The day has come! On December 9 is the first meeting with Gemene Grond. Together with local residents, initiators and other interested parties we’ll explore what’s going on in the neighbourhood and how people feel about changes to the public space. It’s going to be a ball! With an interactive lunch, a special migrant tour through the neighbourhood, theatre, music and play we’re going to shape the future and the space for art and culture in Lombok and Westplein. The day rounds off with Friday afternoon drinks and snacks. All activities are free of charge. Want to join in? Then come to What Makes West! We’ll be kicking off at 12:00 at De Voorkamer and from 16:00 to 19:00 at Perron West. The provisional programme follows below:

12:00 Reception in De Voorkamer

12:15 Welcome speech by Gemene Grond

12:30 Interactive lunch

13:30 Workshop: WHAT MAKES WEST?

14:30 Migrant tour to Perron West starts

16:00 Start Perron West programme

16:15 Welcome drink and talk

16:30 Exploration of the terrain, past, present and future with the LINK youth theatre

17:00 Performance/ brief round of local bingo

17:15 Idea collection in a podcast, creative brainstorm

17:45 Rounding off and what’s next

18:00-19:00 Friday afternoon drinks and snacks

About What Makes West!?

What Makes West deals with Lombok’s changing urban environment. Alongside partners De Voorkamer and Perron West/The Creative Playground and the Utrecht local authority, Gemene Grond will explore the possibilities for organizing shared and equal commissioning of art in the public space on the basis of Lombok as urban commons. The local authority has ambitious plans for transforming the urban environment in Lombok and specifically the future Lombok square. We ask ourselves: what will that do to the neighbourhood? Who will and won’t be seen and heard in the design process and for/of whom is the space? We’ll look for answers to these questions together with neighbourhood locals. By setting up a programme council we aim to give those voices that are insufficiently heard in the public space a stronger say and profile.