Ruimtekoers Festival: eleven days of cultural adventure
From November 15 – 25, the third edition of the artistic, cultural festival Ruimtekoers will take place in an empty office building in Arnhem-Zuid. There is not only room for parties and lectures. In the six-story building you will also find a pop-up restaurant where chefs will prepare their favorite dishes together with local residents, in different rooms you can see dance performances between senior citizens and students of the dance academy and there is a lush courtyard where you can pitch your tent for the night. Through the festival, organizer Halfvol wants to connect people and explore what the city of the future could look like.
Most parts of the festival are free to visit. Everyone who loves art, culture and music is welcome, including people outside Arnhem. See the full program at www.ruimtekoers.nl.
We are the city
With the theme We are the City, Ruimtekoers indicates that it is the people – in all their diversity and colourfulness – who make the city. Yosser Dekker, artistic director of Ruimtekoers and co-owner of Halfvol: ‘With art exhibitions, theater, music and dance performances, workshops and lectures, Ruimtekoers shares new perspectives on living together in the city.’ This year’s edition is notable for its strong programming in the field of contemporary art. Arnhem-based artist Rob Voerman (whose work has been exhibited at MoMa New York and the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, among others) is building the Halfweg pavilion especially for Ruimtekoers. The Japanese artist Sachi Miyachi and the Flemish artist Thomas Kuijpers (Foamtalent) have also made new interactive work for Ruimtekoers.
Art as a reflection on living together in the city
City residents are closely involved in the programming. For example, residents of Arnhem can use the Halfweg pavilion to display their talents and dreams; for example, in the form of a temporary teahouse, a café or performances. At Sachi Myiachi’s indoor golf course The Field, hitting a ball is very uncomfortable. You have challenges and obstacles to overcome, just like in real life. With the work of Thomas Kuijpers, visual artist, Ruimtekoers has a first. Media and current affairs play an important role in Kuijpers’ work. In First Year, Kuijpers wonders, “What if Donald Trump was an artist?
New directions for the city of the future
During Ruimtekoers there is also room to philosophize about the city of the future. In four in-depth evening programs with lectures, workshops and discussions, new directions and ideas are explored on how to actually live together in these ever growing cities. Among those participating are Eva Rovers (author of the recently published pamphlet Ik kom in opstand, dus wij zijn), Hans Plomp (co-founder of Ruigoord), anthropologist and writer Çinan Sankaya and researcher and publicist Josse de Voogd.
Parties and music are of course a must at a festival. On Friday November 17 the bands JOHNFROST and Altijd Onderweg will share the stage with the musical art collective Broken Toaster Records and on Saturday November 18 you can pull out your best hip hop moves for Gaps. Indie lovers will enjoy the bands Cloud Cukkoo, TAPE TOY and Fata Boom on Friday, November 24. Secretly dance to bad disco, weird 80’s songs and 90’s hits on the last night of Ruimtekoers after which you can roll into your tent on the indoor camping site Stiekem Slapen.
