CultuurSplash Mechelen | A Unique Cultural Weekend Full of Experience

From Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 September, Mechelen was all about Culture Splash. This vibrant event not only closed the city festival Construct Europe, but also marked the start of the new cultural season. Although I was not able to experience everything personally, I had the chance to capture several highlights, such as the impressive Human Chess on the Grote Markt, the lively Artists’ and Makers’ Market on Adegemstraat, and very briefly the parade and fanfare for human rights by collective ART217 and a glimpse of sculpture theatre DE MAAN. Let us look back on a weekend full of creativity and discovery.

A Cultural Festival for Everyone

During Culture Splash, Mechelen’s cultural houses worked intensively together to offer a wide range of activities. From theatre and music to art installations, the city was filled with creative energy. The festival highlighted Construct Europe’ s core values of connection, collaboration and dialogue. This was strongly emphasised by Collective ART217, which made a powerful statement with their parade and fanfare for human rights.

The many street artists, stallholders and art projects gave Mechelen a dynamic atmosphere. Everywhere you went, there was something to experience. The sunny weather on Saturday, with temperatures rising to 25 degrees, provided a perfect late summer atmosphere.

Human Chess: A Living Game of Chess

One of the most remarkable events was Human Chess, a living chess game in the Grote Markt. Led by Maarten Inghels and Theatre DE MAAN, the square was transformed into a gigantic chess board measuring 24 metres by 24. In the role of pawns, we did not see ordinary chess pieces, but real people: firefighters, musicians, footballers and cooks. For the first hour, the 40 extras reenacted historical chess games, only to indulge in a symbolic game with no winners or losers. It was a visual spectacle that both intrigued and moved the spectators. (An interview with Maarten can soon be seen on Traveltopper YouTube)
Continue reading below the photos

The game of chess symbolised the turbulent times when innocent citizens are often used as pawns by powerful forces. This strong message touched everyone who attended. It was a performance that will long be remembered. Those who wanted to play an effective game of chess were welcome to join the volunteers of the Royal Malines Chess Circle.

Creativity and Art in the City Center

Not far from the Grote Markt, in Adegemstraat, mARTa organised the MontmARTa Art and Maker’s Market in collaboration with De Floeren Aap Events and Ellen Wendellen. Local artists and artisans presented their work around the deconsecrated Sacred Heart Church. Here, you could not only admire art, but also engage in various workshops yourself. The combination of contemporary creativity and the historical location created a special atmosphere. The highlight was the total artwork ‘Connected City‘ will be on display for the first time, a gem to which everyone from the Heihoek district contributed. Read more under the photos

The visual theatre DE MAAN also contributed to the success of Culture Splash with interactive activities and performances that managed to enchant both young and old.

Enjoying a Special Weekend

The cultural festival in Mechelen was an event that will continue to resonate for a long time. For those who were there, it was an unforgettable experience. For those who missed it, there are fortunately enough photos and memories to look back on. With a rich variety of activities and a bright day full of sun, Cultuursplash showed us how strongly Mechelen’s culture lives.

The new cultural season has officially started and Cultuursplash was the perfect kick-off. The dynamism and creativity that flooded the city offer a promising prelude to what the cultural calendar has to offer in the coming months. Let’s look forward to the next edition of Cultuursplash, because this festival definitely leaves us wanting more!

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