Catalysts for innovation and creativity in Twente

Creatieve Broedplaatsen

The Broedplaatsen (Creative Hubs) provide creators and entrepreneurs with the opportunity to further embed innovation, entrepreneurship, and a spirit of experimentation in our Twente DNA. It’s not only education, work, and a comfortable home that are important for people’s well-being. Research has shown that living in an environment that encourages creativity also contributes to personal happiness. For this reason, creative hubs have been launched across Twente, connecting art, culture, and technology.

A diverse and vibrant cultural offering is essential for an attractive living and business climate. Creative hubs help draw and retain talent in Twente. With this conviction, the cultural sector, educational institutions, and government are joining forces to establish several of these spaces in the region over the coming years.

The creative hubs provide creators and entrepreneurs with the opportunity to jointly embed innovation, entrepreneurship, and a spirit of experimentation further into our Twente DNA. The ambition is to establish ten new creative hubs across the region.

Funding
Regio Deal

Agenda voor Twente

Want to know more?
Contact project leader Collin Vaneker
M: +316 21 567 444
E: collin@concordia.nl

Space for creativity is important for wellbeing

well-being. Research has shown that living in an environment that encourages creativity also adds to personal happiness. Since last year, creative hubs have been launched across Twente, connecting art, culture, and technology.

Studio 15 in Almelo is one such creative hub. Milou Laroussiyen (17) takes photography coaching there and helps organise workshops. “Young people can learn how to create a website or webshop, develop a logo, or ask questions to a YouTuber, for example. It’s really great to have something like Studio 15 in Almelo. You meet other people, you’re being creative, and you learn things that would be very costly to learn elsewhere.”

Together with Damiën Eektimmerman (26), Milou is organising an exhibition featuring artists from Almelo and the surrounding area, aiming to align with the studio tour. Damiën volunteers at Studio 15. A trained artist, he finds an outlet for his creativity here, but there’s another reason he values having a creative hub nearby. “In early 2020, I experienced a psychotic episode,” he explains. “I was working at the time, but I had to stop because of it. I’m still affected, but things are much better now. At Studio 15, I meet other creatives and help them realise their ideas. The people and the art here really lift my spirits. I feel so much better now. It’s wonderful that this space is freely accessible for creatives. We’re working on setting up an area upstairs with couches and a coffee table to create a place where people can genuinely connect. We want to build a community of people who inspire and support one another, and I’m eager to contribute to that.” Damiën currently works one day a week as a “creative point of contact,” but things are going so well that he’ll soon be working two days a week.