About Netwerk Aalst
MISSION
Netwerk Aalst is a multidisciplinary arts centre in Aalst, Belgium. Together with artists, makers, neighbours and local residents, we set up artistic projects that are shared and tested in public exhibitions, film programmes, performances, workshops and the production of new work. This way, we seek to generate insights and develop alternatives that contribute to a society in transformation.
VISION
Netwerk Aalst is an accessible, public meeting place where art is developed, researched, made, shown and mediated. The central question is that of how arts and cultural institutions can contribute to societal engagement.
In an increasingly complex society, we seek to create space for reflection, debate and development. We do this in interaction with the local and regional reality and in relation to international developments and trends.
The dynamics of society require agility from Netwerk Aalst. We are undergoing a transformation from mono- to multidisciplinary. By bringing more disciplines together, we aim to promote a greater diversity of perspectives. We believe our organisation should reflect the diverse reality that surrounds us, offering room for many voices to resonate. Only in this way, an arts centre can be critical and relevant in today’s society.
We believe that our structure should likewise reflect this vision. To this end, alternating, diversely populated working groups serve a curating or mandating role. They feed and help to shape both our operations and our programme. We are in constant interaction with our environment. Proximity is an issue that we must take into account. But we are also children of our time – a time when the world is never far away. We accept this world’s blessings along with its curses. We connect and feel connected with artists worldwide and we share in global concerns about a sustainable future.
Sustainability is a way of life that we want to be reflected in all our actions. We respect the working boundaries of our staff, rally around the issue of fair remuneration for artists, weigh all our decisions against the principle of fairness, and strive for inclusion and diversity in our society. When it comes to societal debate, we do not baulk at taboos. We aim not to be attention-grabbers in a mediated debate, but rather to offer a safe place for discussion.
Netwerk has been an advocate of societal renewal since its inception. Netwerk Aalst intends to actively maintain this societal role through a continued engagement with people, makers and artists, as well as through broad-ranging forms of artistic expression.
NETWERK AALST IS…
Godart Bakkers – Artistic Direction
Hans Bocxstael – Film
Veerle Coppens – Finances and Administration
Sofie De Baerdemaeker – Press and Communication
Samira El Khadraoui – Public Programming
Charlotte Geeraert – Co-programming
Laura Herman – Artistic Direction
Piet Mertens – Arts
Celine Roelandt – Planning and Freelancers
Jeniffer Vansteyvoort – Direction
In addition, Netwerk Aalst can count on a number of enthusiastic individuals to make its operations possible. On a freelance basis they are responsible for a wide range of tasks from invigilating, exhibition support, production to participate in performances.
VENUE HIRE
Please send all questions about venue hire to Celine. Every request will be treated individually.
HISTORY
Netwerk was founded in 1981 as a successor to the Centrum voor Samenlevingsvernieuwing (CSV, ‘Centre for Societal Renewal’), which sought out new, active approaches to coexistence. In the premises of a former wholesale business in the centre of Aalst, Netwerk (co-)programmed theatre, dance, literature, punk and jazz music, and visual arts. Until the opening of cultural centre De Werf in 1989, Netwerk was the only cultural venue in the region with a comprehensive cultural offering. Gradually, Netwerk began to profile itself as a proving ground for young artistic talent.
In 2001, the Flemish Community officially recognised Netwerk Galerij as a centre for visual arts and Netwerk as a fully-fledged (performing) arts centre. The new premises – the empty textile factory on the right bank of the Dender – and a restructuring of the organisation resulted in Netwerk’s official recognition as a visual arts centre in 2005. Netwerk/Centre for Contemporary Art developed into a leading house for visual arts. Societal engagement and fair remuneration were already points of concern for Netwerk at the time.
In 2017, Netwerk initiated a process of transition that would result in a new programme structure and internal organisation. Netwerk, from then on Netwerk Aalst, placed a renewed focus on participation and social relevance. Its focus on visual arts was supplemented by the addition of a film house and accommodations for third party use, resulting in the working groep Fabriek. Netwerk Film ensures high accessibility with both mainstream and arthouse offerings. The working group Fabriek returns to our roots as an open house where everyone is welcome. Film and Fabriek enrich Netwerk Aalst to grow into a multidisciplinary house. Netwerk Aalst is a house where artists and citizens are placed centrally.
POLICY PLAN
The policy plan of Netwerk Aalst for 2023-2027 is available as a pdf (NL) >
short privacy statement
Netwerk Aalst keeps your personal data for member management and the organisation of activities on the basis of the contractual relationship as a result of your registration or your participation in our activities. Your data are also used to keep you informed of our activities based on our legitimate interest, namely the organisation of the artistic projects and film screenings.
Sales conditions
The Sales Conditions apply to all purchases of tickets via the website for non-professional purposes. Placing an order via the online ticketing platform of Netwerk implies that the client has consulted these General Conditions and explicitly accepts their applicability, to the exclusion of all other conditions.
PARTNERSHIPS
