Concise.pdf - Brugge Plus

For us, however, this was no random chance: it was clear from the very outset that the
social involvement of art and culture had to take real shape in the programme. And
obviously this could only happen properly if rooted as much as possible in various
Bruges-based, concrete situations. Believe me: there was significant involvement and
something actually happened with the many people who were involved in these programmes.
This concern continues to form part of what Bruges has to offer culturally,
including the continuation of Wijk-Up, but also the interest shown in the prison
for future projects.
The Concertgebouw: completely versatile
How can we describe the added value of the Concertgebouw for Bruges, for Flanders,
for the international region in which Bruges plays a central role Almost impossible!
It may well be that this added value is not yet fully known. However, what we are now
convinced of is that it will be immense. BRUGGE 2002 was able to experience it: the
many wonderful moments when we watched artists working contentedly to happily
in the Concert Hall, the public who came and visibly enjoyed the hall and the whole
building.
What can be programmed in such a challenging infrastructure We chose to logically
programme within the project that the architects wanted to produce. A concert hall
for music: that was clear, period. But also for much more: the choice to build a stage
tower made it possible to go far beyond music; we felt dance and musical theatre were
also possible. To this we added film and a series of events. And during the year itself
everything fell into line – the hall worked for everything the construction programme
had envisaged. And presumably for even more, because at the time we worriedly
avoided putting on spoken word or textual theatre in the Concert Hall. After a year’s
experience with this hall we are, however, convinced that it is perfectly able to cope
with this discipline too.
We were able to show that the Concertgebouw could/had to be a multidisciplinary
arts centre, as was the intention. The Concertgebouw is a place where a wide range
of disciplines and artistic expressions are possible in complete openness and where
a similarly varied and broad public can be reached. This is what the client and architects
wanted, and this is what they got.
11
CONCISE
Sustainable investments, fast profit
We could spend some time here looking at the list of initiatives within BRUGGE 2002
that were clearly directed at “deepening”
the city, culture in the city, the residents,
the visitors, etc. An experience that, it is
true, has to do with beauty, but also with the
possibility of becoming annoyed, of forming
an opinion, engaging, ... in short, of
simply making life a bit more fascinating.
© FRAUKE DENDOOVEN
Toyo Ito’s pavilion on the Burg
Figures do not mention this. Figures say,
for example, that you were there or that you
spent a lot or that you came from a long
way away. We repeat: however important
the figures are, the essence lies elsewhere,
where the people experienced something or
where visitors left the city with more than
when they came, only to return at a later
date. It lies where we know that culture
makes a society more pleasant and improves
the act of living together.