More than 40 creative entrepreneurs from Keilewerf lost their entire workplace in just one hour on June 28 when a fire broke out in one of the buildings. For this blogpost, PhD Candidate Phuong Hoan Le invited Olga Vincent from the Department of Arts and Culture Studies to briefly reflect on this accident and to share ways in which we can help as outsiders. Among other things, the Keilewerf team started a crowdfunding campaign that will help makers to get a new home in Rotterdam.
The Keilewerf in Rotterdam is a rather unique space where makers with different specialisations work next to each other and with each other. The makerspace lives and breathes diversity, being situated in the most culturally diverse city in the Netherlands.
Disaster struck
On June 28 a fire broke out in one of the Keilewerf buildings destroying creative spaces, workshops, equipment, materials, personal possessions of many local makers. I had an opportunity to speak to some of them for my research back in 2021, and I sincerely hope that Keilewerfers can have a new start. Keilewerfers didn’t just engaged in local production, many of them embraced values of reciprocity, community, knowledge sharing. Circular economy and sustainability were also at the heart of companies such as Buurman. For researchers and students at ESHCC it was a yearly trip destination. In this article, you can read more about multiple types of value that Keilewerfers created for the city of Rotterdam.
Help for a new start
The Keilewerf launched a crowdfunding campaign which is being vigorously supported, but each additional euro can help creative entrepreneurs to have a new start: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-de-keilewervers
In addition to that, there have been a few fundraiser events including a screening of Wes Anderson's new movie Asteroid City in KINO. The next event will be a Keilewerf Benefiet concert in Annabel on Thursday 27 July 2023: https://www.annabel.nu/keilewerf-benefiet-concert-in-annabel/
More fundraising opportunities may follow. You can stay updated by subscribing to Keilewerf Facebook page, Instagram page, or checking their website!
- Researcher