This project is a collaboration between the Utrecht School of the Arts, ZIMIHC (House of Amateur Art), Stut Theatre, and Kunstfactor (umbrella organization for Dutch amateur art). Its goal is to coach recent graduates from Dutch theatre academies who are interested in developing professional careers in community art. Four young artists were selected for this project: Güner Güven, Tessa van Gent, Erik Dekker, and Anouk de Bruin. After a year, Erik was replaced by Suzanne Reindersma.
- For the first phase of the project, Güner developed and produced a play with and about three generations of Turkish immigrants in Overvecht. The project was entitled ‘Familie a la Turca’ and was a great success. It continued to tour through 2008 and into 2009. You can watch a short clip of the process by clicking here. He is now continuing with a new project with youngsters from the village of Maartensdijk, under the smoke of Overvecht. It will premiere in April 2009 under the title ‘Flight’.
- Tessa created a visual arts project in the neighborhood of Zuilen, involving the unique window sill culture of this working-class part of Utrecht. It premiered in September 2007 during the community art cultural Sunday, Kunst in mijn buurt 2. Watch a video impression of the entire festival, including Tessa’s project:
In 2008 Tessa expanded on her earlier experiences and developed a photography project that she implemented in June. She is now working on a video project in Zuilen, involving the inhabitants of one particular street.
- Erik worked on a project with bouncers in Utrecht’s night life. It never came to complete fruition.
- Anouk researched and wrote a script with and about teenage mothers. It was produced as ‘Meisjesstad’ [’Girls’ Town’] in April 2008. She is now working on a new project with migrant women in the neighbourhood of Lombok.
