Hasselt (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): Ruben Vanschoonbeek and Lennart Jansen are launching Bootstraat in Hasselt, a cultural hub for youth featuring concerts, artistic spaces, and events, supported by De Serre and the Free Festival (AFF).
The new space at Bootstraat will be more than just a music venue. Ruben Vanschoonbeek, the founder of youth work De Serre, and Lennart Jansen, who organizes the Free Festival (AFF), want to create a lively hub for youth culture and art. Their aim isn’t to copy Muziekodroom, a former music club in Hasselt, but to offer a wider platform for creative expression.
What role will Bootstraat play in revitalizing youth culture in Hasselt?
Bootstraat will serve as a venue for concerts and nightlife, as well as a space for learning and artistic development, addressing the needs of young people in the city. The new location will act as a cultural hub where talents can grow, combining the resources of both AFF and De Serre. AFF will provide expertise in live music and events like the Sound Track program, while De Serre will offer a creative environment for exploring various art forms. The goal is to establish Bootstraat as a unique site for cultural exchange and youth engagement in Limburg.
According to Ruben Vanschoonbeek, who started the youth work initiative De Serre, the project is more than just a music venue. While it will still have concerts and nightlife, De Serre is meant to be a larger cultural and creative space for young people in Hasselt. The facility will provide different creative opportunities, like rehearsal spaces and studios for recording podcasts. There will also be special areas, such as a screen-printing studio and a darkroom for developing photos, which will let young artists explore various art forms beyond music.
It has been said that De Serre and the Free Festival (AFF) will be in the same building but will run their activities, keeping their unique styles. They both want to help young people in Hasselt by promoting creativity, learning, and teamwork, making the space more than just for concerts. After the Muziekodroom closed two years ago, there was a need for a place for youth in Limburg to gather and develop their skills. The new Bootstraat is designed to connect young people with music. There are concerts and a fun club night planned, with activities every week. The bar will be open three times a week, and there will be regular concerts. They also want to let others use the space for events in the future.
