July 17, 2019
Irma van der Sloot: ‘Sport en cultuur zorgen voor preventie’
Irma van der Sloot is an alderwoman in Kampen and is responsible for culture, among other things. Kampen is one of 14 cities that launched Cultuur@CruyffCourts in 2019. This collaboration between the Youth Fund for Sport & Culture and the Johan Cruyff Foundation organizes cultural and creative activities on Cruyff Courts in underprivileged neighborhoods. What was the added value of Cultuur@CruyffCourts for her?
"Culture@CruyffCourts definitely added value," says Irma van der Sloot. "A lot of people came, and it introduced them to art and culture in an accessible way. Many amateur arts groups were involved through our local arts education center, Quintus, and everyone was incredibly enthusiastic. Both the groups and the participants. It really lowered the barrier to entry into culture."
People come into contact with each other
"It's important that these kinds of things happen in the neighborhood," says the alderman. "People connect with each other and with different cultural forms. Normally, the Cruyff Courts are primarily sports events, but now the focus is on culture, which naturally created a good mix of sports and culture. There's always a certain atmosphere surrounding art and culture. But art can be very accessible; it's for everyone. The Cultuur@CruyffCourts project proves that."
Prevention is better than cure
Irma van der Sloot: “Everyone should be able to participate in culture. This is also true within the framework of social policy. Prevention is better than cure. Sports and culture provide prevention and keep people engaged. Kampen has a significant group of low-income families. It's especially important for this group that their children can still participate. We strongly encourage this. That's why I'm so pleased with a project like Cultuur@CruyffCourts.”
More about Cultuur@CruyffCourts
Also read:
Jenneke Bos (JOGG): 'Culture@CruyffCourts is more than just fun activities'
Social workers Michel and Juliëtte: 'A seed has been planted'
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