VONK 2021 marked the launch of Houten’s first light art festival, providing a vital cultural platform during the pandemic.
Lotte curated a route of light artworks at Fort bij ‘t Hemeltje, with a team successfully navigating a hurricane to deliver a sold-out event for 7,500 visitors.
Video: Vincent van den Brink -> watch the full aftermovie with audio here
VONK was born in 2021 during the first COVID-19 lockdown.
At a time when the theatre and creative sectors faced significant shutdowns, the festival began as a joint initiative between LotteZ and Theater Aan de Slinger to provide a much-needed spark of joy for the residents of Houten.
It served as a vital platform to keep professionals working and offered recent art graduates a necessary space to exhibit their work when traditional venues were closed.
This first edition took place at Fort bij ’t Hemeltje.
This edition proved to be a test of resilience. Mid-festival, a hurricane threatened the entire event.
Through the combined technical efforts of all people involved we managed to stabilize and repair the installations under extreme conditions, allowing the festival to resume operations at the the same day.
Despite these hurdles, this first edition was a sold-out success, drawing over 7,500 visitors!
By transforming the historical fort into a mini-universe of light and shadow, we demonstrated the potential for immersive, site-specific art to engage a wide audience.
Artwork by Beeldjutters. Photo by Vincent van den Brink 2023
