ART PROJECT FREIHEITSSTROM 2025 VRIJHEIDSSTROOM

To mark "80 Years of Peace & Freedom" in 2025, the cities of Bocholt and Doetinchem, together with the city museums of both cities, are initiating the cross-border art project "Stream of Freedom - Vrijheidsstroom". Funded by the Interreg Germany-Netherlands programme, it brings together artists from both countries who work together in tandems to create sculptures.

The number 8 plays a central role: the end of the Second World War on 8 May 1945, the horizontal eight as a symbol of infinity and the eight artist duos creating eight sculptures. The artworks deal with themes such as freedom, the pursuit of peace and the dynamics of cultural trends. The Bocholter Aa and the Oude Ijssel, which connect the two cities, are not only geographical but also symbolic elements of the project.

The artist duos were brought together as part of a "Tandem Matching Day" and their ideas were selected by an independent jury of experts. The sculptures are being created in close collaboration with craft businesses from Germany and the Netherlands, combining artistic and technical expertise.

The project will be realised in public spaces along the Bocholter Aa and the Oude Ijssel. The opening ceremony will take place on 8 May 2025 and the works will be on display until 8 November.

Curator Verena Winter is enthusiastic about the diversity of the artistic concepts and promises an inspiring experience for visitors from both countries.