The ‘culture bureau’ puts local art in hospitals, libraries, restaurants; and bars
Translated by Thomas Ansell
Have you ever sat in a restaurant in Friesland and been entirely diverted by the art hanging on the walls? That’s the work of Cultuurbureau Art Connection, which has been hanging work by regional artists in care centres, hospitals, libraries; public buildings, restaurants, bars, and more for over 30 years.
As reported by the Omrop Fryslân, Art Connection normally changes its exhibits every two months, but the Coronavirus outbreak has meant that this hasn’t been possible since the start of this year. Due to the ‘intelligent lockdown’, most of the exhibition locations have been shut- meaning that all placed art has languished without an audience for several months.
Ed van Dijk, of Art Connections, is excited for the new rotation of art pieces: “all of the exhibitions are starting up again. Now that the summer holidays are over we will have a wholesale switch around. This week I have responsibility for a piece, or twelve!”
In the lobby of the WTC-hotel in Leeuwarden, a new exhibition of works by Dolly Leemans will shortly be hung. Other locations for Art Connections exhibitions include the Noorderbreedte rehabilitation centre in Leeuwarden, the library in Hurdegaryp, NHL Stenden’s various buildings; and restaurants like Lokaal op Hatsum in Dronryp, and Eetcafé Spinoza in Leeuwarden.
Art Connection aims to promote local artists, and bridge the gap between the local arts scene and citizens. It doesn’t just work in visual art, either, with a monthly music concert held at the Kanselarij in Leeuwarden.
Image: a gallery at the Länsmuseet Gävleborg in Sweden. By Wikimedia user Sinikka Halme. License here.
