Artist initiative Neck of the Woods will disappear from its current location on Heer Bokelweg this summer. Founder Johannes Steendam has to look for a fourth location for his 'contemporary art space'. Permanent places for artists' studios or initiatives are hardly available in Rotterdam. What does this temporary nature mean for an initiative like Neck of the Woods? And what remains of the Rotterdam art climate if artists have to continuously move?
Almost eight years ago, artist Johannes Steendam started Neck of the Woods at the Boompjes, out of the need to show his own work and that of others. “The world of museums and exhibitions is a difficult one for artists to intervene in,” he says. 'You don't just hang out in a gallery. That's why I decided to start making exhibitions myself.' Bokelweg 157, where Neck of the Woods will be located until the summer, is the third place where Steendam will settle. 'I was looking for a new location again and happened to walk past this enormous vacant space. I asked the owner if I could rent the space for six months. To my surprise, it could have been longer, two or three years. So I knew in advance that it would be temporary, but not exactly how temporary.'
Vacancy culture
Using vacant offices or shop premises for exhibitions is not something that happens at the initiative of the owners. "The owner of this building is a large real estate company," says Steendam. 'Before I knocked, it had been empty for a long time. There may be a new developer, but he is still working on permits and the like. In the meantime, nothing happens to that space. For such a company it is often a calculation of income and expenditure and if the bottom line is positive, then it is good.'
Steendam asked the company if they weren't thinking about what they could do with the space in the meantime. "Using the space in such an interim period costs money, the company believes," Steendam explains. 'They should hire someone to fill vacant buildings and they're not going to do that. Because I happened to knock on the door myself, they were open to it. I was able to rent this space under great conditions. This way I was able to organize more than twenty exhibitions and events there.'
Hyperlocal boost
One of the first exhibitions on the Heer Bokelweg that Steendam looks back on with a good feeling is Art Boost. “During the pandemic I noticed how difficult it was that you couldn't show your art anywhere,” he says. 'It's fun to be busy in your studio, but you also just want to go public with your art. That is why I submitted a plan to Cultuur Concrete, where you can apply for a subsidy for local art projects, to exhibit forty artists from North Rotterdam. Each artist received one hundred euros for participation and if a work was sold, one hundred percent of the proceeds went to the artist himself. With this Art Boost I wanted to celebrate that we could see each other and each other's work again.'
The Art Boost was a great opportunity for artist Suzanne Somer. The accessible participation has ensured that she no longer had to make her art just for herself. “Over the years I had developed an anxiety disorder, specifically street anxiety and social anxiety,” she says. 'I have been isolated at home since 2018, while I was on the mental health waiting list. With the help of loved ones and friends, I was able to get through that long period. It was at that time that I started my embroidery.'
After four years of therapy, Somer managed to escape her isolation. 'During a walk I saw a poster at Neck of the Woods with 'artists from North Rotterdam wanted'. This poster gave me the push I needed. Eventually I ended up doing photo work at the Art Boost. With the support of friends I was able to attend the opening. I immediately sold three works. That was a special moment for me. After the successful exhibition I was given a studio at Katshoek. I have made friends from it. For me, the accessibility was the push I needed and now things are going well.'
Workshops
Not only did Steendam offer space for artists to exhibit their work in this location of Neck of the Woods, he also rented out studios there. "My own studio is located here," he says. 'I was regularly asked by artists if I knew any places where they could work if they had to leave their studio again. So I called the owner of the building again and asked what he would do with the rest of the rooms. This has led to 36 artists or creative makers having their workplace here.'
After this summer, all those artists will have to look for a new studio again. Steendam therefore says that he regularly informs the municipality that more can be done for this group. "Building is being done for all kinds of target groups in Rotterdam, but nowhere for the creative sector, the makers, even though that is an essential part of a city," he says. 'The demonstrable economic and intrinsic value of art and culture is denied rather than underestimated, while a vibrant cultural environment is used as a selling point by real estate providers.'
According to Olof van de Wal, director of the Rotterdam Art Accommodation Foundation (SKAR), the solution does not lie in even more temporary locations. "We are inclined to focus more on permanent locations," he says. 'Rotterdam is a city where artists have traditionally worked in temporary locations because they are the cheapest. This has created the unfair impression that artists are not serious tenants. For the artist, temporary renting has a major disadvantage, because you cannot put down roots or invest anywhere. As an artist you are very valuable to the city, but you can only really express that if you are somewhere for a longer period of time.'
Big question
However, finding a permanent location is a major challenge, because more and more creative places have to make way for commercial parties. Yet the municipality pays enough attention to studio space in the city, Van de Wal believes. "Over the past seven years, the number of studios we rent out has doubled," he says. 'We went from 21 buildings to 43 buildings. The municipality has promised that the same number will be added in the coming years. That does not alter the fact that many artists still need a good and affordable place. We see that the creative sector has grown in Rotterdam and therefore the demand for places is becoming much greater.'
Van de Wal believes that there should be more different parties that rent out workspaces to artists. "We see that creative entrepreneurs who are growing find it difficult to take the next step," says Van de Wal. 'If you come from SKAR and want to rent something on the market because of growth, you will spend three or four times as much. That's too big a step for an artist. There should be more places in between.”
Future in Rotterdam
Permanent or temporary, the fact remains that there is little supply in Rotterdam. Van de Wal believes that the places that are there for artists should be preserved, especially if they have a historical link with artists. 'For example, look at the Quarantine site at Heijplaat, where the artists' complex must disappear. It has become such a special place precisely because of those artists, but now it is being developed. Artists would like nothing more than to transfer such a place to other artists, so I think it's sad that it is disappearing completely.'
Steendam would prefer to continue working as an independent artist and creating exhibitions, but he will have to find a new place. "I am currently in discussions with the municipality of Vlaardingen, because it is too difficult here," he says. 'A new wind is blowing in Vlaardingen, allowing art and culture to be put more on the map. Then I would go pioneering, that's fun. On the other hand, I think it's a shame that I won't be able to continue this in Rotterdam. I have lived in Rotterdam for 27 years, but the climate forces me to look beyond the city's borders.'
Disappointment
The disappearance of initiatives such as Neck of the Woods is a disappointment not only for artists, but also for art lovers. 'I always find these kinds of initiatives very exciting,' says a loyal visitor to Neck of the Woods, who prefers to remain anonymous, 'because artists can experiment in these kinds of places. But also because places like this are completely accessible, many people come here who would not normally go to a gallery or museum.'
Because initiatives disappear, move or become fragmented, it is increasingly difficult for visitors to enjoy what is on offer. 'I keep up to date with what's happening in studio complexes via Instagram,' says the visitor, 'but it is often short-lived and one-off. That means you miss a lot. A permanent location may not be necessary, but a bit of continuity is nice for both artists and visitors. I am therefore disappointed that Neck of the Woods is disappearing and especially that it may move to another city. What then remains in Rotterdam?'
Latest exhibitions
The contemporary art space Neck of the Woods is still located at Heer Bokelweg 157 in Rotterdam-Noord. At this location, Neck of the Woods has grown into a fully-fledged art space with solid brand recognition in Rotterdam and beyond. From November 2021 to June 2024, there were 18 exhibitions and 10 performance projects, in which more than 120 artists from home and abroad participated. The exhibitions and events have been visited by more than 4000 unique visitors. There are two more exhibitions on display at Heer Bokelweg. Brutal Utilism, which focuses on the use of materials, can be seen until May 11. This will be followed by an exhibition from May 26 that would actually be on display at the Goethe Institute: Ursula Walter exhibits/stellt aus. The finissage will be at the end of June and the curtain will fall at this location.
Text: Wilke Martens
Photo: Judy van Luyck, Neck of the Woods