Cultural incubators often play key role in attracting region

Investing in cultural incubators contributes to the regional business climate for residents and companies. That is what the president of the Council for Culture Kristel Baele said last weekend at the opening of the new breeding ground 'Nesse' in the municipality of Terneuzen. In her speech, she broke a lance to continue investing in easily accessible cultural facilities in every city, village and region.... in every city, village and region. "We see every investment in culture as an investment in broad prosperity."

It is precisely low-threshold, accessible cultural facilities that allow local talent to flourish. According to the council, this often leads to high-quality cultural offerings with a region-wide appeal. "If you want to get there, you have to start investing at the base," warned Kristel Baele. "That goes beyond just library and cultural education. It requires investing in facilities and an infrastructure that focuses on and facilitates culture makers in all their diversity, independent of institutions."

She says these makers are also often eager for incubators: "Spaces that can be used as studios, studios or rehearsal spaces are scarce and often temporary. Moreover, makers are increasingly looking for collaboration in loose connections. We hear a broad call for regional cultural hubs all over the country. Incubators like Nesse have potential to grow into such a hub."

Baele further complimented the initiators of Nesse, including the Municipality of Terneuzen, the Province of Zeeland and the funders through the Region Deal North Sea Port District: "You show what you can achieve when you connect between different domains of society."

The council already drew attention to hubs and culture in the region in early 2024 in its opinion ‘Access to culture, towards a news system in 2029‘.