The real estate department of Eindhoven municipality should communicate better with the cultural sector. GroenLinks advocates a ‘cultural real estate translation machine’.
According to GroenLinks, officials who manage real estate on behalf of the municipality and those artists who make use of that real estate often talk past each other. All too often, notices from the municipality cause artists to panic because they do not understand the real estate jargon used by the municipality.
“In the past year, for example, this concerns ateliers Ruysdaelbaan, BioArt Laboratories, Inkijkmuseum and the Van Abbehuis. The communication often arrives more business-like or legal than intended. The cultural initiatives are first and foremost addressed as tenants, or even ‘users’, rather than partners of significance to the city,” writes the group.
“Some legal, business terms frighten the initiatives and make them think that they have to leave the premises. They also suggest that eviction is necessary, or that they are running great financial risks. Very often, a solution is already being sought, and the stress that arises is unnecessary”, according to GroenLinks.
Design and maintenance
On the other hand, the municipality is said to have little understanding of the artists’ actions. The municipality would sometimes not understand the way in which artists furnish and maintain their premises. Also, officials do not always visit the locations when cultural activities are planned.
Therefore, GroenLinks wants to know whether these signals seem familiar to the municipality. In addition, the group wants to know what steps the council will take to improve the communication between the municipal real estate department and the artists.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Anitha Sevugan
