The Arts Center Vooruit in Ghent.
Side wall of Vooruit.

Vooruit (Dutch: Kunstencentrum Vooruit,[lower-alpha 1] lit.'Forward Arts Centre') is a historic complex in Ghent, Belgium. Vooruit was originally the festival and art center of the Ghent-based labor movement, with a ballroom, cinema, theater, etc. It is now mainly used for concerts and other cultural events.

History

Vooruit was designed by Ferdinand Dierkens and built between 1911 and 1914 and became a symbol of the socialist movement in the interwar period. The building is named after the socialist consumer organization (or cooperative) Vooruit ("Forward") (1891-1970), supported by Edward Anseele, to protect workers against the instability of capitalism. There workers could eat, drink and enjoy culture at affordable costs.

As a festival and art center, Vooruit was part of the compartmentalized Flemish society until World War II. After the Second World War the building deteriorated until the re-launch in 1982 in its present form as a cultural center. In 1983 Vooruit was recognized as a listed monument. The building continued operating during the restoration process, from 1990 to 2000. In 2000, a fully restored Vooruit was awarded the Flemish Monument of the year Prize.[1]

Presently the rooms are used for parties and concerts, but also for cultural events or debates.

See also

References

  1. Dutch pronunciation: [ˈvoːrœyt]
Citations
  1. "History, vooruit.be". Archived from the original on 2009-09-26. Retrieved 2014-10-13.

51°02′52″N 3°43′40″E / 51.04778°N 3.72778°E / 51.04778; 3.72778

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