Mechelen (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): The socio-cultural center mARTa is transforming the Sacred Heart Church in Mechelen, supported by Alderman Biörn Siffer, to provide a space for local artists and community events.
The new socio-cultural center ‘mARTa’ is being created in the old Sacred Heart Church on Adegemstraat in Mechelen. A significant moment occurred when the first stone was laid on 20th September Friday evening, marking the start of the transformation of the church into a community hub. Renovations will begin next week to repurpose the church while preserving its original architecture. The center will host various cultural activities and events, providing a space for artistic expression and community gatherings.
What benefits will the new mARTa cultural center bring to Mechelen?
It has been said that the ‘mARTa’ location is special because it mixes old history with new culture. Using the Sacred Heart Church again helps bring new life to the building and keeps the community connected to its past while encouraging creativity and social activities. Building ‘mARTa’ is part of a bigger plan in Mechelen to improve cultural places, and putting it in such an important spot shows that the city cares about keeping its historical sites while making them useful today.
Alderman for Culture Biörn Siffer announced that ‘mARTa’ will open in Mechelen as a new place for amateur arts. He said that while the city has many cultural centers for professional artists, there isn’t enough support for local artists and amateur groups. These groups often have a hard time finding good spaces for practice and performances, and ‘mARTa’ is meant to help with that.
According to Alderman for Culture Biörn Siffer this project shows that Mechelen wants to help local artists by giving them places to create and show their work. The cultural center, ‘mARTa’, will help local talent grow by giving them a space to practice, work together, and perform. By solving the problem of not having enough places for non-professional artists, ‘mARTa’ is set to become an important part of the city, supporting the amateur arts and making the culture more welcoming for everyone.
