Cross-border art project "Freiheitsstrom - Vrijheidsstroom" starts

"80 years of peace and freedom" - this was the motto under which artists from Germany and the Netherlands met last weekend at the GrenzBlickAtelier Bocholt-Suderwick. The occasion is next year's major art project in Bocholt and the Dutch municipality of Doetinchem under the motto "Stream of Freedom - Vrijheidsstroom". This will involve 16 artists from the border region creating works of art in eight German-Dutch "artist tandems".

The art project "Freiheitsstrom - Vrijheidsstroom" will be realised in an outdoor space. Each of the four locations for the sculptures are situated on the interconnected waterways of the Bocholter Aa and the Oude Ijssel, which flows through Doetinchem. The city of Bocholt and the Gemeente Doetinchem, together with the project partners Stadtmuseum Bocholt and Stadsmuseum Doetinchem, are the initiators of the art project, which will take place in 2025.

Matching day in a creative atmosphere

The organisers invited the German-Dutch artist tandems to a "Matching-Day" in the GrenzBlickAtelier Bocholt-Suderwick so that they could find each other. Verena Winter, who accompanied and curated the exhibitions "Artem@Artis" in 2019 and "Open Spaces 800" in 2021 in Bocholt, was recruited as curator for this art project. She presented the details and process of the art project to the artists. More than 30 interested artists from both countries attended. The atmosphere in the GrenzBlickAtelier gave them the opportunity to exchange creative ideas and network.

"Artist tandems" work together

The first "artist tandems" were quickly formed that afternoon. They are now invited to combine their different perspectives and styles to create new, innovative artworks that reflect the themes of peace and freedom. They have until 30 November 2024 to submit their joint project idea. An independent jury will select which projects can actually be realised from these submitted ideas. In the end, eight German-Dutch tandems will realise the cross-border art project "Stream of Freedom - Vrijheidsstroom".

"80 years of peace and freedom"

The art project "Freiheitsstrom - Vrijheidsstroom" is directly linked to the celebrations of "80 years of peace and freedom" in 2025. The number 8 is also to be understood symbolically here: The end of World War 2 on 8 May 1945; the horizontal eight, the symbol of infinity; 8 artist duos who will create 8 sculptures. Cross-border projects such as these therefore not only strengthen the artistic community, but also promote cross-border cooperation and understanding between the two countries. On 8 May 2025, "Freiheitsstrom - Vrijheidsstroom" will be opened. The sculptures can then be visited until 8 November 2025.

INTERREG supports cross-border art project

"Freiheitsstrom - Vrijheidsstroom" will be a close, mutually stimulating collaboration between local artistic networks in the Bocholt-Doetinchem border region, artists who have found a home here and artists who feel closely connected to this region. The project is financially supported by the European Union and the Interreg partners as part of the Interreg Germany-Netherlands programme.