Ronse (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – 11 artists, including Sander Buyck, are transforming the historic Heynsdaele sanatorium in Ronse into a cultural hub with studios, exhibitions, and artist residencies, opening in September 2025.
11 artists from the area have joined together to create a non-profit group called Het Sanatorium. They’ve rented the old sanatorium for 40 years in Ronse, province of East Flanders, Belgium; They’re going to turn it into a place for art and culture.
According to the officials, artists have already been using the building a little bit. The artists want to make a place where they can create art together and share it with the community. They’re setting up studios and workshops in the old rooms where people used to get medical care.
They’re planning to have exhibitions, host artists who come to stay for a while, and put on events for the public. The artists want to create a place where they can make art and share it with everyone.
“We all have our studio and communal space here, and will hold exhibitions there, among other things,”
Says artist Sander Buck.
Who are the 11 artists turning Heynsdaele into an art hub?
A group of 11 artists includes Sander Buyck, Stijn De Poureg, Charlie De Voet, Katrien Eeckhout, Manon Soetens, Karel Thienpont, Anke Vandemeulebrocke, Fobin Vermeersch, Tim Volckaert, Thibault Carlier, and Stef De Medts. These artists are all different, some are young and some are older.
They mentioned that they do different kinds of art, but they all love art and want to make a place where they can work together. They said that the younger artists bring new ideas and energy, while the older artists have more experience and knowledge. They all want to share their ideas and learn from each other.
The artists chose to turn the sanatorium into a creative space because it’s in Ronse, a town in the Flemish Ardennes. The artists think that Ronse is a good place to make art because it’s cheaper than other places like Ghent, and it’s surrounded by nature.
“Everyone comes from the south of the province, so there is a link with each other. Everything has to be ready in September,”
Says artist Sander Buck.
The old Heynsdaele sanatorium, located in the woods between Kluisbergen. It was built in 1924 as a place to help people with tuberculosis. Then, in the late 1960s, it became a school for kids. The school closed in 2020, and the building was empty. Now, it’s being turned into an arthub.
