For 27 years, VK has been a music venue for lovers of alternative music. A place to discover new bands, in that minute before they become big! A place that’s cosmopolitan, diverse and full of life.
During the last funding campaign, 5 years ago, we found our funding drastically reduced. Despite this reduction and its repercussions, driven by our passion for music, our club and the neighbourhood we work in, we managed to keep the venue up and running.
Our doors have been open, providing opportunities for young and local musicians: Performers, Resident artists and starting DJ’s. We also provide PA rehearsals to bands making their debut. For us, it’s a matter of supporting local talent and being at the source of fresh new music.
Molenbeek is our home. We’ve been living and working in the neighbourhood for years. Together with other organisations that work in this community, we organised a wake for the victims of the Paris attacks in November of last year. Thousands of people showed up to pay their respect. We want to share artistic experiences with the neighbourhood and our new concept Café Quartier XXL is enabling us to do just that. It is a concept that spans from underground music to Maghreb musical styles. It’s a very exciting experiment. So much so, that the first editions have proven to be very successful. In these times of fear and mistrust between communities, it warms our hearts to witness people simply enjoy good music together, regardless of their difference in background.
In June 2015 we received good news from Europe and the VGC (Flemish Community Commission). Together, they would be investing 4.5 million euros for the necessary renovations of the centre. We will update the concert hall, foyer, and bar and will co-create a community garden and an artistic lab right in the heart of the VK grounds. The new Vaartkapoen (opening scheduled for 2019) will be a landmark for Molenbeek and a place that holds music, nurturing of talent and dialogue between communities, at its heart.
After years of waiting, we are now finally sure that come 2019, we will be able to host both small and bigger concerts in a well adaptable venue that has excellent ventilation and near perfect sound.
Flanders, however, seems to have a different opinion altogether and wishes no longer to support our venue as stated in the first recommendation for granting funds. In spite of your loyal attendance to our gigs, we need the funding to exist as concert revenues are needed to pay artists. With the subsidies, we pay for staff and technical support.
Should Flanders not reconsider, the VK will shut down January 1st, 2017. Not only Flanders but Brussels and Wallonia will lose a music venue that’s unique in this country. Help us prevent that from happening. VK concerts needs your voice!
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