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Press Release: VIERNULVIER

Voo?uit Arts Centre is now VIERNULVIER, still located at De Vooruit.

Voo?uit Arts Centre is now VIERNULVIER, still located at De Vooruit. The Arts Centre has finally concluded its search for a new name and decided to make a clear distinction between its activities and its location. From now on, VIERNULVIER will be organising its programme at (and out of) De Vooruit, the monument that will always carry this name.

“The staff and the board are confident that, as an international arts centre with a large and young audience, we can make VIERNULVIER a strong brand. 
As VIERNULVIER we will be able to promote our programme and further our social and ecological commitments without being confused with a political party.”

Franky Devos, General Coordinator

WHY VIERNULVIER?

The search for a new name was not without its challenges. The question of whether a name could be found at all led us to a term familiar to anyone who has ever searched for something unfindable on the internet: the error code ‘404’ (page not found).

Being figuratively confronted with this error code is what ultimately sparked the idea for our new name. VIERNULVIER marks the end of a long search and the beginning of something new. With this name, we’re giving a nod to the past while looking positively towards the future. VIERNULVIER – a number – is free of baggage: it does not refer to any particular memory, building, party or history. As VIERNULVIER, we once again have all the space we need to give substance to our brand.

“As VIERNULVIER, we look at the past with humour and self-reflection. In this way, we are drawing strength from this difficult search. VIERNULVIER means: keep searching, keep trying. The name also refers to our continuous search, as an art institution, for our place in the city and in the world.”

Elisah Vandaele, Communication Coordinator 

WELCOME TO VIERNULVIER AT DE VOORUIT

As an art institution, VIERNULVIER makes a distinction between its activities and De Vooruit, the location where it operates and where it receives its visitors. The monument on Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat will keep its name, but VIERNULVIER is much more than just De Vooruit. Our summer programme is diverse in scope, with dance, performance, debate, music and nightlife activities, spread across various locations in Ghent. 

VIERNULVIER also has a new website: viernulvier.gent 

“De Vooruit now refers to our building. VIERNULVIER refers to our organisation. Such a distinction between building and activities is not a new concept: take the Bourla at the Toneelhuis in Antwerp, for example, or Compagnie Cecilia at De Expeditie in Ghent. It also allows us to communicate more clearly about our programme ‘outside’ De Vooruit – at other locations in Ghent, in other words.” Isabelle Van Cauwenberge, Chairperson, Executive Board

NEW NAME, NEW PLANS

In the coming years, VIERNULVIER will be going all-in on innovation, experimentation and discovery. We’re breathing new life into our programme by embracing circus arts, spoken word and food. We’re also welcoming new resident artists* for dance and performance, renewing our focus on music productions with residencies and our own label, and experimenting with gaming. 
In short: nothing for everyone, something for everybody ... 

Read more about our new plans at viernulvier.gent  
and watch the campaign video on the launch of our new name here. 

*Damaged Goods/Meg Stuart & Jozef Wouters, laGeste, Mette Ingvartsen, Alexander Vantournhout, Joshua Serafin & Laura Nsengiyumva

CONTACT

Elisah Vandaele
Communication Coordinator & Press Officer
0496 60 16 53
elisah.vandaele@viernulvier.gent

Franky Devos
General Coordinator
0476 24 94 59
franky.devos@viernulvier.gent