De Nijverheid: interview with Jonathan Straatman

What does De Nijverheid mean to you?
“De Nijverheid is an in-between space. A place somewhere between an art school and a gallery, a museum and a theater. Here, there’s room for experimentation, and not everything has to be a finished product right away. That’s why you’ll find both museum-quality work and pieces that are still in a transitional phase. It’s precisely that combination that we find interesting.” Jonathan is the co-founder of De Nijverheid. Almost 10 years ago, he and Daan Bramer were looking for a place to work and create, but they couldn't find one in Utrecht. “Many temporary spaces for artists were closing down at the time. A study had just been published by the consulting firm Bureau Buiten, which showed that there was a shortage of space: many artists were waiting for a place. We thought, ‘We have to turn this around.’” How do you find a location in a crowded city where artists and creators have the space they need—a location that’s also affordable? “While exploring the city, we quickly stumbled upon this area. Everything came together: the terrain, the waterfront location, and being far enough from residential areas and the city: a safe haven.”

“It might look like a rough-and-tumble place here, but it’s been carefully thought through.”

“We started out very anarchically: small, raw. Everything is possible here. Yet there are very deliberate choices behind the seemingly chaotic appearance. From the very beginning, we’ve thought about a structure that fits the place. To make ‘everything is possible here’ work effectively, we’ve established a flat organizational structure with different departments and their own responsibilities.” In other words: organized chaos. That also applies to the layout of the grounds. “We’ve given this ‘chaos’ a lot of thought. I wanted to bring back the natural crossover that I experienced as a student at the HKU (University of Arts Utrecht). For example, the café-restaurant is situated in such a way that you have to walk through it to reach the rest of the building, making this space the natural communal living room. The same thoughtfulness is evident in the placement of the stage, the galleries, and the exhibition spaces.”

Two photos: In the first photo, you can see Jonathan in a woodworking shop, where he is measuring a piece of wood. In the second photo, Jonathan is standing outside holding a glass door. Next to him is a huge stack of wood.

"You can wander and explore here. The raw character of the space offers room for experimentation."

How do you look at the future of De Nijverheid?
De Nijverheid can look ahead: this space will remain available as a creative hub for the city until 2040. That gives us room to further develop it and make it even better. “We want to go deeper, making decisions based on our foundation: the creators who work here, the artists who present their work, and the visitors.” The lease extension does come with a rent increase though. “To avoid simply passing this rent increase on to the renters, we’re looking for other ways to generate income. For example, by expanding the space. But there’s also a deliberate consideration behind this: how big can you become without losing the small-scale feel and sense of community? The expansion offers opportunities to connect creators, artists and the visitors even more effectively. For instance, we’re bringing renowned names to De Nijverheid to set up projects. Such as Galerie Larik’s mini-gallery."

"This is the first in a series of mini-galleries we plan to build here. Bringing high-end art here, and showcasing what’s created. Forging connections between the city, a broader network and the creators who are present at De Nijverheid.”

How does De Nijverheid contribute to the city?
Creative hubs in the city are often temporary. The city is evolving, and space is scarce. There is still a shortage of space for artists. Unlike many other creative hubs, De Nijverheid focuses specifically on independent visual artists rather than the broader creative industry. “De Nijverheid meets a need for places where you’re free to experiment, be part of a community, and grow. We organize events. We have long-term collaborations such as U? and its predecessor, Le Mini Who?. The more successful we are in this, the more we can contribute to the city.”

A photo of Jonathan on the terrace of De Nijverheid. Jonathan is out of focus in the photo; the focus is on the terrace, which is filled with tables and chairs.

What is your most memorable moment here?
“That’s a tough one, I’ve experienced so many wonderful moments here. Looking back, I really love the small-scale things we’ve done. For example, in the beginning, we organized an evening featuring a silent film where a musician improvised the accompanying music. Small events that are kind of cobbled together: those fit De Nijverheid perfectly.”