bullet-proof skin’, made of
new, sustainable functions.
STRP XXL will play a central
relationship between nature and
human skin and spider silk
Monasteries, silos or factories,
role in presenting their
technology. Both are fields in
(see box on p47).
for example, have dominated
cultural output. STRP XXL
which Brabant can boast a
will be a cultural relay, with a
wealth of knowledge. Artists,
One of the Proeftuin projects
of the province for centuries.
succession of events, master
designers and scientists all
we want to initiate in the run-up
To ensure their future, they
classes, concerts, performances,
expect that the majority of
to 2018 will experiment with
need to be restored on the basis
exhibitions and screenings
innovations over the coming
new applications of natural
of innovative thinking about
with art and technology as
years will arise through the
pigments in paint for artists.
society and the economy.
the central theme.
far-reaching integration of
Centuries ago artists painted
Through our European Capital
the atmosphere and appearance
technology and nature. Take the
using naturally occurring
of Culture programme, we want
STRP XXL will also be a
rise of nanotechnology, for
substances, but many
to involve children and young
‘stream’ that people every-
example, or the development
techniques have been forgotten.
people directly with this
where will be able to log in to
and use of bio-based materials.
Paint has now become a
cultural heritage, so they can
and make a contribution,
Here Brabant can play a crucial
synthetic product containing
make a visible and worthwhile
making this one of the most
role because the province is
little or no natural material.
contribution, and see their
media-intensive events of
home to so much expertise in
The company Rubia in the
future prospects improving.
2018. It will be like an ‘art
the field. We are giving a lot of
Brabant town of Steenbergen
and culture open university’,
weight to this theme, because
uses innovative and entirely
One example is a Proeftuin
where anyone in Europe will
ecological sustainability is
natural and sustainable
about finding new uses for
be able to do a course or
perhaps the most urgent topic
techniques to produce dyes for
physical heritage, which will
attend a lecture by one of
in relation to the symbiosis
textiles. Working with artists
bring together knowledge,
the most high-profile cultural
between nature and technology.
we will seek new applications
education, research, employ-
minds of the moment.
Many designers, especially
for these pigments in painting.
ment and the new economy.
47
Young people will be playing
and provide inspiration for
Jalila Essaïdi:
she says – sometimes because
the central role in the
new functions for the buildings
“EXCITING things happen
there is friction. To Jalila that
Proeftuin because, after all,
(see p53).
through openly sharing
goes without saying. Science is
knowledge”
made up of islands of expertise,
they’re the ones who will be preserving our heritage and
In this bid book we have given
craftsmanship in the future.
just a few examples of impor-
Jalila Essaïdi (32) sparked a
it’s by looking at things from
We hope that by learning
tant, topical aspects of the
media hype when she succeeded
different angles that you find
on the job they will become
contemporary European city
in making a bullet-proof skin
new, unexpected solutions.”
interested in a technical
that we want to explore through
made of human cells and spider
education and in acquiring
art and culture. We haven’t
silk. Fascinated by the
Jalila trained at the art academy
traditional knowledge and skills
talked about inspiring the
transience of life, she studies
in Tilburg and then studied
that are at risk of being lost.
city yet. Inspiration is what
and manipulates living material.
Bio-Art at Leiden University.
Universities and colleges, know-
brings a city to life, and it
Life sciences are the basis for
She wants to innovate by
ledge institutions and heritage
comes from people. It is one
her artistic work.
linking nature, culture and
organisations will join provincial
of the topics in the second line
government in contributing to
to our programme, We connect
Eindhoven city council invited
can solve problems by bringing
the Proeftuin. We will already
people. More on this in the
Jalila to start a bio-art lab and
everything together. And that
be running a pilot over the
next chapter.
each with its own jargon. “But
technology. She believes you
offered her a space at Strijp-T,
is possible here in Eindhoven,
next couple of years.
the former location of Philips
she says. “There’s a lot of
In another Proeftuin, around a
Medical Systems. “Since then
interaction among different
dozen former monasteries or
my work has taken off,” she
areas of expertise. The
other characteristic heritage
says. “I’m constantly being
institutions are small, the lines
buildings now left unused will
introduced to new people and
are short, the people are
temporarily serve as studios for
everyone’s incredibly helpful.
down-to-earth. You can get
leading international artists.
Everybody knows each other
things off the ground pretty
They will take their inspiration
here. Once you know one or
quickly. That suits me. I like to
from the building and the
two interesting people, you
get straight down to work.”
environment, and create and
know them all.” And that suits
exhibit new work. Exhibitions
her way of working perfectly.
and presentations will draw a
“Exciting things happen through
large international audience
openly sharing knowledge,”
48
programme
De Heus cattle feed plant in ’s-Hertogenbosch,
Who still dreams of a heaven on earth?
future location of detuin|united. >
Railside redevelopment in 's-hertogenBosch: detuin | united Close to the historical city
of Utopia, in which Thomas
inspired by The Garden of
narrow strip of parkland
centre of ’s-Hertogenbosch,
More describes the ideal society.
Earthly Delights, the celebrated
running for a mile along a
tucked between railways and
Exactly five centuries after the
triptych by artist Jheronimus
former freight railway track in
waterways, stands a huge old
book first appeared, detuin|
Bosch depicting human
New York. Another is architect
cattle feed plant on an
united will consider how far we
existence in paradise, on earth
Stefano Boeri’s design for the
industrial estate. It is an exciting
have com. Are we still bold
and in hell. The Rotterdam-
apartment blocks built in Milan
place with flavours of past and
enough to dream of a better
based bureau ZUS (Zones
in 2013 whose concrete
future. In 2013 the men from
society or are we all bound for
Urbaines Sensibles) will design
platforms jutting from the
the mill will be leaving, and we
hell on earth? As part of the
the architecture and translate
facades support pots of shrubs
will get started on detuin|united
European Capital of Culture
the triptych into physical space.
and trees.
(‘the garden|united’). We are
year in 2018, detuin|united will
going to use this Proeftuin –
assemble an international
Sustainability and
We will give space to renowned
and this time it is quite literally
cultural programme presenting
recycling
artists so they can produce
an experimental garden – to
work produced by scientists,
We are seeking out new forms
projects at the cutting edge of
dream big dreams about the
gardeners, artists and citizens
for the garden as a place of
their disciplines. There will be
society of the future. In this
in their search for answers to
reflection and reconciliation.
filmmakers and food
modern, urban Eden we will
these questions.
The project’s aims are
innovators, theatre makers and
bring the countryside to the
encapsulated in its Dutch title
cultural philosophers, urban
city, create new places for
Place of reconciliation
detuin|united: the Dutch words
planners and poets, and
reflection and reconciliation,
Cows will be wandering among
for ‘the garden’ form an
landscape architects and
and experiment with
the silos, warehouses and
anagram of ‘united’. It will
educators. Their activities will
sustainability and recycling.
scaffolding as you stroll along
create encounters between
span everything from popular
to studios, temporary stages,
citizens and visitors of every
entertainment to profound
In 2016, detuin|united will be
meeting rooms, exhibition
ethnicity, faith and outlook.
experimentation. This complex
the focal point for celebrations
spaces and a small hotel.
Sustainability and recycling
will play host to a carousel and
surrounding the 500th anniver-
Children will be working on
will play a key role, as will
a circus, as well as urban games,
sary of painter Jheronimus
the allotments, harvesting
cross-pollination between city
theatre, concerts, lectures and
Bosch’s death. And it is
vegetables for a special cook-
and countryside.
debates. It will become the new
curiously appropriate that
and-eat project. This is where
2016 is also the 500th
we will practice and deepen
One of our inspirations is The
anniversary of the publication
‘the art of living together’,
High Line, the remarkable
urban hub for top-notch culture and interaction.
49
< The canteen at cattle feed plant De Heus, future venue for detuin|united. Paul van Seeters, co-initiator of detuin|united (L) with an employee at De Heus (R).
PARTNERS:
International Festival of Arts &
Stichting detuin|united,
Ideas (New Haven, USA), Under
Jheronimus Bosch 500,
the Radar Festival (New York,
Theaterfestival Boulevard,
USA), Theater aan Zee Festival
November Music, Incubate
(Oostende, Belgium), Centre de
festival Tilburg, Festival
développement chorégraphique
Mundial Tilburg, Jazz in
du Val-de-Marne/ Biënnale de
Duketown, Stedelijk Museum
danse du Val-de-Marne (Paris,
’s-Hertogenbosch, Fundament
France), Operaestate Festival
Tilburg, Het Zuidelijk Toneel,
Veneto (Venice, Italy), ImPulsTanz
Circo Circolo, Theater Artemis,
(Vienna, Austria)
Matzer Theaterproducties, Verkadefabriek, de Skatehal, CBK ‘s-Hertogenbosch and W2 Poppodium, Berliner Festspiele, Concertgebouw Brugge (Belgium), Künstlerhaus Mousonturm (Frankfurt, Germany), Frans Brood Productions (Ghent, Belgium), NTGent (Belgium), Teatro Maria Matos (Lisbon, Portugal), Greenwich + Docklands Festivals, London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT), Dance Umbrella (London, UK), Asociación Hablar en Arte, ACCIÓN! MAD, Festival Internacional Madrid en Danza, Festival de Otono en Primavera (Madrid, Spain),
50
programme
Art and technology: resetting the future STRP XXL Festival The annual festival STRP at
technology and society. STRP
on a wide international network
Sky over Strijp-S
Strijp-S in Eindhoven has
focuses on impact and a 360-
of influential artists, scientists
Another idea is Sky over
grown to become one of the
degree experience that brings
and visionaries the festival has
Strijp-S, the first art event ever
largest and most important
thought, depth and surprises.
built up over the years, and link
to take place entirely in the sky.
them up with their cultural
The skies above Strijp-S will
festivals of art, technology and new music in Europe. The
Twelve international
counterparts from Eindhoven,
be the stage for art ranging
festival features a multi-
greats
Brabant and the Netherlands as
from fireworks and projections
disciplinary mix of technological
Strijp-S will be the epicentre of
a whole.
to augmented reality and
art, performance, film and
2018Eindhoven|Brabant.
contemporary music. In 2018,
NatLab 2.0 will be the main
STRP XXL will start
all over Europe. A team of
under the name STRP XXL,
base for the Proeftuin projects,
preparations in 2013. In the
curators will approach artists,
the festival will last for 365
VOLT will show the latest
run-up to 2018, STRP will
and via an international call for
days of the year. STRP XXL will
developments in media (see p71)
mount a programme comprising
projects artists will be invited
be 2018Eindhoven|Brabant’s
and the STRP XXL festival will
four to six events a year.
to submit plans, which will be
central Proeftuin.
keep the 30-hectare site buzzing
STRP is about roaming the vast
huge inflatables by artists from
judged by a committee
for 365 days, and sometimes
PARTNERS:
according to their feasibility
nights too.
STRP, Glow, Natlab 2.0, VOLT,
and artistic quality.
former factory floors of Philips,
Poème Electronique, MU, Baltan
dodging a wandering robot with
Obviously the programme has
Laboratories, Eindhoven
Idea: Frens Frijns (former director
the beats of Aphex Twin
not yet been filled, but there are
University of Technology’s
of festival STRP, currently director
throbbing in the background.
plenty of ideas. One major plan
cultural organisation Studium
of rock and pop venue 013)
About art installations you can
is ‘12 x 12 x 12’, in which twelve
Generale, Alice Foundation, MAD
interact with, like the high-tech
young talents will be matched
Emergent Art Center, V2
dress Intimacy 2.0 by artist
with twelve major international
Rotterdam, STEIM, Netherlands
Daan Roosegaarde, which as
figures in the world of
Media Art Institute, High
you approach the model
technology and art. The two
Tech Campus Eindhoven,
becomes more transparent in
will be challenged to work
Brainport, Philips, NXP,
response to her quickening
together intensively at Strijp-S
Optofonica (platform for
heartbeat. About visionary art
for a month, and respond to
Synesthetic Art-Science)
plugged into the mains, a
public questions and input.
glimpse of the future of culture,
STRP XXL will be able to draw
Strijp-S >
< The Clock Building, one of the landmark buildings at Strijp-S.
< Designer Bart Hess, whose work includes the leader for 2011 STRP festival (see also interview p103).
Actress Marlies Hamelynck (L) with colleagues at the funfair in the village of Someren-Heide. >
< The funfair in Tilburg.
51
programme
The Performing Society The Tilburg Fair, renewing a popular celebration Perhaps the most universal
attracts hundreds of thousands
lead to in 2018 is not yet set in
popular events are the carnival,
of visitors. Over the last twenty
stone, but imagine arriving at
the funfair and the circus.
years, Pink Monday has
the centre of Tilburg to find
Brabant has strong traditions in
become one of the Netherlands’
yourself in an Alice in
all of these quintessentially
prime public events for the
Wonderland world that is both
inclusive celebrations that bring
gay community.
familiar and absurd; imagine
people together irrespective of
a magical, temporary city where
social, cultural and national
Traditionally, the funfair is
among the flickering lights
dividing lines. In 2018 we want
where people from every
you hear brass bands and
to use this powerful tradition
segment of society come
Balkan beats, and see acrobats,
– one that is so central to the
together, where traditions meet
urban dance, and fairground
identity of Brabant – to connect
curiosities and where play
rides like nothing you have
locally and internationally, as
creates space for the new and
ever seen before.
well as giving a new impulse to
the unknown. The inclusive
the development of these
but nonetheless specific
ORGANISATION:
popular events.
character of the funfair has
The Performing Society
inspired many artists in
(Tilburg)
The Tilburg Fair is the largest
Brabant. In 2018 we will tap
event of its kind in the Benelux:
into the funfair’s rich and
PARTNERS:
it attracts upwards of a million
multifaceted potential by
Festival Incubate, Circo Circolo,
visitors, making it the second-
integrating it with the perfor-
Het Zuidelijk Toneel, Festival
best attended public event in
ming arts. The Performing
Mundial, Theaters Tilburg,
the Netherlands. It sets the
Society is a collaboration
Sonax, Fontys College for
example for connecting people
between cultural organisations
the Arts
from every corner of society. As
in Tilburg. It will explore ways
well as being multicultural, the
in which the performing arts
Tilburg Fair actively welcomes
could feed into funfair culture
specific target groups. There is a
– and vice versa - inspired by
day for people with disabilities,
the famous book Homo Ludens
a senior citizens’ funfair and
(1938), by the Dutch historian
the famous Pink Monday, which
Johan Huizinga. What this will
52
programme
Clustering international urban creativity
The former Mariadal Convent in Roosendaal, Brabant, one of the possilble locations for the ‘Art in historic buildings’ project. >
cultural minorities in the Netherlands have their roots. In these cities we are looking for innovative cultural developments that will bring inspiration to BrabantStad and other European urban areas. Cross-disciplinary The artistic agents that we intend to involve are the visual
Divine Interventions
artists Yto Barrada (Rabat), Matthew Day Jackson (New
This long-term crossdiscipli-
unprecedented. The continual
from all of the cities can get
York), Akram Zaatari (Beirut),
nary collaborative project is
economic challenges call into
actively involved. It will allow
Kutlug Ataman (Istanbul),
already in an advanced stage of
question not only the EU’s
us to create direct connections
Willem Sasnal (Warsaw);
development. Its aim is to
internal relationships, but also
between the cities, with the
musicians Nico Muhly, Bryce
combine the forces of our own
its relationship with the rest of
artistic representatives being the
Dessner and Missy Mazzoli
cities and seven leading
the world. Divine Interventions
key to the first exploratory
(New York); choreographers
international urban centres in
is an artistic exploration of new
contacts. These ‘artistic agents’
Sasha Waltz and Matthias
a search of the European city
forms of living and working
in the participating cities will
Lilienthaal (Berlin) and artists’
of the future. The concept and
together. This artistic research
enable us to build up a network
collective IRWIN/NSK
organisation are by Eindhoven’s
and presentation project for the
of the most relevant and
(Ljubljana); as well as inspiring
Van Abbemuseum and the
future of Europe will explore its
talented artists of the day. We
cultural leaders such as Christine
concert hall Muziekgebouw
borders and connect with the
will ask them to share their
Tomé (Beirut), Folkert Uhde
Frits Philips.
world through multiple cultural
visions on social issues, and to
(Berlin), Abdellah Karroum
interventions. And all this will
step outside the boundaries of
(Rabat) and Vasif Kortun
Divine Interventions is all about
of course take place within the
their own field to enter into
(Istanbul). Together with them,
collaborations between creative
context of a Proeftuin.
new crossover projects.
we will put together a long-term cross-disciplinary programme
people from inspiring major cities of today and tomorrow in
Direct connections
We will seek inspiration in
leading to public presentations
Europe and beyond. They
Eindhoven’s central Catharina
Istanbul, New York/Brooklyn,
in 2014 and 2016 and a grand
include musicians, choreo-
quarter will become a
Berlin, Ljubljana, Warsaw,
finale in Eindhoven’s Catharina
graphers, composers, curators,
presentation and discussion
Rabat and Beirut. The Van
quarter in 2018.
dancers, theatre makers and
platform as early as 2014. It will
Abbemuseum and the
directors of cultural institutions.
serve as a public testing ground
Muziekgebouw already
PARTNERS:
This project focuses on how
for the cultural representatives
maintain close contacts with
SALT (Istanbul, Turkey), Home-
future metropolis BrabantStad
from all the participating cities.
these cities, and important
works Academy (Beirut,
can learn from its counterparts
From 2014 onwards we will
developments are taking place
Lebanon), Moderna Galerija
and how it can build sustainable
also develop an online portal
in all of them, in areas ranging
(Ljubljana, Slovenia), MSN
cultural connections for the
taking an entirely new
from music to the visual arts,
(Warsaw, Poland), Radialsystem
benefit of its citizens.
approach to connecting artists
theatre and design. And not
V (Berlin, Germany), Appartement
and metropolises. The portal
entirely coincidentally these are
22 (Rabat, Morocco)
will be a place where citizens
cities where many of the
The current crisis in Europe is
53
programme
Cultural pilgrimage Art in historic buildings In 2018 leading artists will work
three or four of North Brabant’s
They will be given the time and
and exhibit in five to ten former
monasteries will be in active
opportunity to make these
monasteries and other historical
use. That leaves around 50
remarkable places their own and
buildings. They will work in
complexes for which new uses
to create a personal world
master-apprentice relationships
will need to be found. These
within them. The process will
with talented young artists
buildings are often in superb
culminate in monumental
from all over Europe, respon-
locations, whether in historical
works that offer inspiration for
ding to their surroundings, the
town centres or in the
the repurposing of historical
local people and the history
countryside. Over the coming
buildings. In certain periods
of the buildings. Events
years, 2018Eindhoven|Brabant
visitors will be able to stay
emanating from this project
will adopt several monasteries
overnight and watch the
will be a major attraction for
and other iconic buildings, and
artists at work. In addition to
international audiences, while
then temporarily hand them
participatory and social art,
also presenting inspiring new
over to prominent international
2018Eindhoven| Brabant wants
uses for built heritage.
artists in 2018 as a place to work.
to create opportunities for the personal experience of art, for a
A lot of built heritage in North
Individual reflection
cultural pilgrimage offering
Brabant is set to be repurposed
In consultation with Hendrik
space for individual reflection.
in coming years. Most of the
Driessen, the director of De
buildings are monasteries,
Pont museum of modern art in
PARTNERS:
barracks or factories, and many
Tilburg, we have approached or
Museum De Pont (Tilburg)
are located in uniquely
will approach a number of
Provincie Noord-Brabant
attractive locations. The dozens
prominent creative figures to
of monasteries still in use in
become ‘monastery artists’.
North Brabant are tangible
They include artists like Jan
evidence of a rich Catholic
Fabre, Anselm Kiefer, Anish
tradition. Up until the 1960s
Kapoor, Olafur Eliasson, Alicia
many of these complexes were
Framis, Mark Manders, Marlene
used for their original function,
Dumas, Erik van Lieshout,
but many are now empty. It is
David Claerbout, Christian
estimated that by 2018 only
Marclay and Marc Mulders.
< Artist David Claerbout, one of the proposed participants for the ‘Art in historic buildings’ project, in the chapel at Mariadal Convent.
54
programme
Shaping the landscape LAND ART Brabant is a leading region in
and contemporary rural
Land art is a specialism and
the field of land art, not least
meeting places where residents,
good land artists are scarce.
because it is a province where
visitors, holiday-makers and
They have to be able to think
the urban and the rural
passers-by come together. Land
on a grand scale, but also sense
constantly intersect, and it is
art interacts with the specific
the identity of the landscape
precisely at such junctions that
characteristics of an area, its
and have an eye and ear for
land art is able to flourish. Het
cultural history, society and
the local people. And perhaps
Groene Woud (the Green
ecology. Land art projects are
even more importantly, they
Forest) between Eindhoven
diverse in form, and visual
have to be able to deal with
Tilburg and ’s-Hertogenbosch
artists, photographers, video
the different interests of the
makes an ideal location. Land
artists, filmmakers, writers and
parties involved.
art enriches the identity of an
designers all respond to the
area and makes an important
genius loci, the spirit of place.
In 2013 we will begin to
contribution to the way people
The province of Brabant
collaborate with a number of art
experience a landscape. In one
developed its land art policy in
academies both in Brabant and
of the Proeftuin projects, we
collaboration with a number of
elsewhere in the Netherlands
want to realise innovative forms
French and German regions
and Europe, with the aim of
of land art, both in the
under the Euro Land Art
training ten young land artists
Netherlands and elsewhere in
umbrella, and we will be
in the run-up to 2018. Learning
Europe. This will culminate
making grateful use of this
on the job, supervised by
in the European presentation
existing network.
experienced land artists, they
of ten iconic new land art works in 2018.
will design and realise a piece The plan is to have a number of
of land art. Planners, architects,
Dutch and international artists
designers and fellow artists
Land art brings together land,
adopt areas in Brabant, Flanders
will be able to follow the
nature, heritage and cultural
and elsewhere in Europe –
development of the artworks
history. With a range of
landscapes in indeterminate
online, and offer their
partners – the farmer, the
border areas, for example. At
responses, thus acting as
forester, the curator, the artist,
the same time, in the Proeftuin
co-designers.
the visitor – land art brings a
we want to invest intensively in
variety of art forms to historic
training young land artists.
View of the Landscape by Urs Pfannenmüller in De Biesbosch nature reserve, Brabant. >
< The Waxing Moon by Paul de Kort (De Biesbosch).
55
Paradise of silence
PARTNERS:
Hyper-local art
The works will be presented
bkkc, Design Academy
We will be asking Dutch and
in 2018 at an International
Eindhoven, St. Joost Art
international artists to develop
Land Art Triennial, a large-scale
Academy Breda, Stichting De
an art work for a specific
presentation of land art
Kempische Landgoederen, Ecole
location in Brabant, to which
in Brabant and elsewhere
Nationale de SupĂŠrieure dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Art de
they will commit themselves for
in the Netherlands, Belgium
Limoges-Aubusson (France),
an extended period. The
and Europe.
Hochschule Anhalt (Bernburg,
location may be rural or urban.
Germany), Europa Nova
The restriction we place on the
Foundation (Croatia)
land artists is that the will have
As part of the triennial, an alternative pilgrimage route
to work hyper-locally. This
called the Paradise of Silence
means they will only be able to
will pass through 12 peaceful
draw on social and physical
places in the Campine, or
resources from the immediate
Kempen, the landscape of
surroundings, within one
north-eastern Belgium
kilometre of the location in
straddling the border with the
which they are working.
Netherlands. In these places open-air events will take place
We will thus explore and
around the theme of silence,
nourish the identity of city and
including theatre, dance,
countryside in general, and of
mime, storytelling, poetry,
Brabant in particular. By doing
photography, film, music and
so hyper-locally, we will specify
song. The programme will run
the identity of the location con-
throughout the year as the
cerned and demonstrate that it is
seasons change. Events will take
in the specific that the universal
place in the early morning, at
is made visible and tangible.
nightfall or even in the middle
This approach to exploring
of the night. The work will
regional identity also makes the
explore quiet, space, reflection,
working method of interest to
mysticism and intimacy.
other European countries.
56
C6
We connect people
57
We want to use our European
relating to each other. Harvard
to bring social benefits to
circus theatre festival Circo
Capital of Culture programme
professor Robert Putnam
neighbourhoods in European
Circolo will take the lead in a
to bring people together, to
makes a distinction between
cities. The initiative will lie
Proeftuin about improving
connect people, in Europe, the
bonding and bridging. Bonding
firmly with the artists and
neighbourhoods through
Netherlands, in Eindhoven and
is relatively easy among
residents themselves.
circus, in partnership with
in the region. We want to do
individuals and groups that
this on a large and small scale,
have a lot in common with
Street art and street theatre are
Performance Art course at
through visual culture, through
each other, such as age, origin
excellent ways of getting local
Fontys University of Applied
neighbourhood art projects or
or religion. Among groups that
people involved in making and
Sciences in Tilburg (see
just by celebrating culture
have less in common, bridging
participating at neighbourhood
p64). Circus is an excellent
together. We will achieve this
is crucial. For bridging you need
level. Festival Artimond in
medium for connecting people
through a wide variety of
a universal ‘language’, and this
Helmond in 2018 will present
from different backgrounds
projects and events that share
is what culture can offer.
work by top artists, local
who are producing something
an open, exploratory and often
the pioneering Circus and
amateurs and crossovers
together, because it calls for
theme: our
between different art forms.
such a range of social, creative
neighbourhood and us
The Boulevard theatre festival
and emotional skills.
In this chapter we describe the
In 2018 we want to put local
is keen to programme the most
second line to our programme.
solidarity under the microscope
adventurous and innovative
The festival will already be
The digitisation of our society
in our cultural test bed. People
European street theatre in the
getting started in 2013
offers new social opportunities,
in cities often identify
neighbourhoods and villages of
through investments in an
but it can also lead to a more
themselves in the first place
Brabant. Through workshops,
‘overture programme’ to
superficial way of life which
with their own neighbourhoods.
local residents will develop their
2018Eindhoven|Brabant (see
many people feel lacks a sense
They derive part of their
own performances to present in
chapter 7) with circus projects
of depth, connection and
identity from the part of town
their own streets. To realise the
in two neighbourhoods of
stability. Art and culture can
they live in, and in turn they
project 2018Eindhoven|Brabant
Tilburg. At the same time,
help find common ground
help determine the face of
will be working with leading
Circo Circolo will be working
and guide our society through
their neighbourhood.
street theatre festivals such
with the Eindhoven ‘urban’
as those in Valldolid, Tarrega
scene to link up circus and
and Manchester.
urban culture, with the dream
experimental nature.
this transition. In 2018, in a special Proeftuin, Culture is a reason to meet each
we want to experiment with new
other, and also a means of
forms of cultural participation
of producing a major circus The internationally acclaimed
theatre performance made by
58
local residents from different
setting up the programme, right
Tilburg cultural organisations,
One such icon is Dutch master
parts of Tilburg, the urban
from the very start. Funfairs
will get together with the
Jheronimus Bosch, born and
scene, professional performers
and Carnival are very much
Tilburg Fair to explore how the
raised in Brabant’s provincial
and students.
part of regional culture, and
performing arts and fairground
capital ’s-Hertogenbosch. As a
they appeared in many of the
culture can feed into one
prelude to 2018, an impressive
Circo Circolo has built up a
proposals we received.
another to generate new ideas.
exhibition celebrating Bosch’s
strong network of relationships
Traditions and rituals make an
with other future European
important contribution to the
theme: European icons
artist’s birthplace in 2016.
Capitals of Culture to stimulate
sense of connection between
There are major cultural
Paintings will be brought to
the programming of circus
people. So taking a respectful
differences among Europeans
Brabant from all over the world.
theatre as an accessible and
approach, in our European
– this is a given, and also a
Bosch shows us that it is possi-
fundamentally international
Capital of Culture programme
strength. There is also a
ble to use the unrestrained
cultural form. At the end of
we want to bring innovation to
common European identity,
imagination to reflect on society,
2012, Circo Circolo is holding
centuries-old, universal festivals
partly built on our shared
fear and hope. We will also
an international conference
such as Carnival and the funfair.
history. Not that it gets much
devote a major exhibition to that
attention. “America has the
other European artistic icon, Vincent van Gogh (see p68).
where knowledge will be shared
work will be mounted in the
by partners from all over
So we are going to combine art
American dream, which is
the world, such as Cirque du
with Carnival, creating new
basically an invention of
Monde (Canada) and
designs and concepts for floats,
American cinema. The
We will be showing the work
contemporary circuses from
costumes and Carnival music,
European dream is hardly
of Bosch and Van Gogh both
Wales, France, Belgium
for example. In 2016, 2018 and
talked about”, says German
because they came from
2020 we will exchange them
film director Wim Wenders.*
Brabant and because they made
with Germany, Malta, Brazil
Art and culture are essential for
such a vast contribution to art
theme: renewing rituals
and the West Indies, places that
us to explore and learn to see
that is still relevant today. What's
As part of preparations for the
also hold extensive Carnival
our commonality and shared
more, their work illustrates our
bid book we asked residents of
celebrations. At the Tilburg
values. We want to focus
themes: Bosch for his unbridled
Eindhoven and the surrounding
Fair, the biggest funfair in the
attention on this through icons
imagination and Van Gogh for
region to come up with ideas for
Low Countries, in 2018 high
of art – artists who are so great
his passion for society and his
cultural projects and events,
and low culture will join seam-
they have become symbols of
belief in solidarity.
because our philosophy is that
lessly. The Performing Society, a
European culture.
citizens should be involved in
collaboration between six
and Kenya.
* Wim Wenders in an interview with ‘EuroparlTV’
59
theme: kids join in
other Proeftuin projects, and
theme: digitally
and national expressions of
2018Eindhoven|Brabant will
the cultural programming for
streetwise
youth culture. How are young
challenge children and young
children and young people
For young people, networking
people influenced by visual
people to take an active part in
beyond the projects will be wide
and sharing ideas are part of
culture? And what lessons can
the cultural programme. Like in
and varied. Take, for example,
everyday life. They are quick to
the cultural sector learn from
the cross-media project Things
our plans for an international
adopt technological innovations
this, perhaps in relation to
and Us, about the design of
Festival of Silence featuring
and easily grasp how as well as
presentation and marketing?
everyday tools and utensils. The
wordless and expressive
being a consumer you can also
project is a collaboration
performances that connect with
be a producer and distributor.
The programme around urban
between long-running children’s
children’s experiences. These
Their behaviour is driven by the
culture (see p62-63) is one of
TV programme Het Klokhuis,
productions will dare to be
internet and social networks,
the flagship elements of
the Design Academy Eindhoven
quiet, counterbalancing the
which presents a challenge to
2018Eindhoven|Brabant. Urban
and the WOW Engineering
frenetic world of modern
independent thinking and
culture – a term encompassing
Promotion Foundation.
entertainment. European youth
creation. What part can art play
urban music and the dance
choirs will come together in
in stimulating people to think
that goes with it, plus street art
The TV show will follow the
Helmond for the European
independently and come up
and street sports – is no longer
journey of ‘the things around
Children’s Choir Festival. And
with fresh ideas?
just the territory of youth,
us’ from production and
children from different parts of
marketing to sale and everyday
Europe will learn how to play in
We will also be exploring how
important subcultures for
use. Children will learn that
an orchestra with the European
young people can contribute to
young people. The scene is
everything we use has been
Learning Orchestra, which we
social and cultural renewal
particularly well-represented in
designed. The programme will
will be organising in European
through the way they use new
Brabant. Along with Rotterdam,
be broadcast on national TV,
cities in 2018. The idea for
platforms and media. Young
Eindhoven is the Netherlands
will have its own website, and
the orchestra is based on the
Moroccan Dutch people for
most buzzing city for urban
will be accompanied by a
tried and tested Il Sistema
example are able to reconcile
culture, and the Eindhoven
teaching package distributed to
method from Venezuela, and
apparently conflicting loyalties
scene is on the map inter-
primary schools nationwide.
we will also be building on
in the way they express their
nationally. ‘Urban’ is very much
previous experience elsewhere
identity on the internet,
an expression of autonomy.
in the Netherlands.
research has shown. In social
And the scene fits perfectly in
special Kids’ Proeftuin, young
networks, they blend ties with
today’s network society, in
people will also be involved in
Morocco with international
which subcultures have a firm
There will definitely be a
but it is still one of the most
60
Working with Malta We are already working closely with Valletta, Malta’s nomination for European Capital of Culture 2018. We want to inspire each other and tune our artistic programmes to each other. At the beginning of July 2012 the artistic directors of Valletta2018 and 2018Eindhoven| Brabant put their signatures to an agreement to develop a joint cultural programme.
allegiance to their own neigh-
Strijp-S, and also in Breda,
bourhood and city, but at
which in 2014 will be hosting
the same time have a strongly
the first edition of the
international outlook.
International Festival of Visual Culture. The festival will
The internet is an increasingly
examine how modern visual
central element of our reality.
imagery determines the way
It offers great possibilities for
we see ourselves and others,
freedom, but at the same time
and the way we communicate
that can lead to a sense of
with each other. And we are
uncertainty. “There’s such a vast
already building on a close
supply of information, images,
relationship with Wroclaw
experiences, ideas and
2016 in Poland, which takes
technologies that it becomes
the growing ‘interpassivity’
hard to act meaningfully”,
as one of its themes.
says Mirko Noordegraaf, professor of public management at Utrecht University. * How can we prevent people who aren’t ‘digitally connected’ from falling by the wayside? The online community increasingly determines our identities, but what does that mean for people who are offline? It is a question that a variety of partners will be trying to answer in a Proeftuin featuring media art, debates and festivals. It will take place at
* From De Groene Amsterdammer magazine (20 April 2011)
The two candidate cities are going to work together in the fields of cultural heritage, choral singing, design and technology, and theatre festivals. They will also be sharing research results and making use of each other’s networks. And once we have been awarded the title of European Capital of Culture, the collaboration will intensify, starting with a Proeftuin in 2014 to get to know each other better. Early talks already showed that the two cities have a lot in common, including a rich tradition of popular culture and of innovation in design and technology. The way they work together with the surrounding region is also similar. At the same time it is evident that the two cities and regions hardly form a network yet. The European Capital of Culture programme is already stimulating them to carry out projects together. Tilburg artist Maureen Prins toured her open-air Solar Cinema to Malta in July 2012, for example (see also p70). On 3 July she premiered her project, 2018Eindhoven|Brabant meets Valletta2018, in which she showed short films by Dutch and Maltese directors in the squares of Valletta.
61
Close links with Flanders Many people from Brabant are more strongly drawn to Flemish plays, books, films and music than to the arts and culture produced ‘north of the rivers’. This attraction is rooted in the province’s strong cultural links with the Flanders region of Belgium, with which it shares its history and Catholic culture as well as elements of its language and dialect. 2018Eindhoven|Brabant will use its position as European Capital of Culture to strengthen those bonds.
Together with the Flemish organisation Choir and Voice (Koor en Stem), in 2012 we will be organising pilot events for the European Children’s Choir Festival (Europees Kinderkoren Festival), which will become a triennial international event after 2018. And we will explore the shared history of Brabant and Flanders as part of the greater duchy of Brabant in a large-scale music theatre spectacular that will connect towns and cities in Brabant and Belgium.
Until ten or fifteen years ago, there was a great deal of cultural exchange between Flanders and the southern Netherlands. There has been something of a decline in these activities over the past decade. Increased international and European awareness starts with your neighbours, so that is why in the run-up to 2018 we will be working on close collaborations with Flemish cultural organisations. We aim to build up structural and sustainable cultural collaborations that will continue long after 2018.
Structural collaboration We will also be focusing our energies on exchanging theatre productions, traditionally a key component of cultural relations between Flanders and Brabant. One outcome will be that contemporary Flemish theatre will play a leading role at the Dream Images (Droombeelden) international theatre festival we will be staging in 2018. Ultimately, 2018Eindhoven|Brabant should boost long-term mutual interest in each other’s cultural products and initiate structural collaborative relationships between organisations in Flanders and Brabant. 2018Eindhoven|Brabant also wants to inspire enthusiasm in Flemish and Dutch governmental circles for investment (or reinvestment) in cultural exchanges between them. The local authorities in the Flemish cities of Antwerp and Leuven as well as the provincial governments of Antwerp and Flemish Brabant have formally confirmed their support for the candidature of 2018Eindhoven|Brabant and their desire to collaborate in the cultural programme.
Collaborative projects Antwerp’s former local government culture chief Eric Antonis was the artistic director during Antwerp’s year as European Capital of Culture in 1993. As an artistic adviser, he has been involved in 2018Eindhoven|Brabant since the vision development phase. Partly on the basis of his recommendations and contacts, we have been strengthening cultural links by collaborating with Flemish cultural organisations in many areas of the programme. Take for example Museum Plantin - Moretus in Antwerp and the MOTI in Breda: in 2018, they will be joining forces for a major international exhibition on power and visual culture.
62
programme
Skatepark Area51 in Eindhoven. >
Urban moves
Urban Moves will be a defining
city where two icons of urban
the MU Bowl, Europe’s biggest
character. 2012 saw the setting
programme of events at
culture first saw the light of
skate bowl.
up of E-moves, a powerful
2018Eindhoven|Brabant because
day: the cassette tape and the
Eindhoven is one of the
boombox, or ‘ghetto blaster’.
Netherlands’ key cities for
platform with representation The Berenkuil (‘Bear Pit’) is a
from all local urban
major intersection of roads and
organisations, including the
urban culture, an important
Eindhoven was the first Dutch
bike tunnels just outside central
urban company Mad Skills,
alternative dynamic in modern
city to open its arms to hip-hop,
Eindhoven. It has been famous
040BMX Park and the world-
cities that is growing and
breakdance and graffiti, and in
as an open-air graffiti museum
famous breakdance crew
reinventing itself all the time.
the mid-1980s it saw the rise of
since 1985, with hundreds of
The Ruggeds. In other cities
In 2018 we will be organising a
D.A.M.N. and 24K, the first
‘pieces’ decorating the traffic
similar groups are constantly
major international ‘battlefield’
two serious Dutch hip-hop
circle’s two levels. Each year
competing with each other,
featuring new and surprising
crews – rising star rapper Fresku
more than 250 graffiti artists
but in Eindhoven respect
interdisciplinary linkups.
was born in the same period.
from all over the world come to
and collaboration are the order
We will bring together urban
Eindhoven for the ‘Step in the
of the day. The Eindhoven
culture with the circus for
In the 1980s and 90s the Piazza
Arena’ festival so they can add
scene has big ambitions to
example, and breakdance with
square in central Eindhoven
new works to the Berenkuil.
move to the next level, and
classical dance. And there will
was a famed hangout and
be experiments with 3D graffiti,
playground for young skaters.
U-lab pioneers
will be a crucial accelerator in
too. We will also be touring
World-famous Eindhoven-born
We are going to invite the best
that process.
Europe with our urban crew to
skateboarder Wieger van
breakdancers, hip-hop music
temporarily take over a large
Wageningen even named his
makers, skaters, freestylers, DJs
So how are we going to get
number of cities and towns.
own line of Nike trainers after
and graffiti artists from all over
there? In 2014, we are going to
the Piazza. In 2002, the Area51
Europe to work, play and
set up U-lab, which will connect
Philips brought the world to
indoor skate park – one of the
explore with us. We are aiming
urban culture and sports with
Eindhoven and to Brabant –
largest and most adventurous
to inject new energy into urban
some of Eindhoven’s other key
once at the end of the 19th
of its kind – opened in a former
culture in Eindhoven and
strengths, such as technology
century and again in the 1970s
aeroplane hangar at Eindhoven
Europe, give it a broader base
and design. Together with
when American Philips
Airport. It has since moved
and raise its profile. Eindhoven
designers, we will set up
employees brought urban black
to Eindhoven’s Strijp-S site,
is the perfect place for this,
innovative facilities for urban
culture to the city. Through
to which skaters travel
because of the local scene’s
sports (including skating) in
Philips, Eindhoven became the
from far and wide to experience
respectful, open and pioneering
public space. And together
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
< Renee (front) and Sezen Toon Vermeulen
Pim Wouters >
63
< Rowin van Eyk
with Eindhoven University of
Eindhoven will be a battlefield
and new media, for example. In
will up sticks and move on,
Technology we will explore new
for international urban dance,
2018 the old and new dance
having sown the seeds of urban
possibilities for visualising
graffiti art, sports and DJ
worlds will seek each other out
culture for kids aged 6 to 16.
skaters’ moves. We are also
skills, and we will be sharing
for fresh encounters.
And ten years later, in 2028,
going to experiment with new
the results of the U-lab and
forms of graffiti. Pieces and tags
putting innovative ideas into
On tour
Eindhoven to show us what our
are flat 2D works, but we want
practice. The international
We don’t want to keep these
urban invasion of 2018 led to.
to turn graffiti into a 3D art
community will get together in
new liaisons to ourselves; we
form, transforming it into
Eindhoven to learn, share, play,
want to share them with the
new urban furniture, unleashing
and to challenge and improve
whole world. Their results will
Area51, Mad Skills, 040BMX
it on existing buildings
each other.
appear in every imaginable
Park, The Ruggeds
medium, and in 2018 we will
The initiators have alliances with
In 2018 we will instigate new
also embark on a tour of
Prodance (United Kingdom),
and placing it in non-urban, green environments.
those same kids will come to
Initiators:
liaisons and new levels of urban
Europe. Just imagine two huge
Cartel Creative (South Korea),
Urban stars
culture in performances, battles,
trucks full of dancers, DJs,
Six-step Agency (Germany),
In 2018, Eindhoven will host
city tours, and eye-catching
sportspeople and stencil makers
Eusebio & Rodrigues (Portugal),
the biggest urban stars from all
objects in public space. We will
arriving in your town, and two
Red Bull International (Austria),
over the word. Urban culture is
also forge links between urban
hours later they are taking the
Funkin’ Stylez (Germany)
very international. Some
culture and circus, gaming and
place over. We are planning an
Winterclash (Germany), UK
underground scenes go almost
other dance disciplines.
invasion of energy, an injection
Champs (United Kingdom), Just
unnoticed locally but are huge
Although not everyone else may
of life-force, an adventure for
Debout (France), Red Bull
abroad. This global scene is
realise it, breakdancers have
young people. Everyone will be
Manny Mania (USA), Lifeblood
connected through websites,
long been aware that they have
welcome to join in. There will
Skateboards (USA)
clips, blogs, games and
lots in common with other
be classes in skateboarding,
magazine websites, and it uses
types of dancer; b-boys and
BMX biking and breakdancing,
social media to exchange
b-girls can learn from classical
as well as graffiti and turntable
experiences, videos, and
dancers and vice versa. The
workshops. And in the evening
information on upcoming
breakdance world generally
there will be a spectacular show
events. But nothing beats
lacks experience with
in the town’s central square.
getting together for real and
choreography, sets, lighting and
The following day, the caravan
having a live battle. In 2018,
the integration of technology
of ambassadors from Eindhoven
64
programme
Big top art in my hood
Working with other
that will contribute to the
cultural capitals
improvement of circus
Circo Circolo has initiated
programming in cultural
exchanges on circus theatre with
capitals and further develop
programmers from former and
recognition of circus as a
candidate European Capitals of
fully fledged discipline within
Culture. Our aim is to help
the performing arts. The
circus theatre claim its own
next session is planned for
place on the cultural landscape.
February 2013 in Aix-en-
To this end, in April 2012 in
Provence and Marseille during
Paris, Circo Circolo and
the Marseille-Provence2013
Marseille-Provence2013 made a
European Capital of
start on developing a network
Culture programme.
Circo Circolo – New Circus festival If there is one form of cultural
is a one-of-a-kind festival –
calls upon a broad range of
our dream for 2018 of a circus
expression that transcends all
the only one in Europe on this
social, creative and emotional
showdown in a big arena right
social and national boundaries
scale to be held in tents in a
skills. It is also fun to do, it
in the heart of Tilburg during
then it is the circus. Its audience
green area.
boosts self-confidence and
the international festival. The
people can get involved
participants will come from
has always been diverse, and you can laugh at Oleg Popov
In 2018 Circo Circolo is
whatever their age and whatever
various parts of major towns
without needing to understand
planning to present new Dutch
their income. Circus can help
in Brabant.
his language. Circo Circolo is
companies with international
increase social cohesion at a
the Netherlands’ New Circus
potential as the result of
local level and help disabled
ORGANISATION:
festival. In 2018 Circo Circolo
increasing attention for and
and disadvantaged people
Circo Circolo (’s-Hertogenbosch)
is going to organise a major
training in New Circus in the
to develop their talents.
international festival featuring
Netherlands. They will perform
Sarakasi Circus in Kenya, for
PARTNERS:
international top acts. Part
in the context of an inter-
example, trains homeless
Cirque du Monde (subsidiary of
of this event is a Proeftuin
national programme with world
people to become performing
Cirque du Soleil), Nofit State
on ‘social circus’. Its aim is
premieres by internationally
artists, and La Bande de Z’ouffs
Circus (Wales, United Kingdom)
to use circus as a social
acclaimed companies.
from Brussels in Belgium
Sarakasi (Kenya), Circus Elleboog
connector at local level.
The 2018 edition of the festival
produced a funny and moving
(Amsterdam), ISH (Amsterdam),
will be the international
circus spectacular together
housing corporations, community
Circo Circolo is a Dutch
meeting point for theatre and
with eleven performers with
schools, neighbourhood centres.
biennial international festival of
festival programmers and for
Down syndrome.
Circo Cirolo also collaborates
New circus, or Nouveau Cirque,
circus companies.
which combines traditional
with a range of partners from
The autumn 2012 edition of
countries throughout Europe
circus acts such as juggling and
Social juggling with the
Circo Circolo incorporated
via the extensive international
acrobatics with modern dance,
Circus ‘Proeftuin’
major international seminars
networks Circostrada and
music, design and theatre. The
Besides organising the 2018
presenting successful examples
Circus Next
festival takes place on the
festival, in the intervening
of social circus from all over the
Velder estate deep in the Groene
period Circo Circolo will focus
world. This seminar was the
Woud (Green Wood) in the
on ‘social circus’. Circus
inspiration and starting point
triangle formed by the cities of
performance is a perfect context
for the first social circus projects
Tilburg, Eindhoven and
for connecting people from
in two areas of partner city
’s-Hertogenbosch. Circo Circolo
diverse backgrounds because it
Tilburg. We are out to fulfil
Circo Circolo: trapeze artist Leila Köckenberger. >
65
programme
Best of the Fest A new network of European theatre festivals A major annual European
during Best of Fest, in Eind-
place. In site-specific theatre the
sustainability, education and
theatre festival featuring the
hoven and other locations in
audience take a more active
the development of the
very best of all the international
Brabant.
role, even if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only because
2018Eindhoven|Brabant Award
they have to travel to a location
will take shape. The formula for
festivals around Europe. A travelling festival that links
Innovative performances will
that is unconventional for
the festival will continue
Eindhoven with former and
also be produced for Best of the
theatre. The environment and
beyond 2018. Each year, Best of
future European Capitals of
Fest by leading international
history of the location can
the Fest will go on linking up
Culture. Best of the Fest is all
theatre makers in collaboration
heighten the audiencesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;
with former and new European
about innovating, making
with cultural institutions,
experience of the piece. A site
Capitals of Culture.
connections and meeting people.
industry and education.
that is not a theatre is also good
This will be made possible
for reaching new target groups,
ORGANISATION:
Best of the Fest will award
through cooperation between
because it is less formal and
Parktheater Eindhoven
young theatre makers the
promoter DG Theater, theatre
more easily accessible. All in all,
opportunity to present their
company Het Zuidelijk
there are more than enough
PARTNERS:
work at a new European festival.
Toneel, the Amsterdam Fringe
reasons for a special focus on
DG Theater, Het Zuidelijk
They will be selected in former
festival, Fontys University
site-specific work in Best of the
Toneel, Fontys University of
and future European Capitals of
of Applied Sciences and
Fest, especially at the central
Applied Sciences, Trudo housing
Culture, such as Avignon,
innovative companies in
location for 2018, Strijp-S.
corporation, Brainport Eindhoven.
Prague, Wroclaw, Antwerp and
the Brainport region.
The festival is being piloted in
European festivals: Avignon Le Off
2012. From 2014, Best of the
(France), Edinburgh Fringe
Istanbul. From 2014, the artistic direction of Best of the Fest
Site-specific theatre
Fest will move out of the test
(United Kingdom), Prague Fringe
will attend leading festivals in
The strength of site-specific
phase and the experience
(Czech Republic), Dublin Fringe
these European cities. Together
theatre is the direct contact with
gained over the previous two
(Ireland), Cork Midsummer
with a jury of professionals and
the audience, which makes a
years will be used for
Festival (Ireland), Festival des Arts
the audience, they will choose
performance into a physical
2018Eindhoven|Brabant.
(Brussels, Belgium), Zomer van
the most innovative and socially
experience. It brings the
From there on the festival will
Antwerpen (Antwerp, Belgium),
relevant performances to receive
performers and their world
continue to expand and
Amsterdam Fringe, Artmania
the 2018Eindhoven|Brabant
closer, makes them more
long-term collaboration
Sibiu (Romania), Theatre No No
Award. The following season,
tangible. The public smells,
agreements will be made with
Marseille (France), P.A.R.C.
the winning companies or
hears and feels the world in
the various European theatre
(Istanbul, Turkey)
young makers will perform
which the performance takes
festivals. Aspects such as
66
programme
Model Sonja Wanda with an employee
Textile in transition
at the Vlisco factory, Helmond. >
VLISCO HELMOND
Many West African government
PARTNERS:
designed by young artists and
It is always a strange experience
leaders wear fabrics by Vlisco,
Vlisco Netherlands BV,
designers, and will act both as
on a market in Dakar to buy
and they have also been worn
Gemeentemuseum Helmond,
support services for the project
a piece of cloth that looks
by pop stars including Beyoncé,
Design Academy Eindhoven,
and as incubators for exchange.
authentically African, only
Kelis, Rihanna and Gwen
Afrika Museum (Berg en Dal),
Fabric elements in the designs
to find it has a label reading
Stefani.
Tropenmuseum Amsterdam,
will be developed in the
Contemporary African Art
museum’s TextielLab, under
Collection (Geneva, Switzerland)
the supervision of ‘masters’ in
‘Vlisco, véritable wax Hollandais’. The fabrics produced by the
In 2018 a Vlisco Museum will
company Vlisco in Helmond
present, explore and celebrate
are famous in West Africa and
the unique cultural connection
they are are important fashion
between Brabant and West
TextiELmuseum
The theme Identity in transition
trendsetters. There are also
Africa. The museum will be
Until the 1970s Tilburg was the
explores the transformation that
other inspiring but often
specially designed and installed
Netherlands’ most important
Tilburg has undergone over the
forgotten examples of the vital
in a converted industrial
textile city. The “Textiel-
past 50 years from a city of
role the textile industry played
building in Helmond. It will
museum” (Textile Museum) in
industry to one of increasing
for centuries in Brabant, and in
host a series of events centring
Tilburg remembers this past,
cultural significance. How
some cases still plays today. A
on Vlisco’s colourful history
and through its TextielLab
visible is this changing identity
programme of exhibitions and
and products, in which visitors
(Textile Lab) it also invests
and to what extent are the
events will put the connecting
will learn about the fabrics, the
in innovation, and ground-
people of Tilburg aware of it?
power of textile centre stage.
people who buy them and
breaking new designs by
their cultures. The museum
young designers.
the field.
Questioning identities will show
Vlisco designs batik fabrics
will explore not only the
which the company has been
company’s history and current
The Textielmuseum has plans to
artworks by Dutch and
exporting to West Africa since
collection, but also the ways its
mount three major art and
international artists (Louise
the 19th century. The quality is
fabrics are used today in
design exhibitions in 2018 in
Bourgeois, Annette Messager,
highly valued in countries such
different cultural disciplines
former factory buildings, under
Andrea Zittel, Alicia Framis,
as Nigeria, Ghana and Côte
– such as the installations by
the title Identity in transition.
Joseph Beuys and Marc Mulders)
d’Ivoire. In West Africa, Vlisco
the celebrated British-Nigerian
The entire city will function as
as a commentary on the way
has the kind of status that
artist Yinka Shonibare,
a cultural laboratory. Temporary
social, ethnic or religious
designer brands such as Gucci
for which he often uses
hotels, cafés and artist-in-
identities are reflected in textile.
and Armani have in Europe.
Vlisco fabrics.
residence locations will be
textile installations and other
Vlisco textile factory. >
67
Identity: body and object will
pop-up hotel I Like You, and
und Design Burg Giebichenstein
focus on textile work by Dutch
the studios for artists in
(Halle, Germany), Sint-Lucas
and international fashion and
residence. It will also be home
Visual Arts (Ghent, Belgium),
product designers including
to the ‘European Textile
Royal Academy for Fine Arts
Viktor & Rolf, Hussein
Trainees exchange programme’,
(Ghent, (Belgium), The Danish
Chalayan, Walter Van
in which twelve young, talented
Design School, (Copenhagen,
Beirendonck, Alexander
designers (master’s students and
Denmark), La Cambre (Brussels,
McQueen, Jaime Hayon and the
graduates) will be coached by
Belgium) Fashion Academy
Campana Brothers.
‘masters’ (designers, marketers
(Antwerp, Belgium), Royal
and lecturers) and specialists
College of Arts, (London, United
I, we, rebel 1968-2018 will
(product developers from the
Kingdom) Central Saint Martins
explore the theme of ‘rebellion’
museum, and local and
(London, United Kingdom),
in society and art over the past
international textile industry
Polymoda, Institute of Fashion
fifty years. The exhibition will
professionals).
ask what art, design and fashion
Design & Marketing, (Florence, Italy), Academy Lodz (Poland),
were protesting against in the
PARTNERS:
Mimar Sinar University of Fine
year of revolution 1968, and
Museum De Pont Tilburg,
Arts (Istanbul, Turkey)
what the focus for rebellion is
sundaymorning@ekwc
today. It will feature work by
‘s-Hertogenbosch, Design
artists and designers such as
Academy Eindhoven, Eindhoven
Marina Abramovic, Claes
University of Technology, MOTI
Oldenburg, Hermann
Breda, industry in Brabant
Nitsch, John Bock, Thomas
(Innofa, Ten Cate, Philips, Vlisco,
Hirschhorn, Vivienne
J.A. Raymakers & Co, EE labels /
Westwood and Droog Design.
Van Engelen & Evers BV, Johan
The three-story Dröge building
Desso, Artex), Aalto University,
next to the Textielmuseum
School of Art and Design,
offers a suitable location for
(Helsinki, Finland), National
van de Acker, Best Wool Carpets,
site-specific installations, the
Academy of the Arts (Bergen,
pop-up café I Like Identity, the
Norway), Hochshule für Kunst
68
programme
La Berceuse by Vincent van Gogh (Arles 1889),
An artist’s struggle with humanity
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. >
Van Gogh on home ground: an iconic exhibition Vincent van Gogh had a deep
labourers – he worked for a time
something which met with little
ORGANISATION:
conviction that his work should
among Wallonian miners as a
appreciation from the other
Noordbrabants Museum
be of significance to humanity.
lay preacher. His feeling found
side. You can see this struggle in
(’s-Hertogenbosch)
‘Van Gogh, Art for Humanity’
expression in his many portraits
his paintings.”
will be the first ever exhibition
of ordinary people. The
to focus specifically on the
exhibition will explore Van
The European ideal
Van Gogh Foundation,
great artist’s engagement with
Gogh’s urge to create an oeuvre
One of the things that connect
Vincent van Gogh House,
society. Mounted by the
of significance and to address
the inhabitants of Europe is a
Van Gogh Brabant. Plans
Noordbrabants Museum, this
his relationship with his fellow
common history. Some artists
have been made in coordination
major international exhibition
man, echoing the dream he
have become icons of this shared
with the Van Gogh Museum
will feature between 60 and 70
once fostered of becoming a
history and Vincent van Gogh is
Amsterdam, the Kröller-Müller
of Van Gogh’s paintings,
minister, like his father.
undoubtedly one of them. “You
Museum (Otterlo, NL)
can see Van Gogh’s life as
and Musée d’Orsay (Paris)
drawings and prints drawn from
PARTNERS:
public and private collections
Socially engaged
reflecting the European ideal”,
around the world. It will be the
Van Gogh’s letters and
De Mooij says. “He visited and
climax in a series of events in
paintings reveal a powerful
lived in the whole of Europe, but
Brabant leading to 2018, such as
desire for contact with his
also longed for the region he
the European Van Gogh Route
fellow human beings. But social
came from. The nation didn’t
(see box p69).
interaction was not one of his
mean so much to him.”
strong points, to say the least. Van Gogh was born in Brabant
“Van Gogh was a socially
in the town of Zundert, the son
engaged artist, something that is
of a Protestant minister. Over
often overlooked”, says Charles
the years he left the religion of
de Mooij, director of the
his youth behind him, but he
Noordbrabants Museum. “He
never lost his belief in a higher
saw art as a way to bring people
power of significance to
together and offer them
humanity, and this outlook
comfort. It wasn’t a rational
shaped his work as an artist. At
process, but many of his
the same time he felt a sense of
portraits are an effort to feel
solidarity with farmers and
and relate to his fellow man
< Descendants of the family portrayed by Vincent van Gogh in his painting The Potato Eaters, at a cafeteria named after the painting in Nuenen, Brabant. Second from left, Carolien Coertzen-de Groot; right, her brother Eric.
69
< The ‘Van Gogh church’ in Nuenen, where Van Gogh’s parents lived.
As well as the international
exhibition with international
exhibition, 2018 will also see
appeal in 2018.
many other projects devoted
PARTNERS: Van Gogh Brabant, Vrijetijdshuis Brabant, Mons 2015, Van Gogh
to the life and work of Vincent
ORGANISATION:
Europe, Kröller-Müller Museum,
van Gogh, such as the Van Gogh
Van Gogh House, Noordbrabants
Van Gogh Museum, Region
Village outdoor museum, an
Museum
Île-de-France, Fondation
‘experience Proeftuin’ in
Vincent Van Gogh-Arles, Saint
Nuenen, just west of Eindhoven,
Van Gogh’s letters
Paul de Mausole (Saint-Remy-
to monitor recreational
Famous voices from Brabant,
de-Provence), Auberge Ravoux
behaviour in cultural landscape;
the Netherlands and Europe
(Auvers-sur-Oise)
an annual Van Gogh lecture, in
will read from Van Gogh’s
collaboration with Tilburg
letters. They will be joined by
Nuenen potato festival
University, Fontys University
the voices of winners of reading
In the summer of 2018, in the
of Applied Sciences and the
aloud competitions held at
place where Vincent van Gogh
Nexus Institute; the Nuneville
primary schools in the
painted his famous Potato Eaters,
art and technology project, a
Netherlands and beyond.
a popular festival will celebrate this everyday vegetable in an
digital reconstruction of rooms in which Van Gogh stayed, in
ORGANISATION:
original way. Artists will work
collaboration with Mons 2015
Vincentre Nuenen, Van Gogh
together with the agricultural
and the festival STRP; and
Brabant
and food sectors to create art using the potato as raw material.
numerous walking and cycle routes tracing the footsteps of
European Van Gogh
Van Gogh.
Route
PARTNERS:
In 2015 we will launch an
Vrijetijdshuis Brabant, Vincentre
Vincent van Gogh House
international Van Gogh-route
Nuenen, farmer’s association ZLTO,
Traces of Van Gogh’s life are to
across Europe, through
Foodconnectionpoint, Foodcluster
be found throughout Brabant.
locations in France, Belgium
Noordoost- Brabant, Worldfood-
In Zundert, the birthplace of
and the Netherlands. The route
center Ede, Green Campus
this world citizen, inspired by
will help tempt international
Helmond, FoodDesign and
the countryside, the Vincent
visitors to make the trip to
Innovation – Hogere Agrarische
van Gogh House will mount an
Brabant in 2018.
School ’s-Hertogenbosch
70
Long-term strategy C7
It is very important to us that our Capital of Culture programme brings about real change â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in our society, in our mentality and in our cultural sector. We want to build on strong foundations, and that is why we are placing the 2018 programme within the context of a long-term plan. We are proposing a programme that will run from 2014 to 2020, the effects of which will be felt long afterwards. We want to achieve this through plans such as 2020: Remembering the Future, a scientific and cultural project focusing on memory.
71
VOLT: new media icon Our plan is to launch the
2014 will also see the first
at the two airports displaying
New media centre VOLT will
long-term European Capital of
edition of the International
the most everyday matters from
open its doors in the run-up to
Culture programme with the
Festival of Visual Culture in
each city. The travellers will be
2018 as a hub of creativity and
opening of several Proeftuin
Breda. Together with the media
co-producers and work with
technology. The centre will
projects in 2014, which will
centre, the festival will in itself
artists to collect and identify
combine exhibition space with
allow us to grow step by step
be a Proeftuin to study how
similarities and differences
a presentation platform, a
towards the climax in 2018.
modern visual culture deter-
between Valletta and Eindhoven,
laboratory and a café. VOLT is
They will include community
mines the way we communicate
and the way the cities and their
a joint initiative by the Nether-
art projects in other Capitals of
with each other (see p77).
inhabitants deal with issues
lands Institute for Sound and
relating to society, technology,
Vision, Eindhoven city council
spatial planning and culture.
and housing corporation Trudo.
Proeftuin with Tilburg
The Philips pavilion Poème
The Netherlands Institute for
To prepare Strijp-S for its role as
University. It will focus on the
électronique, designed by Le
Sound and Vision’s centre in
the epicentre of 2018Eindhoven|
question of how an approach to
Corbusier for the 1958 Brussels
Hilversum celebrates Dutch
Brabant, as 2018 approaches
social and societal issues can be
World’s Fair, was probably the
radio, TV and film heritage. But
we will be making major
linked to scientific methods –
world’s first multimedia
VOLT in contrast will focus on
investments in the area’s cultural
how we can join up the left and
installation. The pavilion was
the future of audio-visual media.
software and hardware. Between
right sides of the brain. Because
a technological showcase com-
VOLT is a new concept for a
now and then we will be
the design sector operates on
bining revolutionary electronic
museum, in which visitors will
realising a major media cluster
this boundary between arts and
music with projections and
interactively explore the latest in
at Strijp-S, made up of cultural
sciences, this Proeftuin will
sequenced lighting. To mark its
media art and the newest
organisations and producers,
work closely with the Design
60th anniversary in 2018, a
technological developments.
business and education. NatLab
Academy Eindhoven. The
special foundation will
The centre will also develop and
2.0 will become a new cultural
results can be used in planning
collaborate with concert hall
present new media applications.
hotspot, an ‘innovation hub’ on
the 2018 World Design Expo,
Muziekgebouw Frits Philips in
And it will offer a platform for
film, new media, theatre and
in which social design will be
Eindhoven to reconstruct the
business, artists and knowledge
cross over events. Apart from
the central theme.
pavilion with programming
institutions to try out creative
by contemporary composers.
and technological ideas.
Culture, as well as a special Proeftuin focusing on social
The theme of social innovation
innovation in Tilburg.
will be investigated in a
NatLab 2.0, the new media centre VOLT will be the creative
In the Eindhoven/Malta
The realization will probably
VOLT is expected attract up
icon of the cluster (see box).
Proeftuin we will install kiosks
start in 2014.
to 200,000 visitors a year.
72
In 2016 we will go on to launch
of the neighbourhood of the
States. The multidisciplinary
the year as Capital of
several new Proeftuin projects.
future (see p48). And naturally
team will study and document
Culture
They will include a Proeftuin in
another highlight will be a
every work according to a
Various Proeftuin projects will
Breda about the way digital
major exhibition of work by
standardised system. It is a
present their results in 2018,
visual culture influences our
Jheronimus Bosch.
unique opportunity to compare
and 2018Eindhoven|Brabant is
identity. And one in Helmond
data collected using the same
ready to welcome a large
about culture and inner city
Unique international
methods. The study will be
audience from all over Europe
redevelopment. At the same
research
directed by an international
and to deliver a broad range of
time, the ‘detuin|united’
In 2016 a special multidisci-
scientific committee which will
stage productions, exhibitions
Proeftuin will also be up and
plinary Proeftuin will announce
include representatives from the
and artworks. The projects
running, and we will be
the results of a unique historical
Museo del Prado in Madrid, the
will work on throughout 2018,
presenting the research results
and technical study of the work
Städelsches Kunstinstitut in
with local people and
of an international Proeftuin on
of Jheronimus Bosch. Bosch’s
Frankfurt and the Metropolitan
visitors participating and
the work of Jheronimus Bosch.
paintings are usually scattered
Museum of Art in New York.
having a major influence on their outcome.
across the world, but 2016 will The city of ’s-Hertogenbosch is
present an opportunity for a
The data and results will be
commemorating Dutch master
scientific team to analyse and
shared with museums, scholars
Jheronimus Bosch with an
compare every canvas Bosch
and the public in a book and
extensive and ground-breaking
ever painted, in his home town
online. We also want to study
programme that started in 2010
of ’s-Hertogenbosch. A wide
how people experience Bosch’s
and will run until 2020, in
range of disciplines will be
work today compared to the
cooperation with other cities in
represented in the team. Art
way they did centuries ago. Do
the Netherlands and abroad. The
historians, curators and restorers
we ask the same questions
programme will climax in 2016,
from all over the world will
today? Do we read the symbo-
the 500th anniversary of Bosch’s
work together to study and
lism in the same way? And do
death. One of the highlights in
conserve the paintings.
people see his work differently
2016 will be‘detuin|united’, a
The legacy of Jheronimus Bosch
in Brabant, Madrid or New
special Proeftuin close to the
comprises 45 paintings and
York? Besides the art historians,
centre of ’s-Hertogenbosch
drawings held in 18 different
artists and the public will
where urban and rural will
collections spread over 15 cities
contribute to the interpretation
come together in an exploration
in Europe and the United
of the paintings.
73
2018 isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the end of the road.
achievements. But we will
Eindhoven, Brabant, the
A lot of the Proeftuin projects
be reinforcing this by setting
Netherlands and Europe. The
will go on developing beyond
up a Cultural Investment
findings will be presented at a
the big year itself. In 2020 we
Fund in 2020, which will
congress in 2020.
will assess the progress and
seek new methods and models
weigh up the results in a major
to finance part of the
event. And in the arts and
2018Eindhoven|Brabant legacy.
science research project 2020: Remembering the Future
Consultants in
we will seek out new ways of
residence
remembering, to the benefit of
We think it is really important
our own identity, for Europe,
to share our ideas and
and to plant the achievements
experiences with the whole of
of 2018Eindhoven|Brabant
Europe. This is something we
firmly in our memories.
will be doing as much as possible in the run-up to 2018,
Beyond 2018, we want to hold
and we intend to keep on doing
on to the dynamics, ideas and
it afterwards. To promote this
collaborative relationships
exchange, we will put together
created by 2018Eindhoven|
a team of European rapporteurs,
Brabant. We will try to have the
some of whom will already
most successful elements of the
be involved in the Proeftuin
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
projects from 2014 as
programme taken over by civil
consultants in residence. They
society organisations and the
will analyse and assess the
cultural sector. Many of these
cultural and social value and
organisations will already have
impact of the projects. Based on
taken part in Proeftuin projects,
their findings, they will make
so it will be relatively straigh-
recommendations on how best
forward for them to go further
to make the benefits of
with the most important
2018Eindhoven|Brabant last in
74
2020: Remembering the Future Our memories influence our everyday actions, our relationships and our identities. And memory is essential to our lives, whether collectively or individually. 2018Eindhoven| Brabant will be an individual and a collective experience for its audience and for the public at large. We want the whole of Europe to benefit from our experience and we will be a lot more successful in that aim if we are able to activate and share our memories to the maximum. So in a special arts and science project we will be studying how we remember, and the role art and culture can play in memory. We will be presenting the results in 2020. 2020: Remembering the Future is a project in which the initiators in Eindhoven â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Van Abbemuseum, MU art space, festival STRP and the media lab Baltan Laboratories â&#x20AC;&#x201C; will explore how we can share and hold on to the legacy of 2018 through memory, and how this can be reinforced through art and culture. An important source of inspiration is the research on memory by Professor Elise van den Hoven at the Faculty of Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology. The faculty has made a name for itself internationally for its design solutions to support the memory and promote memory sharing. We will also be approaching other universities in the Netherlands and beyond that are studying the role of memory.
Tools for remembering 2020: Remembering the Future is a crossdisciplinary programme to help the participants in 2018Eindhoven|Brabant to preserve their memories. The long-term programme closely linked to our cultural programme will be developed over the next year. As soon as we know if 2018Eindhoven|Brabant has won the bid, we want to set up at least three university research projects with faculties in the Netherlands and abroad to consider questions about memory. Inspired by the findings, through art and design we will develop instruments and ideas that help us to conserve and share memories in innovative ways. This arts and science programme will follow the path to 2018 like an underground stream, occasionally coming out above ground. Then eventually in 2020 we will present the findings to a broad public in symposiums, discussions and a cultural programme. The aims: 2020: Remembering the Future will produce concrete ways to map, conserve and share our collective memories, and also create tools for individuals to make choices about what they actually want to remember.
75
Umea (2014) – Wroclaw (2016) – Valletta (2018) To achieve the maximum lasting benefit, we plan to build on the knowledge and experience that will be generated elsewhere in Europe between now and 2018. So in our long-term programme we will be linking up with the European Capitals of Culture Umea (2014), Wroclaw (2016) and Valletta (candidate for Malta in 2018). Their programmes offer plenty of opportunities for cooperation, co-creation and synergy.
Umea 2014: Curiosity and Passion Umea is focusing on strengthening cultural citizenship, personal development and the sustainable use of resources. Culture will be used as a driving force for city and regional development. In the next year we will get together with Umea to see how we can contribute to their programme and how from 2014 onwards we can set out ‘long lines’ together leading to 2018Eindhoven|Brabant and beyond. Contact has already been made with the organisers of Umea 2014.
Wroclaw 2016: culture against exclusion Wroclaw 2016 has a rich and urgent plan based on nine socially-engaged aims. A number of them link well to our themes. The Culture Against Exclusion programme, for example, will produce lasting solutions to promote cultural participation among specific groups, such as the unemployed, the elderly, people with disabilities, or families with a lot of children. Like us the Poles are concerned about the commercialisation of art. For 2018 we want to build on Wroclaw’s results. We are already in touch with Wroclaw 2016’s organisers. Valletta2018 Until 2010 there was no relationship between Eindhoven and the Maltese candidate city Valletta. But in the past two years, we have built up many contacts (see box on p60). The direct flight from Eindhoven Airport to Valletta helps. We have made agreements to develop a joint cultural programme and the first cultural exchange has already taken place: the Solar Cinema (see p38) toured to Malta in 2012. We are also working closely with Malta on the topic of urban development.
76
programme
The European Exchange Brigade Tilburg CowBoys chasing memories Throughout 2018 the Tilburg
Malta and Brabant bringing
CowBoys will be crisscrossing
together all the exchanges and
Europe exchanging objects.
their stories.
Their Exchange Brigades will knock on doors unannounced
The Tilburg CowBoys have
and invite people to swap an
built up experience as Exchange
item linked to a particular
Brigades in Brabant. They know
memory for someone else’s
that the project’s success will
keepsake which they can choose
depend on the level of
from the supply in the brigade’s
participation. So all members of
carrier bike. All the objects and
the Exchange Brigades will have
their stories will be recorded
to speak at least two languages.
and presented on a website. The
The Exchange Brigade members
result will be a European
for Poland will be Polish people
network of personal stories
who live in Brabant, the brigade
accessible to all.
members for France will be French people living in the
It will be a network running
province, and so on. The
from object to object, from
Exchange Brigades will end
memory to memory, from
their journey in Malta. The
person to person, and from city
multidisciplinary artists’
to city. We want to connect
collective the Tilburg CowBoys
people in Europe in the most
will be responsible for both the
fundamental way: through
organisational and artistic
stories and memories. Each
aspects of the project.
European town the Exchange Brigade visits will also host a
ORGANISATION:
temporary exhibition of the
Tilburg CowBoys
objects they have collected. At the end of 2018 there will be a final major exhibition in
Artists’ collective the Tilburg CowBoys. Sander van Bussel (L), Hans d’Olivat and Chris Gribling. >
Thomas Ritzen, student at AKV|St. Joost art academy, Breda. >
77
programme
The I on the internet International Festival of Visual Culture In our modern network society,
surprising programme featuring
ways could older generations
the latest developments in
personal identity is increasingly
many world premieres and
and non-digital groups benefit
technology and creativity,
determined by the virtual world
leading producers and artists.
from these developments?
offering an inspiring mix of
rather the physical environment
Pioneering, cross-disciplinary
around us. Visual culture plays
European makers will work
ORGANISATION
documentaries, animation,
a central role in this process. In
together with students and
Visual arts centre Huis voor
graphic design, artist
the European City of Culture
local producers on special
Beeldcultuur (Breda)
talks, character design and
year, 2018Eindhoven|Brabant
productions inspired by the
will be organising a major
theme of the festival.
PARTNERS:
Playgrounds will present an
international festival of visual
The resulting works will be
IFFR, Fotomuseum Rotterdam,
international programme that
culture. How does modern
exhibited at unusual locations
FOAM, Picnic, International
connects directly with the
visual culture affect our
throughout the city of Breda.
Documentary Film Festival
International Festival of Visual
perception of ourselves and
Historical buildings, wasteland
Amsterdam, Holland Animation
Culture in Breda and other
of others and the way we
sites, polders and parks will
Film Festival, De Waag Society,
festivals of new media art. In
communicate? And is there
form the stage and backdrop
VPRO, Submarine, Anglia Ruskin
the run-up, Playgrounds will
such a thing as a coherent
to performances, exhibitions
University (Cambridge, United
take part in offline and online
European visual culture?
and workshops.
Kingdom), onedotzero (London,
collaborations to produce
United Kingdom) Solent
digital animations with
2014 will see the premiere
In 2014 we will also start
University (Southampton, United
European makers and festivals.
edition of the International
preparing for a Proeftuin in
Kingdom) Recontres Audiovisuelle
The resulting work will be
Festival of Visual Culture. In
2016 in which artists, scientists
(Lille, France) Plein Image (Lille,
screened in 2018.
the years that follow it will grow
and citizens will look at ways
France) SPK (Ghent, Belgium)
into a major international
for visual culture to contribute
PARTNERS:
biennial with a distinctive focus
to our identity. How are young
Pictoplasma (Berlin, Germany)
on visual culture, a festival
people approaching this issue,
onedotzero (London, United
where free and applied visual
for example? Recent research by
Playgrounds
Kingdom) DOCLAB
culture go hand in hand. The
gender and media scientist
Playgrounds Audiovisual Arts
(Amsterdam), CutOut Fest
festival will bring graphic
Koen Leurs suggests that
Festival in Tilburg is an
(Mexico), Faux Images (Berlin),
design, photography,
multicultural society is thriving
innovative and creative digital
La GaĂŽtĂŠ Lyrique (Paris), STRP
cinematography and games
on the internet, especially
art event. The two-day
(Eindhoven), Stash (USA) and
together in an inspiring and
among young people. In what
programme presents some of
Motionographer (USA)
ground-breaking feature films,
performances. In 2018,
78
programme
An ode to the worker Quadrant: audio-visual opera The textile and metalworking
they are performed. They
industries made the city of
constantly blur boundaries
Helmond great, and in
with other artistic disciplines
Quadrant, video artist Rob
and draw international
Moonen will pay tribute to the
cultural connections.
workers of Helmond and Europe in a giant audio-visual
For the performance of
opera, for and with the city.
Quadrant, Moonen intends to
Featuring professional artists,
work with a large number of
and in particular amateurs,
choirs and brass bands, from
it will refer both to the
Helmond, Brabant and beyond.
industrial and the artistic
The Antillean and South
heritage of the city.
American brass bands which are becoming increasingly
The piece will blend the oeuvre
popular in the Netherlands
of Helmond composers such as
will be among them. The
Matthijs Vermeulen and
performance will take place
Alphons Stallaert with images
in the city centre with music
of industrial heritage, local
accompanying large-scale
architecture and the workers
projections on public buildings.
of the past. The opera will be
Work on the overture will begin
composed by Jeroen Strijbos
in 2013, and in each subsequent
and Rob van Rijswijk, and will
year a new act will be presented.
comprise an overture and four
The grand finale of Quadrant
acts. Strijbos and Van Rijswijkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
will take place in 2018.
compositions are characterised by the way they use electronic,
ORGANISATION:
computer operated and acoustic
Helmond City Council in
instruments to place their
association with Rob Moonen
compositions in relation to the environment in which
Football robots at Eindhoven University of Technology, the 2012 World Champions. >
Students from the robot football team Tech United at Eindhoven University of Technology, winners of the RoboCup 2012. >
79
programme
Humanoid Robot strikes again Humanoid Robot 2018Eindhoven|Brabant won’t
from Japan (the land of robot
much more than that. The
PARTNERS:
be opened by the head of
makers par excellence) will
aim is to spark developments
Eindhoven University of
state or even by the mayor.
build it, but there will also be
in robotics and artificial
Technology, High Tech Campus
Instead, it will be opened
contributions from various
intelligence – many of the
Eindhoven, theatre company
by a machine. A huge robot –
companies and knowledge
applications used for the
Het Zuidelijk Toneel, Dutch
the biggest ever built. The
institutes from the Brainport
football-playing robots find
Design Academy
robot will be a mascot for
area. Together with designers
their way into other, more
2018Eindhoven|Brabant and
and members of HZT, they will
practical, applications of
take the starring role in a play
decide what technical, artistic
robot technology, such as in
performed at Eindhoven’s
and social functions should be
health care.
Parktheater in 2018.
incorporated into the design – how about artificial emotions,
The Humanoid Robot is the
Het Zuidelijk Toneel (HZT) is
for example? The robot will be
perfect promotional tool for
the southern Netherlands’ most
developed using the ‘open
generating international
important theatre company.
innovation method’, meaning
attention, boosting the public
Working with an international
that much of the knowledge
perception of Eindhoven and
cast, in 2018 the company will
and expertise on robot
the southern Netherlands
perform a play inspired by
technology gained in the
region as a whole as a pioneer
Frankenstein, the 1818 novel by
process will be shared with
in art and technology. Over the
English author Mary Shelley.
the rest of the world.
coming years we will explore ways of making the robot as
Each day, the robot will walk from its ‘home’ on Strijp-S to
Robot football
interactive as possible so that
the Parktheater, where it will
The robot will symbolise the
much of its functionality can
perform in the show.
fusion of technology, science
be controlled remotely. And
and design for which Eindhoven
we will also equip Humanoid
Open innovation
is so renowned. In June 2012
Robot with cameras so that
The robot will be the focus of a
Eindhoven University of
anyone can follow his/her
Proeftuin on robot technology
Technology won the RoboCup,
adventures online in real time.
and design. Students at
the robot football World Cup.
We are also looking into the
Eindhoven University of
It may sound like just a bit of
possibility of the robot making
Technology and fellow students
fun for science geeks, but it is
a European tour.
80
programme
Light and sound sculpture by artists Ien van Gemert and
Everything starts with the locals
Guus Voermans in the Breukelen district of Boxtel, Brabant. >
The community art of the Makers’ Rooms Build your own
In the run-up to 2018 and
confirmation of their position
neighbourhoods, focusing on
during the year itself, in a
in the neighbourhood, which
local issues. The Makers’
neighbourhood
Proeftuin we will be
was usually unofficial. Some
Rooms will concentrate on
The Makers’ Rooms and other
experimenting with new forms
men scare you as soon as you
fundamentally changing the
participants in the Proeftuin
of cultural participation to
see them coming. If some- one
public space, “Because in
will experiment with innovative
improve social cohesion in
like that looks at his portrait
our experience this ultimately
forms of live or digital
inner-city neighbourhoods.
and then there he is in front of
changes behaviour more
interaction with local people to
‘Makershuis’ (Makers’ House)
you with tears in his eyes, it
structurally,” says actor
come up with ideas together, for
from ’s-Hertogenbosch will
certainly makes an impression.”
and company founder
example to redesign the public
Romijn Conen.
space in the neighbourhood.
play a prominent role in this Proeftuin. Makershuis has years
Structural change in
of experience with community
behaviour
Because good community
of offline and online city
art in Brabant’s cities. For
In the Makers’ Rooms the
artists are few and far between,
making, which are now being
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
residents take the lead role in
Makershuis will be investing
developed all over the world to
the company will be setting
developing and producing
intensively in training young
enable people to simulate new
up what it calls Makers’
community art. The artist
community artists as part of
ideas for their own living
Rooms in a number of other
observes, feels the atmosphere
2018Eindhoven|Brabant, by
environment, for example using
European cities.
in the street and listens, some-
pairing them with successful
game software. Artists,
times for weeks, sometimes for
artists with experience in the
architects and town planners
Artist Erik Vink moved into a
months. He or she finds out the
neighbourhood in participating
will share their experience and
studio for four months in the
residents’ strengths and needs
cities both in the Netherlands
ideas via a portal online.
underprivileged neighbour-
and goes on to develop art with
and in other parts of Europe.
Community artists from all
hoods of Hambaken and
the local people, and thus to
“You’ve got to be prepared to
over Europe will then be able to
Bartjes in ’s-Hertogenbosch,
build up the neighbourhood’s
step out of your comfort zone,
pool their ideas and even
where he painted large portraits
own capacities.
and that’s not for every artist,”
digitally co-create. The results
of residents who were playing
We will make use of new forms
says Conen. “After three weeks
will be presented in 2018 both
an important social role in the
For 2018Eindhoven|Brabant,
in the neighbourhood your
physically and digitally.
area. He saw the sense of pride
Makershuis will set up Makers’
world should have been turned
and self-confidence the
Rooms in Brabant and in other
upside down – then you know
paintings gave the residents.
European cities – with local
it’s going well.”
“The portrait was a
artists, in local underprivileged
Makers’ Room in Boxtel. Mariëlle Lapidaire (Makers’ Room project leader, L), local resident and community worker Maddy van den Burg and her children Ron and Gwen. >
< Artist Katrien van Hettema (L) working with residents from the district of Breukelen on a communal â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;neighbourhood dinner serviceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.
81
PARTNERS: Community Art Lab XL, housing corporations such as Woonbedrijf Eindhoven, BrabantWonen and Zayas, ZLTO, Chamber of Commerce, Kroon op je Wijk, Wijkgericht Werken
< Katrien van Hettema in her studio in the district of Breukelen, Boxtel.
82
Do it yourself (or not, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OK too)
C8
Innovative communication The 2018Eindhoven|Brabant
coming to consume culture and
Because the technical and social
and international public to
programme is not just being
people who actually want to take
developments in ICT and media
participate. From 2014 we will
made for the public to
part. And we will approach each
are moving so rapidly and
be developing special tools
consume; it will also include
of these target groups using
nobody dares to make any
to make this possible. Using
them. Co-creation is an
specific means of communi-
definite predictions about the
game software, participants will
important principle in our
cation (see table), depending in
direction they will take, we
be able to make group films
programme and this is also
part on how close they are to
are already experimenting with
online. Or they will create their
reflected in our communication
Eindhoven and the region.
the very latest methods, and
own lightshow by operating a
we will carry on developing
lighting installation at Strijp-S.
Virtual city tours
them right up to 2018. One
As part of the Makers' Room
It is easy enough to give
thing we do dare to predict
project (see p80) people will
Obviously we will be using as
examples of the more
is that mobile devices will
be able to use web applications
many means of communication
conventional means we will be
still play a leading role in
to contribute their ideas on
as possible to inform and
using â&#x20AC;&#x201C; websites, printed media,
communication in 2018, so
physical adaptations to
mobilise the public in
television, narrow-casting.
we are focusing on apps such
inner-city areas in Europe.
Eindhoven, the Netherlands
But it is trickier to look ahead to
as eSphere (see box p85).
Or they will even co-design
and Europe. And of course we
2018 and wonder how we will
Using tools like this, with the
parts of their own city. All over
will also be using traditional
be interactively co-creating by
Proeftuin projects as thematic
the world people are working on
media for people who are not
then. Will we all be walking
landmarks, visitors will be able
different forms of offline and
interested in being a participant
round wearing the augmented
to plan their own programmes
online city-making, such as
or a co-creator. And we'll be
reality glasses that Google is
or let themselves be surprised
World of City Craft, which
approaching specific target
currently developing? They
using a shuffle function.
enable people to simulate their
groups such as young people
will superimpose an extra layer
And they can make their own
own city or neighbourhood.
or minorities. But at the same
of digital information over
mark on the cultural programme
time we want to contact our
the world you see around you.
as co-curators.
public as co-creators in new
Browsing will be voice
and innovative ways.
controlled. And you will be
Co-creation centres
online platform will act as a
able to take a digital tour of
The Proeftuin projects are our
central virtual meeting-place
In our target groups we will make
Eindhoven with real-time
co-creation centres, and each
and point of reference, and as
a rough distinction between
images while you are actually
will have its own web
a base for anyone who wants
people who are primarily
wandering round in Madrid.
application allowing a national
to find or share information,
plans. Meet our guerrilla marketers and the viral squad.
To give people an overall view of 2018Eindhoven|Brabant, an
83
Consumers
Participators
• Publicity campaign (print, radio and TV, online)
• Social media (producing photos and films, writing reviews,
• Narrow-casting
• eSphere (awarding hearts, sharing ratings, recommendations)
• Co-hosting of cultural programmes e.g. focused on
• Online/Offline: sharing stories and memories (Exchange Brigade,
Eindhoven and region
sharing on social media)
neighbourhood-level participation
Solar Cinema)
• Co-marketers/guerrilla marketing
•Offline: neighbourhood projects (Makers’ Rooms, Circo Circolo)
Outside
• P ublicity campaign (print, press, radio and
• Co-creating with game software, e.g. for online city-making
the
TV, online)
region
• Intermediaries (co-branding, co-promotion, newsletters,
and abroad
(World of City Craft) or production of collective films • Proeftuin portal with try-this-at-home functions
social media) • Tele-tourism (YouTube, virals, blogs, video conferences, smartphone video links) • 'Experience browsers’ in cultural centres elsewhere in the world
• Crowdsourcing (online contributions to research that results in performances, for example) • Art and media installations controlled remotely (e.g. Humanoid Robot) • Co-choreography: online creation of dance, e.g. for flash mobs.
or join in a Proeftuin. You
Examples of media club
our corporate style, but
The local squad
will also be able to see
activities:
there will be space for the
In 2018 we are going to mobilise
co-marketers’ own creativity.
thousands of volunteers as local
recommendations from other visitors, sort out a bed for the
Guerrilla marketing
night (perhaps a free place to
We see the entire population of
stay by ‘couch surfing’ or ‘airbed & breakfast’) and book rental bikes, train tickets or flights.
experts – guides who are at Students
home in particular neighbour-
Eindhoven and Brabant as
Journalism students will be
hoods, cities or fields of culture,
potential marketers in 2018.
taught how to film concerts for
sometimes linked to Proeftuin
There's a large number of active
YouTube. Game Architecture
projects. There will be profiles
volunteers in Brabant's cultural
and Design students from Breda
of the local experts on a
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
sector, so we have got a big pool
will devise games to generate
website where visitors will be
media club
to draw on. In the run-up to
attention for 2018Eindhoven|
able to choose and book their
We are going to tackle
2018 and during the year itself,
Brabant on the web. And
free guide.
marketing and communication
they will be invited to help
other students will come up
from a fresh angle for
promote 2018Eindhoven|
with ways to get videos,
2018Eindhoven|Brabant.
Brabant as co-marketers. We
news and other content from
It won’t be tightly managed,
will supply open templates, for
2018Eindhoven|Brabant onto
but as decentralised as possible.
example, which people can use
leading blogs and portals in
The marketing department will
to promote the programme in
other countries.
be a media club that initiates
their own way. With a version
and facilitates rather than
tailored to each target group,
The viral squad
produces, either for the
either online or offline. With
A group of artists and media
consuming or participating
online ‘Do-It-Yourself kits’ they
experts will create a buzz
public. And a lot of respon-
can use to put together their
around 2018Eindhoven|Brabant
sibility will be handed to the
own campaign, backed up by
with virals that can attract
organisations involved and
YouTube films giving practical
attention around the world.
to volunteers. One of our
examples for inspiration.
One good example is a recent
partners, Festival Incubate in
And there will also be more
video that made the news
Tilburg, is going to start
conventional tools such as
worldwide, in which it appears
experimenting with this
badges, t-shirts and logos that
as if Brabant artist Floris Kaayk
approach in the next couple
the co-marketers can use as they
is really able to fly (see www.
of years.
please. Everything will be in
humanbirdwings.net).
84
Raising awareness of the European Union The European Union is the initiator and owner of the European Capital of Culture brand. So in its communication and programming, 2018Eindhoven|Brabant wants to devote plenty of attention to the EU. And here too we will also be taking a creative approach in 2018. EU corporate branding • EU logo in 2018Eindhoven|Brabant corporate communication. From the moment the title is awarded to 2018Eindhoven|Brabant, we will put the EU logo alongside our own in all our corporate communication. At the same time we are going to ask everyone to design their own EU logos. These colourful logos will be prominently in view in all our activities. • EU logo in our partners’ programme information. We will make it compulsory to use the EU logo in all communication regarding activities under the 2018Eindhoven| Brabant banner. • EU logo in public space. We will make sure that every visitor gets a visible welcome to Eindhoven as European Capital of Culture. This will include flying both 2018Eindhoven|Brabant and EU flags at the key points of entry, such as the arrivals hall at Eindhoven airport, at railway stations and on main roads entering the city. European Star Programme for children To stimulate participation in 2018Eindhoven| Brabant projects and raise awareness of Europe among local young people, in 2018 we will be running the European Star Programme. Throughout the year, children and teenagers aged up to 16 will be able to collect
European stars, 27 in total to represent the 27 member states. The children will be able to pick up stars by taking part in selected 2018Eindhoven|Brabant events. If you collect all 27 stars, you will get special offers to join in other European Capital of Culture events, and you will be in with a chance to win an extra prize: a trip to the 2019 European Capital of Culture. The European Star Programme will be run in cooperation with primary and secondary schools around the region, and will reach more than 200,000 young people. Celebrating sixty years of the European Union In 2018 we will be celebrating 60 years of European cooperation. The European Economic Community (EEC, forerunner to the EU) was founded on 1 January 1958 with the Treaty of Rome. In 2018 we will be devoting 60 days of the 2018Eindhoven|Brabant programme to commemorating this 60th anniversary. The basis of this 60-year celebration will be a special educational and cultural programme for children and adults about the history of European design and technology. 9 May 2018: Europe Day in Eindhoven In 2018 Eindhoven will host a special programme for the annual Europe Day celebrations. It will be in keeping with 2018Eindhoven|Brabant’s focus on innovation, technology and art, and will include a lecture by a prominent European political or opinion leader, a round-table discussion and a showcase of EU innovation.
85
Virtual worlds To guide the visitors through the extensive programme as clearly as possible, we are already exploring the future possibilities of smartphone apps. In 2011, festival STRP experimented with a new app that helped visitors choose what to see, aided by recommendations from other members of the public. The app allowed visitors to rate not only the festival content but also each other’s reviews. With this kind of approach, visitors can become 2018Eindhoven|Brabant’s public curators. By 2018 the physical and virtual worlds will be even more tightly interwoven than they are today. So 2018Eindhoven|Brabant is investing in developing apps to offer the public a userfriendly virtual view of the programme. The eSphere app will help visitors to work out
a route in advance, perhaps based on a profile of their interests which they have filled in themselves. During the event people will be able to rate elements of the programme, share experiences via social media and locate people they know on the map. Visitors will be able to decide what they want to participate in both before and during the event. And at the same time they will be able to create their own communities of culturally like-minded people. The app will also make it possible constantly to monitor the ratings for the various elements of the programme. After the first experiments at festival STRP, in the next few years the app will also be built for other festivals. And a fully-developed version will be ready to use for 2018Eindhoven|Brabant.
Angela Plohman, former
and development at the
Philips buildings, and be
“There are a number of projects
director of Baltan Laboratories:
intersection of art, design and
part of that development
that Eindhoven is undertaking
“The organisations,
technological culture.
from the early stages, was a
that already serve as models for
great experience.”
Europe and the Netherlands,
spaces, people and ideas in this city form a
“For me, a lab like Baltan is not
unique cultural
only a ‘place’ to make and
“It feels like Eindhoven has
of Strijp-S. Eindhoven is a
backbone”
create, but it is also a network: a
momentum at the moment,
different Dutch city – it has a
for example the redevelopment
connector and a mediator. I am
which makes it a perfect
very different feel, architecture
Angela Plohman, currently
not sure if the way we developed
candidate. There are a lot of
and population than most of
Grant Manager at the Mozilla
Baltan would have been
exceptional organisations,
the other big Dutch cities.
Foundation, was the director of
possible elsewhere. The
spaces, people and ideas in
It could be very beneficial for
Baltan Laboratories at Strijp-S
particular context of Eindhoven
this city that form a unique
the Netherlands to highlight
in Eindhoven from 2008 till
provided freedom and support
cultural backbone, which will
this diversity and put a
2012. She developed Baltan
to build the lab, as well as a
attract a larger European
spotlight on the innovative
into an international platform
deeply embedded history that
audience, as they already do
work that is being done in
that initiates, mediates and
inspired us. To be able to
to a certain extent.”
the region.”
shares innovative research
work at Strijp-S in the old
86
How we are organising 2018Eindhoven|Brabant and paying the bills
C9
C9.1
Organisation and governance
Organising an ambitious
The 2018Eindhoven|Brabant
foundation’s activities, for the
Supervisory Board of public-
programme is a big challenge
Foundation was set up in 2012
progress of the 2018 programme
service broadcaster NTR.
and responsibility for a Euro-
by the public authorities
and for financial settlement.
pean Capital of Culture. We
involved. It operates
The assignment of decision-
Jan-Reinier Swinkels, chairman
know from the experience of
independently under its own
making authority is laid down
of brewery Bavaria and board
other ECOCs that a clear
management and board of
in the articles of association.
member of the employers’
governance structure is essential.
directors. The foundation’s
That means clear management,
articles of association are
The board members all have
guaranteed artistic autonomy,
compliant with the Cultural
comprehensive executive
broadly supported political
Governance Code recognised by
experience and a broad national
Nienke Meijer, member of the
and administrative commitment,
the Dutch government, which
and international network. Each
Executive Board of Fontys
and solid financial agree-
sets out guidelines for the
member is able to contribute
University of Applied Sciences
ments. The clear governance
professional, transparent and
expertise in a relevant area of
and member of the Supervisory
structure within which the
responsible governance of
knowledge. The board members
Board of the Eindhoven concert
2018Eindhoven|Brabant team
cultural bodies.
are as follows:
hall Muziekgebouw Frits
association Brabant Zeeuwse
works guarantees progress and results.
Werkgeversvereniging.
Philips. The foundation’s task is to
Wim van den Goorbergh
prepare the candidacy and,
(chairman), economist and
Harry Hendriks, global head of
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
once the final choice of
former vice chairman of
Public and Government Affairs
Foundation
European Capital of
Rabobank. He holds positions
at Philips, former CEO of
The organisation of
Culture has been made, to
as a non-executive board
Philips Electronics Benelux and
2018Eindhoven|Brabant will
bear the responsibility for
member with organisations such
member of the Executive
be executed by an independent
2018Eindhoven|Brabant’s
as Radboud University and the
Committee of employers’
foundation with clear lines of
organisation, programming,
Noordbrabants Museum, and is
organisation VNO/NCW.
management, a well-defined
communication, public
co-author of the Cultural
relationship with the relevant
relations, monitoring and
Governance Code.
public authorities and a
evaluation.
guaranteed budget. This
Femke den Boer, director of the
structure also guarantees
The board
AKV | St. Joost academy of art,
artistic autonomy for the
The foundation’s board is
member of the national Council
2018Eindhoven|Brabant team.
responsible for all the
for Culture and member of the
87
the
a very different task from the
clients and principle funders.
management of the foundation
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
one who has developed the bid
Political and administrative
via the Supervisory Board.
Team
book. The post will be openly
support is vital to the success
At the same time the board
The programme is run by a
advertised in Europe, with the
of a European Capital of
makes sure the activities of
small, dynamic team with a
following profile requirements:
Culture, during the bid and in
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
the run-up to the year, during
keep to the long-term
flexible make-up for different phases of the project. At its core
• A director who can inspire
and after it. We think it is
strategic policy plans. So the
are the Artistic Director and the
other people and organisations
important that ties with
public authorities will also
Director of Finance and
to be creative and produce
political decision-makers are
help to safeguard the legacy
Administration. We have
quality.
close lasting, and at the same
of the cultural programme.
deliberately kept these two jobs
• A person with natural
time that there are clear
separate to create maximum
authority, capable of further
agreements on everyone’s
Tried and tested
space for artistic creativity.
strengthening the course of this
responsibilities, so artistic
collaboration
bid book in terms of content.
autonomy doesn’t become an
It is no coincidence that the
In our programme we are
• A European in heart
issue. For this reason, when the
partner cities and the province
expressly dedicated to indepen-
and soul, able to stimulate
foundation was founded we
should all be involved in
dent initiative, horizontal
European networks.
clearly established the role and
2018Eindhoven|Brabant.
collaboration and autonomously
• A person with proven
involvement of the public
Eindhoven, Breda, Helmond,
operating Proeftuin projects.
experience in the world of art
authorities.
’s-Hertogenbosch, Tilburg and
We would like our ideas to be
and culture, and at the same
reflected in the operational
time an all-rounder capable
Working with the
already been working together
organisation of 2018Eindhoven|
of making connections
region
closely in the BrabantStad
Brabant and work according to
with business, knowledge
Eindhoven is developing the
(‘Brabant City’) network for the
a cooperative model.
institutions and government.
programme in a network with
past ten years. They have
• A polymath with the
the cities of Breda, Helmond,
successfully realised a lot of
The Artistic Director is there-
experience in innovation to
’s-Hertogenbosch and Tilburg.
joint projects, for example in
the province of Brabant have
fore not a programmer who
understand what is needed
We are used to working in a
the fields of mobility and urban
can put together a programme
to allow the Proeftuin
network environment and see
infrastructure. This experience
at his own discretion. He
projects to operate freely
this as a strength that fits
provides a good guarantee that
operates in an environment
and achieve results.
perfectly with our vision for
the ambitious plans for
where the partners are asked
2018Eindhoven|Brabant.
2018Eindhoven|Brabant will
to contribute, participate and
The Director of Finance and
But we are aware that this new,
also prove successful.
take responsibility themselves,
Administration manages the
experimental form calls for a
so he is mainly responsible for
team and is responsible for the
well thought-out and solid
ensuring artistic quality. This
progress and implementation of
governance model. The
means the Artistic Director will
marketing and communication
agreements are clear: the
chiefly manage the programme
activities, research and
involvement and coordination
within the framework of the
monitoring, maintaining the
among Eindhoven’s
two programme lines, while the
international network and
administrative partners is set
teams responsible for the
managing the foundation.
down in an agreement and in
Proeftuin projects and other
The composition of the team
the foundation’s statutes.
cultural elements of the
is flexible depending on the
The participating cities and
programme will take a lot of
expertise needed.
the province of Brabant are
responsibility themselves.
represented in the Supervisory Relationship with the
Board chaired by the mayor of
The Artistic Director after the
city authorities
Eindhoven. The public
European Capital of Culture
The public authorities involved
authorities, as funders of the
title has been awarded will face
are the foundation’s founders,
event, supervise the financial
88
C9.2
FINANCES Long-term budget 2018Eindhoven|Brabant will
• The necessary investment in
major peak in the European
be investing in culture for
infrastructure: the responsibility
Capital of Culture year
more than ten years. The
for buildings and their
2018. Investment in the long
preparations began in 2009 with
structural operation lies with
term allows the necessary
a limited operational budget.
the relevant public authorities
preparations to be made and
For the period 2012-2020,
or cultural organisations,
guarantees the continuation
from the bid through the entire
and will not be part of the
of the programme after 2018.
duration of our long-term
budget or responsibility of
programme, the public
2018EindhovenBrabant.
• Other sources of income,
authorities are providing a
A summary of these investments
such as corporate participation,
structural budget which will
is included in the form.
have not yet been established,
consist entirely of new funding
but generating additional
specifically for the European
• Eindhoven, the partner cities
funding will be the foundation’s
Capital of Culture programme.
and the province of Brabant are
highest priority once the title
The cities and the provinces
the foundation’s principal
has been awarded. Only then
have taken all the necessary
funders, and act as guarantors
will it also have the greatest
decisions to provide this
for the basic funding of our
chance of success.
funding in 2012 and have
programme. This is established
reserved the funds in their
in binding agreements among
• Funds will be spent with great
long-term budgets.
the partners.
care, with the aim of investing at least 75 percent of the
The foundations of our
• The funding by the public
money in sustainable projects
financial policy:
authorities is an extra financial
and activities.
• The 2018Eindhoven|Brabant
investment in culture and
Foundation is the administrator
will not come at the expense
• The public authorities will
of the budget presented here.
of the existing budget for arts
supervise the foundation’s
This budget is intended to cover
and culture.
financial policy.
the costs of realising the activities developed specifically
• The funding is a lasting,
for the long-term European
long-term investment for the
Capital of Culture programme.
period 2012-2020 with a
89
90
FOUNDATION start-up projects 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 total INCOME Cities jointly
3,000 1,000 1,000 2,500 3,500 6,600 5,500 17,750 2,700 6,200 250
50,000
Province
3,000 1,000 1,000 2,500 3,500 6,600 5,500 17,750 2,700 6,200 250
50,000
Sponsorship (cash and in kind)
3,000 2,000 10,000 2,000 3,000 20,000
National government
20,000 20,000
European Union
1,500 1,500
Total
6,000
2,000 2,000 5,000 7,000 16,200 13,000 67,000 7,400 15,400
500
141,500
all euro amounts are x 1000
Income
is an estimate based on the
Our collaboration with
In this summary we present the
proportional government
corporate partners is explained
foundation’s income that has
contribution to the programmes
in chapter 9.3 (see p92).
already been secured and the
of other European Capitals of
income of which the extent can
Culture in comparable countries.
be determined with a high degree of probability.
• The contribution from the European Union included here
• Eindhoven and the network
is limited to an investment of
partners will invest 100
1.5 million euros (in the form
million euros in the cultural
of the Melina Mercouri prize).
programme. Ten million
However, it is expected that a
euros of this will come from
considerable proportion of the
Eindhoven, 10 million from
projects will partly be financed
each of the partner cities, and
by EU structural funds and
50 million from the province
programmes, such as the
of Brabant.
successor to the Culture Programme Creative Europe.
• The provincial and municipal
The financial contribution from
authorities have allocated these
these European programmes
sums in their long-long term
has not been included in the
budgets – a decision that is now
financial summary because its
irreversible. The only condition
extent is still hard to estimate.
for the release of the funds from 2014 onwards is the acquisition
• The expected contribution
of the title of European Capital
from corporate partners
of Culture.
(comparable with sponsorship) is a highly realistic estimate,
• The expected contribution
based on exploratory talks
from central government
with companies in the region.
91
FOUNDATION EXPENDITURE
start-up projects 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2012,2013
total %
600 400 1,000 0.70% Bid book preparation Programme (projects)
6,000
200
200 3,200 5,000 12,000 8,000 55,000 5,000 12,000 106,600 75.34%
Research 100 100 100 200 100 200 300 500 200 300 2,000
900 2,600 2,200 7,000 1,000 2,000
1.41%
Marketing and communication
500
500
800
17,500 12.37%
Staff, organisation
600
800
800 1,000 1,400 2,500 4,500 1,200 1,100
500
14,400
10.18%
2,000 2,000 5,000 7,000 16,200 13,000 67,000 7,400 15,400
500
141,500
100%
Total
6,000
all euro amounts are x 1000
Expenditure
component in one of three
At least 12 percent will
This is an outline of the
different ways: it can fund the
be spent on marketing
prognosis for expenditure.
component in full, co-fund it,
and communication and
Only when the title has finally
or contribute no funding but
increasing the European
been awarded and the first
include the project within the
Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visibility
Proeftuin projects begin will
overall programming and
This is a cost that is often
the programme unfold in detail.
marketing. We have a strong
underestimated, and it is vital to
However, we have already
preference for co-funding, not
the success of a European
set out a number of key
just because it has a multiplier
Capital of Culture programme.
principles for funding the
effect on the original budget,
We have set aside this
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
but also because it fits in with
proportion of the budget after
programme.
our focus on co-creation and
listening carefully to advice
collaboration with partners.
from previous European
The foundation as
Capitals of Culture.
co-funder
At least 75 percent of
In the run-up to 2018 and
the total budget will be
Personnel costs and
during the year itself, the
spent on activities
overheads will be
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
The financial framework
limited to a maximum
Foundation will be the sole
stipulates that 75 percent of the
of 10 percent of
funder of a project in only a
foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budget should be
the budget
very few cases. They will
spent on activities. An
The spending on costs
include a few important
additional sum of three million
and overheads will vary over
programme highlights, such as
euros is also reserved for
the years depending on
the opening. In most cases there
collaboration with Malta. Two
what is happening in the
will be a form of co-funding,
million euros are set aside for
programme.
or even simply co-branding.
long-term monitoring.
In practice the foundation can be financially involved in a cultural programme
92
C9.3
a new way of working with business partners 2018Eindhoven|Brabant is
personnel, knowledge, networks,
Another example: if we set out
vital to the whole of Europe,
looking not for sponsors but
resources and help in kind.
to explore how we can alleviate
that develops organically,
loneliness among the elderly,
and that has broad public and financial support.
for partners. We want to create new and unconventional
Urgent issues
we will approach cultural
relationships that generate
We are already going to start
organisations which have
cultural and social value.
looking for potential partners
experience with producing art
Flagship events
We are actively seeking
in 2014. For example, in
and culture for and with the
This strategy dovetails content,
partners from as many different
2014 we want to start
elderly, or which are interested
working method and funding.
sectors as possible who want
developing new forms of
in developing in that direction
We are not working within a
to work with us intensively on
hospitality and mobility for
in the future. We will also be
top-down corporate model with
a long-term basis and as
2018Eindhoven|Brabant.
involving organisations such as
standard sponsorship contracts,
co-producers – partners whose
This kind of theme lends itself
50-plus interest groups and
but using a more organic
activities are in keeping with
in an ideal way to creative
disability support organisations
growth model. It will be easier
the content of our cultural
solutions, with artists making
as well as Eindhoven University
to realise the programme
programme, so both parties
an important contribution.
of Technology and TNO
because we are actively
benefit from the collaboration.
How can we make sure there
(Netherlands Organisation for
involving partners who will
are enough friendly and flexible
Applied Scientific Research).
stand to benefit from it directly,
2018Eindhoven|Brabant is not
places for people to stay and
aiming to find a principle
enough cafés and restaurants
We will be talking to these
sponsor or sign standard
to cater for millions of guests?
organisations about the topic
sponsorship contracts. For us,
To answer this question, as
of aging to find out what they
At the same time, for certain
cooperation starts with the
potential partners we will
see as crucial to explore and
flagship events like the Van
content. We will be approaching
be approaching artists and
to achieve in terms of culture.
Gogh exhibition, the World
potential partners on the basis
designers along with the
We will take their input
Design Expo, Piet Hein Eek’s
of our cultural programme and
Chamber of Commerce,
into consideration when we
cultural souk and the ‘Art in
the subjects of the Proeftuin
market gardeners’ and farmers’
are putting together the
historic buildings’ project, we
projects. Again, co-creation is
organisation ZLTO, hotels,
cultural programme, and the
will be looking for partners who
the starting point. If the
bars and restaurants, and
organisations will also be able
would like to contribute to the
partners are interested enough
natural heritage society
to contribute. The aim will be
funding and/or the European
in co-creating, they will be
Natuurmonumenten.
to produce a programme that
marketing, in exchange for
focuses on issues that are
agreed benefits on their part.
prepared to contribute
and who will also be able to influence it.
93
Ton Roosendaal: “If you want to get something started here, Eindhoven’s at your feet” Ton Roosendaal is the man behind Blender, the world’s largest open source platform for 3D creation software. He studied at Eindhoven University of Technology and the Design Academy and set up NeoGeo animation studio. In 2009 he received an honorary doctorate in Creative Technology from Leeds Metropolitan University. We are not looking for a single
programme will automatically
corporate sponsor, but we would
become members of this
The Blender studio has now
like to associate our name with a
council, a colourful collection
moved to Amsterdam, but Ton
lot of different partners, most of
of companies and institutions.
Roosendaal still has a vast
them relatively small, who
The Business Council’s aim will
network in Eindhoven. “We get
embrace specific parts of the
be to think of possibilities for
people together via internet to
programme.
cooperation and ways to involve
develop a film or a game.
an international public in
The technical part often takes
We are already in close contact
2018Eindhoven|Brabant. It will
place online, for the creative
with business and organisations,
be a unique way for the
part you really need to sit down
and the sponsorship strategy has
participating organisations in
together. Developing
been geared to parties like
the region to contribute to
technology is inextricably
Philips, Eindhoven University of
cultural growth in Eindhoven
linked with collaboration and
Technology, TNO (Netherlands
and Brabant, to gain inspiration
experiment. Everyone who
Organisation for Applied
for their own businesses, and to
puts something in can take a
Scientific Research), Brainport
establish new networks.
look under our bonnet.”
and automotive companies. From 2014, if we are awarded the
That is the underlying theme
title of 2018Eindhoven|Brabant,
in all his work: innovation
we will start involving
through sharing knowledge
organisations in the fields of
and creativity. “If you want to
health care, sustainability,
get something started here,
nature conservation and welfare.
Eindhoven’s at your feet. Eindhoven is small, you get
Business Council
attention fast and in no time
The strategy we have described
you’ve gathered a group of
needs to keep developing.
people around you.”
So in 2014 we will be setting up a Business Council. All the partners who are contributing to an element of the cultural
94
Fresku, Rapper: “Care about your city and it’ll always give you something back” Eindhoven rapper Fresku broke
“If I come up with something,
into the big time in 2012 with
there’s always someone who says
his second album Maskerade,
‘Great idea! You should talk to
which went straight into the top
so-and-so.’ Just look at my new
ten. It brought to a close a
album, everything from the
troubled period in his life
artwork to the production came
lasting several years, a period he
out of Eindhoven.”
is refreshingly candid about in his lyrics. Fresku displays his
“Ninety percent of the time I’m
more vulnerable sides as well as
getting inspiration and
his tough side, and he is
knowledge. But it has to come
unafraid to examine himself
together organically, otherwise
from new perspectives. He
it just doesn’t work for me. I get
collaborates with artists from
out for a coke and just bump
many genres and sees himself
into people.”
primarily as a storyteller.
“I believe that culture is the
“People hardly ever really
only way to grow. People are
listen nowadays.”
so self-centred when it comes to progress, so that’s why they
Fresku produced his first record
don’t achieve it. Maybe it
in 2009 and has since
sounds a bit arrogant, but
performed all over the
people could learn from the
Netherlands. “It made me
way we do things in
realise that Eindhoven is
Eindhoven. It’s not because
unique. People aren’t jostling
we’re smarter than anyone
for position here, there’s more
else, it’s just because we don’t
of a ‘let’s just do good stuff
look down on anyone.”
together’ kind of vibe. Take the rock scene and the hip-hop
“The title of Capital of Culture
scene, for example, there’s
would be good for me and for
nowhere they’re so close as here.
Eindhoven. It’s always good for
We feel part of a bigger whole.
creative people when
We belong together. I was just a
investments are made in
factory worker making belts, but
their city. Care about your
no one had a problem with it,
city and it’ll always give you
and they didn’t keep their
something back.”
contacts to themselves.”
95
Intensive collaboration with knowledge institutes Building productive and sustainable relationships between the cultural sector and other sectors is central to 2018Eindhoven| Brabant, and the science sector is among the most important of these. We are already working on these relationships so that we will be able to present the exciting results of multisectoral collaborations in 2018. Working together with Brabantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top knowledge institutes, we have developed new ideas and initiated collaborative processes. Here follows a summary of the most important examples. The Humanoid Robot is a long-term programme run by Eindhoven University of Technology together with foreign universities. Working together, Dutch and international students will build a highly advanced robot, one that will also be the largest ever built. The robot will be the mascot for 2018Eindhoven|Brabant and will also take a leading role in a theatre production (see p79).
Regional identity survey. This major European survey examining the formation of regional identity in Europe will be led by Tilburg University (see p96).
Remembering the Future will be a long-term artistic and scientific programme exploring the ways in which we remember and the extent to which art and culture play a role in these processes. The collaborating parties for this project are the Eindhoven partners the Van Abbemuseum, MU exhibition space, STRP festival, Baltan Laboratories and Eindhoven University of Technology. We will also examine how we can best and most effectively retain and re-utilise memories of 2018. We will develop the concept plan in the coming year and present the most important conclusions in 2020 (see p74). Long-term monitoring of 2018Eindhoven|Brabant. This study, which started in 2011, is being carried out by Tilburg University and the knowledge institute CeLToR into the economic, social and cultural impact of the 2018Eindhoven|Brabant candidature and cultural programme (see p113). Cabaret Styles in the Netherlands is a research project being carried out by Utrecht University and the University of Amsterdam as part of 2018Eindhoven|Brabant. The results will be presented at the Comedy Festival in 2018 (see p98).
96
What else do we want to show in 2018? Some more ideas C10
Harmony Battle
with 2000 participants that
historians from Dutch and
Izmir, European Association of
Using their smart phones,
will thread its way through
European scientific institutions.
Geographers, European Platform
tablets and other multimedia
the city, celebrating the joys
One of its central aims is to
– internationalisation in education,
tools, the mainly young
of co-creation. This float art
develop analysis and policy
Council of European Municipali-
audience can influence
free-for-all with contributions
models, as well as educational
ties and Regions, Committee of
the course of concerts by the
from amateur and professional
material, for the European
the Regions European Union
Euregio Jeugd Orkest (Eure-
artists will bring together
regions. The European audience
gional Youth Orchestra, EJO)
every nationality, tradition
will participate in discussions
Florarium Temporum
an international symphony
and social group in the city.
on the meaning and
This international ‘chamber
orchestra made up of talented
Partners: Huis van de Wereld,
development of regional and
video opera’ in four acts was
young musicians from Flanders,
Art-fact, De Twern, Kunstbalie,
national identities in Europe.
inspired by the unique 1472
North Rhine-Westphalia and
Amarant, Compaen & de Bocht,
The run-up to the congress and
chronicle Florarium Temporum,
the southern Netherlands.
Fontys Universities of Applied
the congress itself will be the
in which Nicolaas Clopper Jr.,
During the concert, audience
Sciences, Regional training
subject of an attention-grabbing
a historian from Brabant,
members can participate for
centres (ROCs), Kant Social
publicity campaign. The interim
traces world history from
example by distorting sounds or
Design, housing corporations,
and final results of the research
creation until the destruction of
adding rhythms. Their concerts
Festival Mundial, Zinneke
will be made available on a
Liège in 1468. This all-embracing
are accompanied by interactive
Parade Brussels
video art and dance.
dedicated interactive website.
artwork, or Gesamtkunstwerk,
Partners: Fontys Universities
will comprise four librettos by
Partners: Game Architecture
Regional Identity
of Applied Sciences, University of
renowned European writers
and Design NHTV Breda, youth
Formation Congress
Amsterdam, Utrecht University,
and four duets by international
dance company de Stilte, Breda,
The importance of regional
KU Leuven, University of Co-
composers and directors who
Fontys Universities of Applied
identity seems to be increasing
penhagen, Universität Potsdam,
will translate stories from
Sciences Tilburg, Audiovisual
in line with globalisation. In
University of Limerick, Università
the book into sound and
Design & Animation AKV|
2016, 2018 and 2020 Tilburg
di Trento, National Academy
imagery. From 2015 onwards,
St.Joost Breda
University will organise a
of Ukraine, Universität Wien,
one new section of the cycle
congress cycle focusing on
Research Institute for the Quality
will be completed for each
T-Parade
regional identity in Europe,
of Life Bucharest, Universidad de
edition of the Storioni Festival
Tilburg will host a special 2018
with contributions from
Barcelona, Masaryk University
in Eindhoven. The cycle
edition of the T-Parade, an
sociologists, linguists, cultural
(Brno), Bahcesehir University
will be performed in its entirety
art-minded summer parade
scientists, geographers and
Istanbul, Ege University
for the first time in 2018.
< Singing lessons at the Kunstkwartier Helmond childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choir (see the programme idea European Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choir Festival, p99).
97
Organisation: Storioni
design studios will collaborate
country the Dutch team is
Lanegan, as well as less obvious
International Chamber Music
on a presentation of their work
playing. It will be the biggest
choices such as Dean Ween
Festival in collaboration with
in a 48-hour workshop that
social restaurant in the world,
(Ween) and Alex Turner (Arctic
Nederlands Kamerkoor and
audiences will be able to watch
a place for football lovers,
Monkeys). After 2018 there
Nationale Reisopera
live or digitally.
culture vultures and food freaks
will be follow-up festivals at
Organisation: Brabant
to get together.
The Forum (London, UK),
Gypsy Caravan
Academy
Organisation: Vrijetijdshuis,
Docks (Hamburg, DE), Le
Brabant has long been home to
Partners: include Fontys
CityDynamiek Eindhoven
Bataclan (Paris, FR) and Arena
a substantial Sinti community.
University of Applied Sciences,
Partners: Youth Food Move-
(Vienna, AU).
In 2018 a gypsy caravan will
Tilburg University, Eindhoven
ment, ZLTO, Foodconnection
Organisation: 013 Tilburg
travel for a whole year visiting
University of Technology,
Point, Food & Feed Noordoost
various European cities,
Regional training centres (ROCs)
Brabant, University of Applied
Flying Colours
Sciences HAS ’s-Hertogenbosch
Brabant will be proudly hoisting
presenting music, theatre, dance and art in circus tents, an
Brabant Discovers
exhibition tent and splendidly
Europe
Hidden Pink
thousands of them, hanging
restored caravans. At the end of
Before the Second World War,
Homosexuality has played an
from homes, town halls,
each visit to a city, Frankfurt’s
foreign travel was largely
important role in visual culture
restaurants, shops and
Roma and Sinti Chamber
reserved for the wealthy elite,
for much longer than many
museums. It is not a new idea
Orchestra will play Requiem for
but in the 1950s the Dutch
people realise. Why is this
(former European cultural
Auschwitz by the Dutch-Sinti
started heading out into Europe
the case, and has this role
capital Cordoba did something
composer Roger Rathgeb.
in large numbers. Brabant
influenced the broader
similar) but 2018Eindhoven|
Organisation: International
Discovers Europe will ask
acceptance of homosexuality?
Brabant will give it its own
the flags in 2018. There will be
Gipsy Festival Tilburg
people from Brabant to submit
In what ways has homo-
twist. We will be drawing on
Partners: Roma People
portrait photos made on
eroticism influenced visual
innovative local textile
Association (Poland), Romedia
their first holiday abroad of
culture? In 2018 the Museum
traditions, the work of leading
Foundation (Hungary), Slovo 21
themselves together with a local
of the Image (MOTI) in Breda
designers and the unique
(Czech Republic), Philharmoni-
fellow European. Artist,
will present an international
crafting techniques used by
scher Verein der Sinti und Roma
advertising executive and photo
exhibition on homosexuality
local cultural minorities. The
(Germany), National Centre for
collector Erik Kessels will use
in visual culture.
flags will be the symbol of
Roma Culture - Romano Kher
these images as the basis for an
Organisation: MOTI Breda
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
(Romania)
exhibition of huge photographs
potential Partners: Gay
and the search for a new and
displayed on distinctive buil-
Krant, COC
inclusive identity for Brabant.
Brabant Blend
dings in Brabant.
This project will see six
Organisation: KesselsKramer
Organisation: Gemeente-
Desert Sessions
museum Helmond
This major international music
multidisciplinary design studios headed by leading designers
World Cup Foodball
festival will be held in 2018 in
The Cultural Depart-
with roots in Brabant working
We are going to construct a
the Tilburg rock venue 013
ment Store
for two weeks on the spatial
long catwalk of tables in several
(known all over the world as
The Cultural Department Store
planning and identity of
Brabant towns, each leading
home to the Roadburn rock
will collect, produce, present
Brabant. As well as architects
from the railway station to the
festival), featuring influential
and sell products from Brabant
and urban planners, designers
football stadium. We will be
American stoner and desert
with a unique cultural value.
from other fields will contribute
cooking, eating and experi-
rock bands including Kyuss and
This mobile cross between a
their own, original vision.
menting here in the run-up
Queens of the Stone Age, and
museum, lab, studio and shop
Each design studio will be
to the Dutch team’s World Cup
programmed by one of its
will travel all around Brabant
made up of Dutch and foreign
football matches in 2018.
founding fathers Josh Homme.
in 2018, making the art
professionals and students
Food, football and culture will
There will also be contributions
accessible to a broad audience.
working in a wide range of
forge links between the cultures
from guests Chris Goss, Jesse
We also want to link up
disciplines. In 2018 the six
of the Netherlands and the
‘The Devil’ Hughes and Mark
businesses with designers and
98
artists and encourage them to
Stories of Brabant
course we have Carnival too.
participation, especially among
make marketable products.
Oral narratives are the ‘slow
So in 2018 we are organising the
young people.
This model is being developed
food’ of communication.
Comedy Festival (Humor-
Organisation: United-C
for use after 2018 and elsewhere
Virtuoso storytellers use the
festival). It will include a
Eindhoven
in Europe.
power of the imagination to
congress exploring the function
Organisation: Museum Of
help us unwind and enter
and history of humour from an
Brabant Worldwide
The Image Breda, EKWC Sunday-
another reality. Libraries in
international perspective. It
In the run-up to 2018 we are
morning ’s-Hertogenbosch,
Brabant are joining forces
will also present the results of
going to collect stories and
Audax Textile Museum/Textile
towards 2018 for an innovative
Sibe Doosje (Utrecht Univer-
memories associated with
Lab Tilburg, MU Eindhoven
and multifaceted storytelling
sity) and Giselinde Kuipers’
objects and photographs owned
programme.
(University of Amsterdam)
by people who have emigrated
Organisation: Cubiss, Tilburg
scientific research project
from Brabant to every corner of
‘Dutch Cabaret Styles’ carried
the world. The submissions will
Icons in the Landscape Icons in the Landscape will use art and storytelling in seven
Van Gogh Reality Game
out as part of 2018Eindhoven|
be brought together on a
treasured scenic areas to allow
In ‘alternative reality games’,
Brabant. And there will be
website and projected on large
visitors to ‘read’ and experience
players work as part of a social
special masterclasses in which
screens in public spaces
the origins of Brabant. Each
network to solve mysteries in
dignitaries from Brabant
throughout 2018. Brabant
of the areas was chosen to
real life. A new and exciting
and beyond will get comedy
Worldwide was conceived by
represent a single ‘chapter’ in
reality game will start in 2017,
lessons from stand-ups and
Karel van Koppen. He submit-
the history of the landscape.
reaching its climax at the
cabaret artists.
ted it to the bid book and won
This project will place artisanal
opening of 2018Eindhoven|
Organisation: Koningstheater
the public award, beating nearly
traditions in a contemporary
Brabant. Based on a story
Academy ’s-Hertogenbosch
700 other contenders.
light and use apps and other
influenced by The Da Vinci
multimedia tools to magnify
Code, the mystery to be solved
European Training
reality and bring it to life. In
is set in the context of the life
Orchestra
Track view
2018 our visitors will be able to
and work of Vincent van Gogh.
In 2018 children from Brabant
For this project a railway
travel through Brabant’s
The game will be played in
and elsewhere in Europa will
carriage pulled by a steam
history quite literally, on foot or
Dutch and other European
receive music lessons leading to
locomotive will be transformed
by bike.
languages, with the participants
the formation of orchestras that
into a ‘4D multimedia capsule’.
Organisation: Streekraad Het
keeping in contact with one
will perform at a European
The capsule will travel on routes
Groene Woud and de Meijerij
another through Facebook and
festival of training orchestras.
between different key locations
Twitter. Part of the story will be
The idea is rooted in the
in 2018. During the journey,
Fairy tales Come True
simultaneously broadcast on
world-renowned methodology
passengers will be immersed
Brabant’s fairy-tale theme park
television and on the internet,
Il Sistema from Venezuela.
in a total experience comprising
Efteling in Kaatsheuvel is one
and hints on how to unravel the
European composers will be
film, images and sound
of the most imaginative in
mystery will appear on the
commissioned to write work
impressions based on the
Europe, attracting around four
internet and on the street.
especially for the project.
changing identities along the
million visitors a year. We will
Organisation: Lumineus,
Organisation: De Muzerije
route. It will be an experience
be inviting children and young
Breda
‘s-Hertogenbosch
defined by departure, arrival
Concept: Karel van Koppen
people in the Netherlands to
and the tension between
write an exciting modern
The Comedy Festival
Lust for Life
present, past and future.
story that will appeal to their
Humour and comedy are very
Lust for Life is an international
Organisation: West Brabants
peers elsewhere in Europe.
much part of Brabant culture:
arts festival for new theatre
Cultuuroverleg Bergen op Zoom
The winning story will form
we have many successful
makers, dancers, filmmakers,
the basis of a new fairy tale
stand-up comedians, our
bands and visual artists. In 2018
Art Service
for Efteling.
Koningstheater Academy offers
it will take over various parts of
In 2018 there will be monthly
Organisation: Efteling
the only full-time cabaret
Eindhoven and towns elsewhere
‘art services’ in churches,
course in the country, and of
in Brabant. It seeks to encourage
mosques and synagogues,
< Efteling fairy-tale theme park, Kaatsheuvel (see the programme idea Fairy Tales Come True, p98).
99
featuring live music, theatre,
Day. We will connect European
dations of the original buildings
part in the European Children’s
poetry and visuals. The project
cultures by proposing new
and forming new landmarks in
Choir Festival. Children will be
is inspired by the structure of
rituals and alternative
Brabant. Nominated for the
able to attend workshops and
Catholic church services,
commemorations for
public award.
masterclasses, composing their
combining the theatrical
population groups with
Concept: Diana Nooten
own music for the choirs by
character of the liturgy with
different beliefs.
hospitality and a sense of home.
Organisation: CBK
Mundial: The World of
Nederlands Blazers Ensemble
Organisation: Matzer
‘s-Hertogenbosch, CBK West-
Performing Arts
(Netherlands Wind Ensemble)
Theaterproducties
Brabant en Electron Breda
The renowned Festival Mundial
uses for its New Year concert.
will be organised around the
The festival will close with a
using the method that the
The Caravan Caravan
City Park City
theme of The World of
huge grand finale partsong
The caravan is a European
The November Music festival of
Performing Arts in 2018,
– an attempt to get into the
invention that is hugely popular
contemporary music will
featuring world music, dance,
Guinness Book of Records. It is
in the Netherlands. In 2018 a
organise two projects in 2018
theatre and circus – contem-
intended that after 2018 this
caravan of caravans will traverse
that connect music and
porary global arts and culture
festival will become a three-
Europe with participants from
landscape for the travelling
with a link to local tradition.
yearly international event that
other countries joining it along
visitor. The first project will
Organisation: Mundial
will develop into a European
the way. Each caravan will
allow train passengers on
Productions
platform for artistic experience,
house art, film or performances,
various routes between cities in
and Dutch designers will give
Brabant to listen to soundtracks
Power and Visual
Organisation: de Kunstbalie,
each of them its own look
on the iPod that are associated
Culture
Stichting Koorplein (Brabant),
and function, as museum,
with specific sites that the train
In 2018 the Museum of the
Koor en Stem (Flanders)
concert hall or cinema.
passes. The second project
Image (MOTI) in Breda and
Organisation: Kunst aan de
consists of three cycle routes
Museum Plantin-Moretus in
The International
Maaskant Lith
through the outskirts, with
Antwerp will organise a
“Stiltefestival”
small-scale performances and
collaborative international
The international Festival of
Brabant Tapestry
art installations along the way.
exhibition around the theme of
Silence (Stiltefestival) is a
Ten artists and designers from
Organisation: November
power and visual culture. It will
wordless festival for children.
Brabant will complete a
Music ‘s-Hertogenbosch
explore visual culture and its
Focusing primarily on dance, in
relationship with power in
2018 it will present a series of
70-metre Brabant-themed
connection and exchange.
tapestry in 2018. The ten
Art Training Circuit
various periods and media, as
visual and expressive
participants will each produce
The Art Training Circuit was
well as offering insights into
performances from all over
seven metres of the tapestry,
one of the nominated ideas
imagery as a tool of power. How
the world. There will be stage
with the whole project being
from members of the public.
do visual culture and politics
productions that dare to be
overseen by a coordinator.
Designed by several artists,
influence one another?
quiet, offering a counterbalance
The tapestry will be hung
bringing together sport and
Organisation: MOTI Breda
to the continual hectic pace of
on the outside of the
culture, it is intended for use by
and Museum Plantin-Moretus
much contemporary
provincial government
everyone, young or old. It
Antwerp
entertainment. The festival sees
building in ’s-Hertogenbosch.
features wooden sculptures to
Organisation: Ninotchka
jump over, a decorated balancing
European Children’s
wants to lead children into the
‘s-Hertogenbosch
beam and specially designed
Choir Festival
world of the imagination.
horizontal bars.
Music is a universal language.
Organisation: dance
Concept: Nanne Meulendijks
When it comes to singing,
company De Stilte Breda
All Souls Day: Remind Me The multidisciplinary art
dance as theatre’s poetry and
melody and tone take prece-
project ‘All Souls Day: Remind
Castles in the Air
dence over the lyrics, breaking
Europe’s best street
Me’ will turn our attention to
Crumbling castles will be
down language barriers. In 2018
theatre
new ways of commemorating
transformed into castles in the
dozens of choirs from all over
Street Art EU presents Europe’s
our dear departed on All Souls
air, rising up from the foun-
Europe will be invited to take
most upfront and innovative
100
street theatre. We will connect
the outskirts to the centre, from
Brabant Union of Music
amateur musicians, singers and
ten of the best international
the castle to the railway tracks.
Associations
actors from the cities involved.
companies with ten streets in
Organisation: Art and Thea-
Brabant towns and villages.
tre Festival Foundation Helmond
Organisation: Ravenstein
Bosch Parade
Regional Theatre Foundation
The unique and partly
They will perform their latest work and work together
Open City
subterranean network of rivers
About Europe
with local people. The
Eindhoven architect John
in the city of ’s-Hertogenbosch
Since 1994, the Nexus Institute,
programme will also include
Körmeling designed the
makes it the ‘Venice of the
an international think tank
workshops for children, young
Holland Pavilion for the 2010
Netherlands’. The waterways
based in Tilburg, has been
people and adults. Street Art
Shanghai World Expo.
form the setting for the Bosch
organising lectures and
EU will start in 2014 with a
His proposal: turn the facade of
Parade, a floating procession of
conferences on Europe’s
pilot involving three groups (in
empty churches, empty office
artworks inspired by the work of
cultural heritage involving the
2018 there will be ten interna-
buildings, empty houses into
the city’s famous son,
most prominent international
tional groups). In August, the
doors and open them. Let
Jheronimus Bosch. The objects
minds. From 2014, the institute
much-loved Boulevard theatre
streets flow in, let the sun shine
will be designed by professional
will organise an annual series of
festival in ’s-Hertogenbosch will
in. Eindhoven Open City. In
artists but groups of volunteers
lectures on the moral and
be the setting for presentations
2018 there will be twenty of
will play a major part in the
cultural crisis affecting Europe.
by locals, together with
these buildings with huge doors
development and construction
Inquisitiveness, openness and
performances by the partici-
in Eindhoven, symbolising the
process. The Bosch Parade
tolerance were once the
pating street theatre groups.
city’s new openness and
will become a national and
strong- points of the ‘old
Organisation: Theaterfestival
welcoming all its visitors.
international event over the
continent’, now, fear and
Boulevard ’s-Hertogenbosch
The buildings will also serve
coming years. It will attract
conservatism rule. Major
Potential partners:
as pavilions for the World
artists from beyond the region,
European thinkers (such as
Festival Internacional de Teatro
Design Expo.
for example from other
Claudio Magris, Peter
y Artes de Calle de Valladolid,
Organisation: John Körmeling
Dutch and European cities
Sloterdijk, Dominique Moïsi
which house works by
and Amin Maalouf ) will be
La Fira de Teatre al Carrer de Tàrrega, Festival Chalon dans
Brass and Brabant
Jheronimus Bosch, who will
invited to striking locations to
la Rue Chalon-sur-Saône,
Nowhere else in the Nether-
work with local people.
present their ideas on a Europe
Festival d’Aurillac, Streetsahead
lands has as many brass bands
Organisation: Jheronimus
able to face the future.
Manchester, Festival MiraMiro
and music groups as Brabant.
Bosch 500 Foundation (JB500)
Organisation: Nexus Institute
Gent, Fabrique des arts de
The best eight local amateur
la rue Amiens, Viva cité
groups, from brass bands to
Big Brabant
Langstraat BIENNIAL
festival Sottevillelès-Rouen
Caribbean and West African
Brabant and the Flanders region
The Langstraat area in northern
ensembles will be coupled
of Belgium share a rich history.
Brabant has for centuries been
Artimond
with top national and European
They became part of the Duchy
the Netherlands’ centre of
A special edition of Artimond
groups, such as the
of Brabant in the 12th century.
leather production and the
festival will take place in 2018
Nederlands Blazers Ensemble
Brussels, Leuven, Antwerp,
international shoe trade. The
in Helmond, making and
(Netherlands Wind Ensemble).
`s-Hertogenbosch, Breda,
Shoe and Leather Experience
presenting art on the street, as
The amateur groups will join
Helmond, Bergen op Zoom and
Lab is planned for construction
close as possible to the people.
the professionals for a
Grave were important towns in
in Waalwijk and in 2018 it will
There will be theatre, dance,
tour of the Netherlands and
the Duchy. The eight historic
be the venue for an international
film, performance, music and
a number of other European
cities will be linked in 2018 by a
event focusing on shoes, leather
visual arts by top international
countries in 2018.
large-scale music theatre
and fashion. Featuring presen-
acts and local amateurs. The
Organisation: Royal
extravaganza staged at various
tations by international shoe
festival makes the city its stage,
Netherlands federation of Music
locations. Water will be the
and leather designers, the event
exploring the potential and
Associations (Koninklijke
common element and the event
will be repeated biennially
limitations of the city and its
Nederlandse Federatie van
will feature the latest media
after 2018.
public space, everywhere from
Muziekverenigingen), Kunstbalie,
techniques and professional and
Partners: Stichting SLEM
101
(Shoes, Leather, Education
phenomenon in the area since
Festival in Amsterdam, Festival
Museum), Theater De Leest
its inception in 1936. In 2018 we
d’Automne in Paris and Wiener
(Waalwijk), Royal College of
will take that tradition into
Festwochen in Vienna. The
Art (London, UK), London
Europe with a European
festival will have an inter-
College of Fashion (London, UK),
pageant setting off in Malta at
national perspective, with a
Montfort University (Leicester,
the beginning of 2018 and
primary focus on Flemish
UK), Wetterhoff Design School
arriving in Zundert in early
productions, with respect to the
(Hämeenlinna, Finland), Polimoda
September – in time to join the
artists involved and the themes
(Florence, Italy), Stedelijke
town’s pageant. The floats will
it explores. Local amateurs
Academie St Niklaas (Belgium),
have themes inspired by
will be expressly involved in
Schuh Fach Hochschule
European cities and they will be
the productions to make a
Pirmasens (Germany), Guangzhou
built by young people from
connection between leading
Pany Polytechnic (China), Hiko
these cities.
international theatre makers
Mizuno (Tokyo, Japan), Bunka
Organisation: Bloemencorso
and local creativity. Stage
College (Tokyo, Japan)
Zundert
productions aimed at both
Partners: include flower
Dutch and international
D’n Opstoet
pageants from Valkenswaard,
audiences will examine
This mega parade will follow in
Lichtenvoorde, St. Jansklooster,
social, philosophical and
the tradition of Brabant’s
Vollenhove, Loenhout (Belgium),
religious issues facing
processions, pilgrimages,
Blankenberghe (Belgium), Jersey
modern-day Europe.
carnival parades and flower
(UK) and Nice (France)
Organisation: Chassé Theater
pageants, crossing Europe from
Breda, Theater aan de Parade
Malta to Eindhoven. Floats by
Underworld Art &
’s-Hertogenbosch, Schouwburg
designers from Malta and
Music Festival
Tilburg, Parktheater Eindhoven,
Brabant will form the core of
In 2018 Tilburg’s pop and
’t Speelhuis Helmond
this parade, but it will pick up
rock venue 013 will host an
more people and floats as it
international festival of art,
wends its way through Europe.
electronic music, fashion and
Idea: Kunstbalie.
multimedia. World-famous
Potential partners:
British pioneers of electronic
Bloemencorso Zundert,
music Underworld will curate
Brabantse Dag Heeze, Katten-
this special event on music and
stoet Ieper (Belgium), Heilige
art. In the run-up to 2018, in
Bloedprocessie Hoogstraten (Bel-
2014 and 2016 the first editions
gium), Ros Beiaardstoet Dender-
of the festival will be organised,
monde (Belgium), Malta Council
featuring major international
for Culture and Art (carnival
guest curators such as Jónsi,
parade organiser in Malta),
Brian Eno and Damon Albarn.
carnival and other parades in
Organisation: 013, Under-
Brabant, the Netherlands and
world/Tomato
other European countries
Dream Images European Flower
In 2018 the main theatres in the
Pageant
five participating towns will be
The annual Zundert flower
mounting a major international
pageant (Bloemencorso), with
theatre festival, one that is on
its magnificent floats built
a par with leading European
entirely of dahlias, has been a
festivals such as the Holland
102
A1
2018Eindhoven|Brabant: cultural city
Eindhoven is home to one of
innovation and dynamism.
Frits Philips in Eindhoven is an
won the European Cultural
the Netherlands’ most
Then there is the world music
internationally renowned
Foundation’s Princess Margriet
important museums of modern
and culture festival Mundial in
contemporary music venue,
Award for the innovative way
art, the magnificent
Tilburg, the internationally
while Breda is home to the
the museum shows “the power
Muziekgebouw concert hall,
renowned Theaterfestival
biggest theatre in the
and value of art in engaging
and and STRP festival, one of
Boulevard in ’s-Hertogenbosch,
Netherlands. Tilburg’s state-of-
with the contemporary world.”
Europe’s largest and most
the Netherlands’ most
the-art concert hall, designed by
cutting-edge festivals of art and
important contemporary music
architect Jo Coenen, is one of
“I'm delighted to receive the
technology. To mount
festival November Music, and
the finest in the country. The
award because it is a clear
2018Eindhoven|Brabant,
the international circus theatre
Verkadefabriek in
recognition of our museum
Eindhoven is working together
festival Circo Circolo. All in all,
’s-Hertogenbosch programmes
policy”, said the British curator
with four other cities to provide
it's an extraordinarily broad and
theatre and film in a beautifully
Esche in response. “We have
the most broad and solid
complementary palette of
converted former biscuit
developed new models for how
cultural basis for our ambitious
festivals. Stimulated by the
factory. In Helmond, the
a city art museum can relate to
programme. There are more
candidacy, these festivals are
Cacaofabriek (Chocolate
the local and international
visual artists living and working
increasingly working together so
Factory) is a multi-functional
communities in the 21st
here than anywhere else in the
that in 2018 they can present
centre for theatre and visual arts
century. I also really appreciate
country. Eight percent of the
world-class programmes
housed in what was once a
the European dimension of the
population in Brabant works as
specifically designed for the
chocolate factory. And within
award, because just at this
a volunteer in the cultural
European Capital of Culture.
the next few years Helmond is
moment we need to understand
to have a brand new theatre.
our common interests in
sector, compared to five percent in the country as a whole.
Venues: the biggest
Europe and the world.”
theatre in the
Museums: innovative
Festivals: innovation
Netherlands
presentation
Tilburg has the De Pont
and dynamism
Pretty much every major city in
The Van Abbemuseum in
Museum of Contemporary Art,
Brabant is widely seen as the
Brabant has a pop venue, a
Eindhoven is one of the
also of international standing,
Netherlands’s festival province.
theatre, a concert hall and an
Netherlands most important
and the Textielmuseum.
STRP festival in Eindhoven and
art house cinema. The biggest
museums of modern art, with a
Breda’s Museum Of The Image
the Incubate festival of
pop venues in the province are
world-famous collection and a
(MOTI) is proud to call itself
independent culture in Tilburg
De Effenaar in Eindhoven and
progressive style of presentation.
the only museum in the
are forces for cultural
013 in Tilburg. Muziekgebouw
Curator Charles Esche recently
world focused specifically
103
on the image as language. In
chocolate factory, now an
Bart Hess:
material on the shelf when the
’s-Hertogenbosch a new
arts centre. In ’s-Hertogenbosch
“The relaxed culture
Glass Museum proposed doing
museum quarter is being built
there is De Heus, a former cattle
here lets you work in
a project together. When I
in the city centre in preparation
feed plant. And in the village
freedom. And I need
was working with glass blowing,
for the Noordbrabants Museum
of Bergeijk there is the textile
that.”
I suddenly saw a connection.
(North Brabant Museum) and
factory De Ploeg, designed by
Stedelijk Museum to mount
Gerrit Rietveld.
major exhibitions
Material, colour and Designer/researcher Bart Hess
transparency, everything fell
caused a stir internationally
into place.”
as part of the long-term
What Eindhoven lacks in
with his slime dress for Lady
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
older heritage, Breda and
Gaga. But he gains the most
He was a student at the
programme, including the
’s-Hertogenbosch make up
from his failures, he says. And
Eindhoven Design Academy
Jheronimus Bosch exhibition in
for with their historic city
from working with other
and decided to stay in the city.
2016 and the Van Gogh
centres. Grand gothic
people. “A different opinion, a
“You’ve got room here. Both
exhibition in 2018.
churches are the star
different outcome forces you to
physically and in terms of
attractions: the Onze-Lieve-
do things you would otherwise
possibilities. Everything’s close
Heritage: from factories
Vrouwekerk in Breda and
never have come up with.”
to hand. You get on your bike,
to cathedrals
the Sint Janskathedraal in
The former Philips plant
‘s-Hertogenbosch.
and you’ve got the people, the A key characteristic of Bart
companies and the things you
Strijp-S close to the centre of
Hess’s work is the unexpected
need. You don’t give it so much
Eindhoven is one of the most
combination of physical and
thought, but it’s not like that
exciting industrial heritage
virtual materials. Photography,
in other places. People here are
redevelopment areas in the
animation and fashion come
focused on creating, you can
Netherlands. With 2018 on
together in innovations that
get on with your work here
the horizon the site is being
captures the imagination
without it being immediately
prepared as a stage for
worldwide. For the National
pigeonholed. In other cities
Eindhoven as the European
Glass Museum he made the
people are quick to look at
Capital of Culture. But it is not
animated film Echo, in which
applications, at references.
the only striking industrial
a real human figure dresses
The relaxed culture in
heritage site that Brabant has
himself in virtual liquid glass.
Eindhoven lets you work in
to offer. Helmond has the
“I already had the technique of
freedom. And I need that.”
Cacaofabriek, a former
combining virtual and real
104
A2
2018Eindhoven|Brabant: closer than you think
Eindhoven-Berlin: six hours by
being improved. In short,
car. Eindhoven-Barcelona: two
Eindhoven is an easy place to
Air: eindhoven Airport
hours by plane. Eindhoven-
get to – also by bus or bike.
Eindhoven has an international airport. With 50 European
Paris: four hours by train. On
destinations and daily flights to virtually every country in Europe,
the map of Europe, Eindhoven
Eindhoven Airport is our highest transport trump. In 2012 the
doesn’t look particularly central.
airport expects to handle nearly three million passengers.
But if you measure the distance
Significantly, there are direct flights to Valletta, Malta, the
in travel time, you find it is not
candidate European Capital of Culture for 2018. This offers all
so far at all, because the city is
sorts of opportunities for us to develop joint programmes.
so well served by road, rail and
What’s more, it is no more than 90 minutes by road or rail to
air infrastructure.
Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, and the airports of Düsseldorf, Brussels and Maastricht-Aachen are also within easy reach.
Eindhoven might not be right in the centre of Europe, but it is surrounded by the continent’s three most densely populated regions: the Dutch Randstad
DEVELOPMENT: Eindhoven
(Amsterdam, The Hague,
Airport is growing
Rotterdam, Utrecht) the Flemish Diamond (Brussels,
Based on passenger numbers,
few years the airport will be
Ghent, Antwerp, Leuven), and
Eindhoven is the Netherlands’
investing an extra 26 million
the German Ruhr area
largest regional airport. And the
euros to improve its infra-
(Duisburg, Essen, Bochum,
numbers are increasing rapidly:
structure. The terminal
Dortmund).
2.6 million in 2011, expected
is to be refurbished and the
to rise to 2.9 million in 2012.
departure hall extended,
Around 20 million people live
The trend is likely to continue.
plus the airport will gain a
within just 100 kilometres
Eindhoven Airport has
new hotel. A key aim of
of Eindhoven. For one thing
permission from central
these projects is sustainability,
this means the transport
government to grow, from the
because Eindhoven Airport
infrastructure to the city is
current 19,000 flights to 43,000
wants to be carbon neutral
excellent. And it is constantly
flights in 2020. Over the next
by 2014.
105
Rail Eindhoven is easy to reach by rail. The city has direct intercity connections with the biggest Dutch cities – Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague. It is two and a half hours to
Bicycle
Eindhoven by rail from
The regional infrastructure
Brussels, two hours from
for public transport,
Düsseldorf and an hour and
motorists and cyclists is
twenty minutes from
excellent, so the whole of
Amsterdam.
2018Eindhoven|Brabant’s programme will be no more than an hour’s journey away.
DEVELOPMENT: a
Road
makeover for Eindhoven
Eindhoven is easy to reach by
Central Station
coach: international coach network Eurolines operates
2013 will see the start of a major
daily services to Eindhoven
renovation project for
and the surrounding cities from
Eindhoven’s central railway
countries throughout Europe.
station. To improve passenger
The city’s ring road forms an
flow, a second tunnel will be
important motorway junction,
built under the platforms and
from east to west (Antwerp-
the entrances will be altered.
Düsseldorf ) and from north to
Access to the platforms will also
south (Amsterdam-Maastricht-
be improved. The project is due
Liège-Luxembourg).
for completion in the summer of 2016. Total investment: 70 million euros. DEVELOPMENT: improving the motorways around Eindhoven The motorway network around Eindhoven has recently seen an upgrade, with alterations to the city’s ring road. And work is now underway to widen the A2 motorway to ’s-Hertogenbosch and Amsterdam from two to three lanes.
106
A3
2018Eindhoven|Brabant: hospitality
Ask previous European Capitals
dation alternatives, ranging
can pop up around festivals
will be able to book your
of Culture what they would
from B&Bs and guest houses
and other cultural hotspots in
Flashville unit online.
have done differently with
to youth hostels, group
2018. Flashvilles will be made
hindsight, and this is often the
accommodation and campsites.
up of units that combine the
Go local
answer you get: invest more in
Together they can provide
practicalities of bedroom,
One of the other plans we are
hospitality services. Eindhoven
140,000 beds within no more
bathroom and multimedia
working on is to provide
has an average hotel capacity for
than an hour of Eindhoven.
resources with eye-catching
accommodation with local
interior design. They are aimed
people for visitors from other
a city of its size. But for 2018Eindhoven|Brabant we
Go Flashville
at â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;flashpackersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: often young
countries. This will give visitors
have special plans. Brabant is
Finding enough accommo-
backpackers and early adopters
and hosts alike a chance for
famous for its hospitality and
dation for all the visitors to big
with a budget on the more
intercultural contact. At the
warm welcome, and that is to
events is a challenge for a city
generous side and a preference
same time it will make the
our advantage. But we will be
the size of Eindhoven. But
for comfort.
locals themselves participate in
giving it a twist. In 2018 you
by applying creativity, for
will be able to stay with a local,
2018Eindhoven|Brabant we
A Flashville might consist of
sleep in a pop-up hotel, or go
will be turning this potential
just one or two rooms or dozens
underground with a guide of
weakness into a strength.
of units. Sustainability is an
We are shamelessly copying
your choice.
This is why we are starting to
important starting point for the
another idea from Berlin.
get ready well in advance.
design. The temporary hotel
There they call it Plus One
villages will be constructed
Berlin. When you book a night
First the basics: Eindhoven
the 2018Eindhoven|Brabant programme.
offers a choice of 22 hotels with
One idea that has been specially
using sustainable materials and
at a hotel, at the same time
3450 beds. Most of the hotels
developed to cope with the
use eco-friendly energy
you can arrange to meet up
have three or four stars. In the
accommodation needs of
solutions. By 2018, there will
with a local. We want to set
surrounding area and the
2018Eindhoven|Brabant is the
already be a Flashville
up something similar during
partner cities (within 45
Flashville. The celebrated
community online, plus a
2018Eindhoven|Brabant. On
minutes travelling time) there
Eindhoven design bureau Edhv
Flashville app providing
the booking website there will
are another 42 hotels and more
worked with students from the
information on everything from
also be an overview of hundreds
than 3500 hotel beds available.
cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Design Academy and
breakfast choices and where to
of local guides with their photos
University of Technology to
do your washing to information
and profiles, arranged according
At the same time, the region has
come up with the concept of
on the city and the cultural
to their specialities. Your guide
many other good accommo-
temporary hotel villages that
programme. And naturally you
will introduce you to different
107
aspects of the cultural pro-
hospitality innovation
international appeal that will be
innovation will be the
gramme or show you places
platform
available during
ingredients of the world’s
2018Eindhoven|Brabant.
biggest social restaurant.
around the city or village that you would never see as a tourist.
To provide the best possible
The guides will be specially
service for new international
During 2018Eindhoven|Brabant
Cup the people of Brabant and
trained volunteers, and you will
target groups and changing
we want to offer our visitors a
the Dutch and European
be able to book them on the
consumers, the hotels, bars and
lot more than just a high-profile
visitors will be invited to a
website free of charge.
restaurants of Eindhoven have
cultural programme. Hospitality
unique event. Supervised by
come together to set up a joint
is an excellent vehicle to present
creative culinary referees,
We are also looking for ways
organisation, the Hospitality
Eindhoven’s core qualities of
who will present meals and
to link up accommodation
Innovation Platform (HIP), in
technology, design and
performances, visitors will be
possibilities with the project in
preparation for the European
knowledge. Visitors to
challenged to prepare dishes at
which leading European artists
Capital of Culture year 2018.
2018Eindhoven|Brabant will be
home which in the football
will stay in one of Brabant’s
The platform aims to
able to feel, see, hear, smell and
stadium will combine to
many monasteries, convents
stimulate, challenge and
taste what the city has to offer
become a cultural crossover
or other historic buildings
inspire the sector in terms
and what it stands for, with
of the match playing at the
(see p53).
of its hospitality, innovation,
innovative hotels and
time. The emphasis will lie on
design, sustainability and
restaurants and surprise
the combination of ‘home
communication.
‘guerrilla’ hospitality concepts
team’ the Netherlands and the
in locations where the visitor
public from the country of
least expects to find them.
the opposing team.
Brigade, Food Inspiration Day,
2018 Foodball World
Likely locations are the
Hospitality Twitter Tandem,
Cup
stadiums of PSV (main
Hospitality Trend Tour, Brain-
For example, we want to host
location), Willem II (Tilburg),
food, Food Pioneers, Food in
the “2018 Foodball World
RKC (Waalwijk), NAC (Breda),
the Blob, multilingual menus
Cup”(see also p97). Eindhoven
FC Den Bosch, FC Eindhoven,
and Food from Nearby. These
and the Brabant region will
Helmond Sport and FC Oss.
activities are a great prelude to
bring together a collection of
the wide choice of food, drink
special qualities in the event:
and accommodation with
sport, culture and culinary
The organisation’s activities
During the 2018 football World
include the Hospitality Design
108
A4
Culture as green inspiration
If everyone were to live like the
Serious issue
open, innovative structure.
participate in the
average European, we would
The environment is a major
Avans University of Applied
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
need more than three planet
priority in our region. Since
Sciences is setting up a Centre
Proeftuin projects.
earths to feed and support the
2011 ecological sustainability
of Expertise for green chemistry
world’s population. As
has been one of Eindhoven City
on the site.
2018Eindhoven|Brabant, this is
Council’s key focuses. The
a fact we don’t want to ignore.
other cities in Brabant also have
There is also Philips, a leading
There is still a lot to be done, so
We are going to use art and
clear energy and climate goals.
company in sustainable
we are not patting ourselves on
design to raise awareness and
Tilburg and Breda actually lead
innovation. The company’s
the back. We are well aware that
provide inspiration for new
the field nationally. In 2010,
September 2010 mission
decades of intensive farming is
sustainable solutions. And in
Tilburg was hailed as the
statement read: “Philips wants
one of the reasons the quality of
organising and running our
Netherlands’ most climate-
to be a global leader in health
Brabant’s soil and ground water
programme, we will stay as
friendly city, while Breda has
and wellbeing … to simply
is relatively poor. The quality of
climate neutral as possible.
been voted the country’s most
make a difference to people’s
woodland, heath and grassland
We see 2018Eindhoven|Brabant
sustainable city five times.
lives with meaningful,
is also in decline. We will,
sustainable innovations.” By
however, make use of all the
The region’s leading knowledge
2015, Philips hopes to have
local expertise to limit the
as the springboard to a more sustainable region.
A climate-neutral programme
institutions and many of its
lowered energy consumption in
ecological footprint of the
Major public events are
major companies are investing
its products by 50 percent and
European Capital of Culture as
ecological time bombs. But
strongly in sustainable
to have doubled recycling.
much as possible in the years to
fortunately, festivals are
development. The Green
Philips Corporate Sustainability
come. Our example should help
beginning to be aware of this.
Chemistry Campus – on the
department, which is based in
increase sustainability in the
We realise that ecological
SABIC chemical concern’s site
Eindhoven, is working on many
region as a whole.
sustainability is a precondition
in Bergen op Zoom – is the
initiatives aimed at making
for organising an event that will
Netherlands’ top location for
society sustainable and is
We aim to make our 2018
last 365 days. After all, pretty
work on new products and
committed to sharing the
programme fully climate
much all aspects of the
technologies with the focus on
resulting know-how with other
neutral. This will mean that the
organisation – from mobility
bio-based materials. Here, large
organisations.
event will use only as much
and energy use to food,
and small companies,
A champion of open-source
energy as it can sustainably
communication and waste
knowledge institutions and the
innovation, Philips Corporate
disposal – affect sustainability.
government cooperate in an
Sustainability intends to
109
DISC: collaboration
• Smartphones and apps have
one festival get information
alternative sources of power.
for sustainability and
rapidly become part of our lives
from the same sponsors.
Our goal is to minimise the
innovation among
and festivals can make good use
Or through more focused
use of fossil fuels, but where
Brabant’s cultural
of them in communicating with
sponsorship, made possible
it is unavoidable we will
festivals
their public. By developing an
using digital information
app jointly you can cut
about visitor’s profiles.
produce using a mix of
develop a system of climate compensation. Investments
The major festivals in Brabant
costs and improve the service to
could be made to restore
– many of which will be
the user. It also enables the
DISC is working out the plans
biodiversity or to develop
contributing to
festivals to work out what
in consultation with Philips.
alternative sources
2018Eindhoven|Brabant with a
activities different kinds of
The company’s design
of energy.
special programme – are also
visitors like, and allows one
department has developed
focusing specifically on
festival to pass on its audience
a vision they have called
Brabant’s festivals, with which
sustainability, innovative
to another.
Livable and Lovable Cities,
we work closely, have taken
communication and new forms
up sustainability as an objective.
of cooperation with sponsors.
• The festivals want to reduce
We will use the expertise
Since 2010, the festivals have
their carbon footprint. For
and results achieved by these
been working with the
example, by producing less
festivals over the coming
Ministry of Economic Affairs,
waste, or by finding better ways
years in the realisation of
Agriculture and Innovation
to separate and dispose of it.
our programme.
to come up with innovative
They are also looking
and sustainable solutions.
for alternatives to the diesel
The plans will be developed
generators that festivals
further in collaboration with
commonly use for their
2018Eindhoven|Brabant.
power supplies.
This collaboration for
• The festivals are also looking
sustainability and innovation
for ways to bump up the
among the cultural festivals is
economic value to their
known as DISC, an acronym of
sponsors. For example, through
the title in Dutch. Here are
horizontal sponsorship,
some of its concrete aims:
where visitors to more than
which links in well with cultural participation.
110
A5
Preparations for our bid A5.1
20,000 together at the table, 1300 specialists, 700 ideas from the public
Our bid has come about thanks
long ‘2018 tables’ to talk about
nurses, police – specialists from
We set out our artistic vision on
to the combined forces of local
the phenomenon of European
every area of society shared
16 May 2011 at a packed
people, cultural organisations,
Capital of Culture and what it
their knowledge and expertise
meeting that was also broadcast
educational institutions, the
could mean to society. The
to come up with surprising
live by the regional TV station.
private sector and government.
discussions were held in
and innovative plans. The
And we appealed to everyone to
The public and local
neighbourhood centres, parks,
results of these sessions were an
help us develop the plans
organisations have been actively
festivals, schools, factories, and
important source of inspiration
further.
involved in the preparations
museums, and were often
for our artistic vision. Some
right from the start in 2009, so
initiated by associations,
plans, such as the Neighbour-
The public join in
our ambitions have got right
volunteers or students them-
hood Culture Funds (see box
(2011-2012)
through to the roots of society.
selves. No fewer than 20,000
p115), are now being carried out
In 2011 we asked the general
The public have helped create
people took part.
to prepare us for the
public and organisations to
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
send in their ideas for cultural
programme.
projects for the bid book. The
the plans for the 2018Eindhoven|Brabant bid
1300 specialists
book through projects, meetings
plan for
and creative sessions. Here is
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
Public presentation of
The appeal generated vast
an overview of the most
(2010-2011)
the artistic vision
amounts of energy, sparking off
important of them.
Once we had explored the views
statement (May 2011)
dozens of spontaneous meetings
of the general public, it was
Projects like these, along with
and brainstorming sessions with
More than 20,000
then the turn of key specialists
many more discussions,
hundreds of enthusiastic
members of the public
to focus their minds on our
brainstorming sessions and
participants. The most
response was overwhelming!
join 2018 Table
candidacy in a project called
creative meetings finally led to
important result was that more
Discussions (2009-2010)
Brains with a Heart (Brabant
the publication of the artistic
than 700 exciting project ideas
In a project dubbed ‘Together at
Brain). Architect Aart Wijnen
vision statement, the heart of
landed in our digital mailbox.
the table’ we introduced the
initiated a unique, multi-
our bid book, in the spring of
You will find a selection of
idea of the European Capital of
disciplinary think-tank of 1300
2011. We took as our starting-
them outlined in the bid book.
Culture to the people in our
leading specialists from a wide
point ‘the art of living together’
city and region, to gauge the
range of sectors who came
(‘de kunst van het samenleven’,
Choosing the
level of public support and to
together at a creative sessions to
also meaning ‘the art of
public’s best ideas
introduce people to our ideas.
think about ‘the art of living
society’) in order to to present
(November 2011)
The participants sat together at
together’. Scientists, artists,
our vision to a broad public.
We also asked the public’s
111
opinion when it came to
wide participation
selecting the project ideas. In the autumn of 2011 we launched
We have been working hard to produce this
Commissioner – the head of the province –
a competition in the local and
bid book since 2009. Here are the main things
on 12 January 2012. The Young M-Bassadors
regional press, asking people to
we did to involve a broad spectrum of society
spent the first half of 2012 enthusiastically
vote for the best idea for the bid
in our bid:
spreading the word about the candidacy among
book. You can see the winning
young people. They attended many cultural Educational projects (2010-2012)
events and reported their experiences in blogs
Since 2010 we have been working with schools,
and via social media. Five new M-Bassadors
First version of the bid
colleges and universities in the region to
have been elected in September 2012.
book published (2012)
involve talent in our bid. Through what we
To involve as many members of
called the 2018Talent Pool Student Labs,
Social media community
the public as possible in our
students and graduates were matched with
In the run-up to the bid, we have worked hard
candidacy, we are trying to be
businesses through projects, internships or
to build up our social media community.
as transparent and open as
research assignments that tied in with the
Through our website, Facebook, LinkedIn,
possible. So in April 2012 we
ambitions of 2018Eindhoven|Brabant.
Twitter and YouTube we reach thousands of
already published a first version
The pool’s database now contains the details
friends, fans and followers with information
of the bid book to provide a
of hundreds of talented young people
on 2018Eindhoven|Brabant.
basis for political decision-
from dozens of educational institutions.
making in Eindhoven, the
In 2011 and 2012 we also organised
Support from political decision-
partner cities and the province.
workshops and other activities in secondary
makers
At the same time we worked to
schools, bringing 10,000 pupils into
Since 2009 we have been constantly working
sharpen up the bid book based
contact with 2018Eindhoven|Brabant.
to involve political decision-makers in
idea on p210.
on the response from
2018Eindhoven|Brabant. Politicians went on
politicians, the cultural sector
Young M-Bassadors
fact-finding trips to Essen, Lille and Linz.
and public organisations.
We have also been investing in young
We also held regular meetings to keep
people through other special activities, with a
politicians up to date on the progress of
leading role for three ‘Young M-Bassadors’.
the preparations.
Yvette, Maya and Benthe were ceremonially appointed as youth ambassadors for 2018Eindhoven|Brabant by the Queen’s
112
A5.2
European involvement: learning from other European Capitals of Culture We have not only put public
2010, and the conference on the
raise awareness of our candidacy
involvement and support at
future of ECOCs in Brussels in
and provided a lot of relevant
the heart of our bid, but also
March 2011.
international experience for
initiated a range of activities to
our partners in the field.
stimulate international
Strong European ties
We are considering continuing
cooperation with other
The contact with former and
this form of collaboration
European Capitals of Culture
future ECOCs and the
with other ECOCs if
and the European cultural
participation in a range of
Eindhoven becomes European
sector. Here are a
networking meetings has not
Capital of Culture.
few examples:
only been informative, it has also produced new ties within
Internationalising the
Learning from other
Europe. Our warm relations
cultural sector
European Capitals of
with various European cities
In 2012 we provided a series
Culture
and partners provide fertile
of workshops on internationa-
In preparing the bid book we
ground for future collaboration
lisation for the regional cultural
have tried to learn as much as
on 2018Eindhoven|Brabant.
sector in cooperation with the
possible from the past. Through
Dutch Centre for International
direct contact and fact-finding
Participating in other
Cultural Activities. The aim
visits we have thoroughly
ECOCs’ programmes
was to help the cultural sector
investigated the experiences of
In 2010, the jubilee year, we
in Eindhoven and the region
other European Capitals of
took part in the programmes
get ready for international
Culture (ECOCs) such as Linz,
of ECOCs Pécs and Istanbul.
adventure on the way to
Luxembourg, Lille, Essen, Pécs,
We liaised with the organi-
2018Eindhoven|Brabant.
Istanbul, Tallinn, Marseille,
sations and co-financed the
Mons and Wroclaw. We have
participation of cultural
also attended all the major
producers in the official
recent conferences on the
programmes. There were 13
phenomenon of the Capital
projects from Eindhoven and
of Culture, such as the
the region in Pécs, ranging
celebration of 25 years of
from art exhibitions to dance
ECOCs in Brussels in March
performances. This helped
113
A5.3
John Körmeling:
His studio is an artwork in
“I feel really at home
itself, a visual explosion of all
here, among all these
the ideas that spring from his
people coming up with
mind. He shows a model of a
all sorts of ideas.”
bridge for Tilburg. “It’s going to be spectacular – beauty and
Studying the effects of 2018Eindhoven|Brabant
John Körmeling, architect,
efficiency in one.” The bridge
designer, urban development
can lift and turn in a way that
specialist and artist. Designer
lets pedestrians go up and
of Happy Street, the Holland
down with it. “If there’s
Pavilion at the World Expo
something I don’t know, I ask
2010. His work is striking for
someone who does. That’s
its variety. He has designed
what I always do. It’s something
everything from buildings
more people ought to do. Just
to socks, and even a motorway.
get a couple of brilliant minds
A man with an unlimited
together and leave them free
outlook, boundless energy and
to make decisions. Don’t rule
a great sense of humour.
things out beforehand.”
We want to be able to
The research will be carried out
demonstrate the social and
by the Centre for Leisure and
cultural effects of the
Tourism Research (CeLToR), a
John Körmeling studied
In Eindhoven there is room to
2018Eindhoven|Brabant bid and
collaboration between Tilburg
architecture in Eindhoven,
work like this, he says. Will
programme, and to do so we
University, NHTV Breda
where he still lives and works.
the city make a good European
have already started a long-term
University of Applied Sciences
“You can park anywhere, I
Capital of Culture? “Definitely!
research programme. This is
and Wageningen University.
know a lot of people, and it’s
This is the place where the
close to the airport. Everything
really clever ideas come from.
something we are rather proud of – we are the first candidate
Our research programme will
is to hand. And all the smart
And it’s always good to liven
city to have started this kind
not only monitor and evaluate
companies are here: Philips,
things up!”
of research at such an early
the effects of the Capital of
DAF, ASML, NXP. I feel really
stage, even before the start of
Culture year, but also provide
at home here, among all these
the selection process.
information about the entire
people coming up with all sorts
process. We have opted for the
of ideas.”
In 2011, Professor Greg
‘System-Wide Cultural District
Richards headed a team at
model’ developed by Sacco and
Tilburg University and the
Blessi (2009), which allows for
regional knowledge institute
research into output (economic,
PON to make a baseline
social and cultural), processes
measurement to get the
and networks. It is the only
monitoring programme
scientific model that has been
underway. We have shared the
used before by European
results with the University
Capitals of Culture (Lille and
Network of European Capitals
Genoa), and that will make it
of Culture.
easier to compare results.
In 2012, Tilburg University signed a long-term cooperation agreement to continue the study until 2020 if we succeed in becoming Capital of Culture.
114
A5.4
What have we gained from the bid so far? The efforts of the past few years
sectors. This means the bid is
institutions in Brabant and the
have already yielded tangible
stimulating cross-sectoral
2018Eindhoven|Brabant
results. Apart from a widely
collaboration. A good example
Foundation have established
supported bid book, the
of this is DISC, the new
many new European contacts.
preparations have already set
collaboration on sustainability
This actively contributes to
dynamics in motion in
between cultural festivals in
strengthening European
Eindhoven and the region.
Brabant (see also p109).
cultural exchange and to new
Some important results:
cultural productions for a New projects, plans and
Support and awareness
experiments
Sixty percent of the population
The candidacy has helped bring
is aware of the candidacy and
about new cultural projects and
nearly half think it is a good
events (see for example the box
idea, research in 2011 showed.
‘Invest now, peak in 2018').
At this stage, seven years ahead of the year itself, compared to
New funding models
other ECOCs this is a very
for culture
positive result.
We think the many local Neighbourhood Culture Funds
New cross-sectoral
that have been set up in response
networks
to 2018Eindhoven|Brabant are
The bid has stimulated new
worth a special mention.
networks, and organisations are
Housing corporations are
working together more
using art and culture projects
intensively, the research
to improve the quality of
revealed. New networks have
neighbourhood life (see box
come about particularly in the
‘Neighbourhood culture
education, media and heritage
funds’).
sectors. The research also found that the networks involved in
New European contacts
the bid include more different
Because of the bid, cultural
new European public.
115
Neighbourhood Culture Funds Culture at neighbourhood level and public participation are an important basis of our 2018 programme. The Neighbourhood Culture Funds are an initiative to set this in motion. The idea of stimulating housing corporations to improve the quality of neighbourhood life was born during the creative sessions of the Brabant Brain project and directly associated with 2018Eindhoven|Brabant. In the course of 2011 and 2012 a number of Neighbourhood Culture Funds were set up in Eindhoven and the rest of Brabant to bring together the financial resources and expertise of housing corporations and the Prince Bernhard Cultural Fund
Invest now, peak in 2018
(Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds). The funds stimulate small-scale cultural projects at neighbourhood level aimed at bringing
Our long-term programme will officially start in 2014 (see
people together. For example, Eindhoven housing corporation
chapter 7), but from 2012 we are already investing six million
Woonbedrijf will be investing 500,000 euros a year in a fund for
euros to launch and develop a limited number of projects. Even
the next three years.
before the title has been awarded, we are spending part of our budget on cultural activities, because some elements of the programme need to get underway now so they can be fully developed by 2018. Strijp-S will be the epicentre of 2018Eindhoven|Brabant and we are getting it ready with a range of different activities. Under the banner Eindhoven 100 Years of Innovation… and Beyond we are focusing on new media and urban culture (see also p71). In the partner cities we have also started investing in cultural programmes. There is the new International Festival of Visual Culture in Breda, for example, which will have its first edition in 2014 and is set to become an innovative and internationally renowned festival featuring everything from photography and graphic design to gaming and comic strips. And there’s also the major Jheronimus Bosch programme in ’s-Hertogenbosch, launched in preparation for 2016, the 500th anniversary of the painter’s death. A range of projects will be starting in Helmond to develop the canal area into an important cultural stage ready for 2018, under the title Channelling Culture. In a programme entitled The Performing Society, Tilburg is working on new, innovative models to embed culture in society. In one of the projects we will be taking a fresh look at the Tilburg Fair – one of the biggest public events in the Netherlands – to see how we can bring the funfair as a popular festival up to date by taking a more surprising and avant-garde approach.
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Credits
Artistic Director: Martijn Sanders Artistic advisers: Eric Antonis, Ulrike Erbslöh, Joost Heijthuijsen, Liesbeth in ’t Hout, Matthijs Rümke, Ton Wagemakers Consultancy: Carolien Croon Coordination and editing: Stan van Herpen / Maters & Hermsen With contributions by: Joy Arpots, Vivian van Gaal, Ton van Gool, Heleen Huisjes, CeesJan Mol, Magdalena Piotrowska, The Flexible Platform, Dorien van Witteveen English translation and editing: Michael Blass / WordStream, Steve Green Art direction and design: Erik Kessels / KesselsKramer Photography: Dana Lixenberg (main photography), Boudewijn Bollmann Illustrations: James Joyce Hundreds of people have contributed in some way to the realisation of this bid book. We thank them all on our website, www.2018Eindhoven.eu October 2012 Scan the QR code to view the digital version of the bid book.
IMAGINATION DESIGNS EUROPE
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