The Huidenclub is a new cultural hotspot in Rotterdam. It’s located in an industrial building from 1914. It takes its name from its predecessor, the tannery De Coöperatieve Vereniging Rotterdamsche Huidenclub at Pelgrimstraat 5c.
The platform temporarily opened its door during the summer edition of Art Rotterdam and it was starting point of Momo Fabrique last September. It opens in January 2022. It’s welcoming proposals for its first Open Call under the theme Self-Assemble. The deadline to send proposals is 31 November 2021.
The proposals can be multi-disciplinary. They must address how a bottom-up non-institution can self-assemble and strategically address societal and ecological justice. Exhibitions, performances, screenings, readings, debates of varying durations, everything is possible.
The vision of Huidenclub
The new workspace wants to bring together artists, designers, and thinkers to form an inclusive creative ecosystem alongside an active public program. Taking a holistic approach, the Huidenclub provides opportunities to further the careers of its residents while giving them opportunities to collaborate and connect. Situated in a repurposed tannery, this historic space includes studios and co-working desks, in addition to a range of production facilities. Biannual themes addressing urgent contemporary themes will invite residents and guests to take part in a program of exhibitions, performances, talks, and screenings open to the broader public.
The residents are selected on the basis of their artistic, creative or professional merit, their risk-taking attitude and their commitment to the societal values of the Huidenclub.
Chantal Schoenmakers and Liv Vaisberg are the founders. Chantal Schoenmakers is an architect, she started her career at MVRDV. She next founded the Rotterdam office IWT together with Bastiaan Kalmeyer. Her expertise is the transformation of buildings and sites that contribute to the improvement of the urban living environment through open and experimental initiatives.
The founders
Liv Vaisberg is a cultural entrepreneur, she worked in Brussels as the initiator of Poppositions, a fair for emerging art. She’s also part of A Performance Affair, a fair for performance art. She was co-director of Independent Brussels and co-founder of Collectible, the first global fair for collectible design. She is responsible for international relations and strategy of Art Rotterdam.
The Huidenclub is part of a much bigger project on the edge of the Merwe-Vierhavens (M4H) area: Diepeveen. The project is named after the monument The Huidenclub is part of. The brick building once belonged to the firm Diepeveen & Co. It was built in 1930 as an office and warehouse. The distinctive 30-meter tower served as an advertising column.
Development partners, Dudok Groep and Dura Vermeer, intend to restore the iconic listed building to its former glory. The plan is to add a new volume for housing (approximately 170 new homes) next to the Dakpark. Transforming it into an attractive urban residential environment.
With an active public program with exhibitions, performances, dinners, lectures and debates the residents will involve the neighbourhood and visitors in their quest. There will also be a canteen where artists, designers and neighbours can meet. With the Huidenclub, Rotterdam-West has gained a place that stimulates, inspires and connects and where everyone is welcome.
