KuKuG moves into new rooms in the LernWerk extension

Bocholt has a new venue for cultural events. Last weekend, the extension to the LernWerk (appendix) on Industriestrasse was officially opened for this purpose. The main organiser will be the association Bocholter Kunst- und Kulturgemeinschaft (KuKuG), in cooperation with the city of Bocholt, the city museum and other Bocholt cultural institutions.

A programme of events for the first half of this year is available on site, at the LernWerk and soon at other cultural and educational venues.

The KuKuG association brings together around 60 artists from the so-called independent scene in Bocholt and the surrounding area, including some from the Netherlands. They represent a wide variety of genres, from painting, sculpture, object and installation art and photography to literature and the performing arts. "Samples" of these were presented at two opening events with a total of around 250 visitors and can be seen until 26 February.

The art and culture community uses the facility, which has event rooms of around 140 square metres each on the ground floor and upper floor, as the association's headquarters for internal and external lectures, discussions and workshops, among other things. On the other hand, events are organised and offered from its own creative "repertoire" as well as in collaboration with artists or artist groups - individual events as well as exhibitions lasting several weeks.

In his opening speech, Chairman Joachim Freund named the creation of multiple opportunities to access and come into contact with art as a key aspect of the association's cultural work, which is carried out on a voluntary basis - through forms of presentation geared towards this as well as through encounters and exchanges with creative artists. Among other things, open studio work is planned, which can also take place outside the building on the Aa.

KuKuG was founded three and a half years ago with such an objective specifically for this location. According to the association's chairman, the LernWerk and its extension mark a cultural focal point on the edge of the city centre, and this is where the increasingly growing Kubaai quarter begins, which more and more people are using for walks, cycling or playing. They should then discover what is on offer in the appendix and approach it with curiosity. "We invite them to sniff us out, to try us out", said Joachim Freund. In a welcoming address, Bocholt's first deputy mayor Gudrun Koppers emphasised the potential of the location and stressed the importance of cooperation among the city's cultural professionals.

The new cultural centre can be reached from Industriestraße to the right of the LernWerk building as well as from the back from the path along the River Aa. It has its own address at Herdingstraße 5 and is open on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. during exhibitions such as the one currently taking place. Detailed information can be found in the programme flyer on display on the website of the art and culture community at www.kukug-bocholt.de as well as in various media.