Heesterveld Creative Community
Heesterveld is a special cultural “incubator”, because of its location and because it ties working and living together
Additionally criminality rose in the neighbourhood, which threatened to create a downward spiral instead of an upward development. At the request of Ymere Mare engaged in conversation with the residents of the community. After a series of meetings it was decided to transform the association into a foundation, in which residents would always be represented on the board, and simultaneously projects could be developed with more objectivity and professionalism. Additionally, a trajectory with doormanagers was initiated to increase safety and involvement. Creators and artists were trained by Marjo van Schaik to work more professionally. Mare was actively involved from 2013 until 2018.
The Heesterveld Creative Community was founded in 2012, as a collective of students, cultural entrepreneurs, and experts, financed and supported by Ymere, the owner of the complex. The HCC established itself in one of the last remaining building complexes of the original Bijlmer. HCC offers living- and workspace, financial support for cultural programmes and a shared space, H75. During the foundation an association model was chosen in which everyone could present plans for cultural projects and the board decided which ones were financially supported. The model turned out not to function well, as the board handed too many assignments to their own support base, and a uniform hiphop/music culture came to dominate.
More information? Please contact mare@marjovanschaik.nl