With seven affiliated artists from the municipalities of Meppel, De Wolden and Westerveld, the artist collective Sch!k is still a significant factor. “Many people think that Sch!k was closed down after the bankruptcy of Scala, but we are completely separate from that,” explains Hugo Galama from Ansen.’
“They are confusing Sch!k and Scala,” adds Jet Violier from Uffelte. The members still give courses, each in their own field, but do so at various locations throughout the region. For example, painter and draftsman Violier rents a beautiful space at BHome@Work on the Zomerdijk in Meppel, which is in any case a breeding ground for smaller companies. Potter Marloes Brands was forced to renovate her house in Uffelte and ceramist Mooniq Priem from Dwingeloo now teaches in her own living room. Potter Joop Beekwilder from Steenwijk also teaches at home, while sculptor Hugo Galama already had his own studio and training room in Ansen. Both graphic artists Trees van Es and Nicoline Goris can visit the Printing Museum in Meppel.
Literally locked
Last year there was a bit of panic among the people of Education in Art when it became known that Scala was bankrupt and the courses could no longer be given in De Plataan. The classroom doors were literally locked after the last lessons. “We were no longer allowed to take anything from the classrooms,” says Violier. In fact, they already saw the problems coming. Galama: “It had been messing around for some time. We started Sch!k more than ten years ago when we had to continue as independent entrepreneurs from being employed. Later the music teachers followed the same path.”
There was a financial reason why Sch!k did not stay together, the costs would be too high. Sch!k had a beautiful space in mind in Bhome@Work, for which they would have liked to receive a starting subsidy. “But the municipalities turned off the money tap, while we as a collective have never had a subsidy. We could always keep our own pants on,” Violier looks back. Sculptor Galama had the luck of his own studio and was hit least hard. “In the beginning I did teach model sculpting in De Plataan, but that always involved a lot of dragging of materials. That’s why I gave the lessons at home in Ansen.”
Skip the entire fall
Marloes Brands and Joop Beekwilder were not that lucky. “I decided to renovate at home, it is now finally ready for use, but I had to skip the entire autumn. And it is not finished yet, the outside still needs to be finished.” Jet Violier is happy with the rental of a studio at Bhome@Work, where she pays neatly per half day used. Mooniq Priem faced a completely different challenge. “I just joined Sch!k before Scala folded, but fortunately I have a large octagonal house. The living room is now a classroom, which fortunately my friend agreed.”
The binding factor
Education in Art is now at the point where peace has returned. “We would like to grow, gain more body. We miss the binding factor, although we certainly know how to find each other. It would be great if we could expand our collective with, for example, a photographer, goldsmith, designers and glass artist. And we quietly hope that a building might become available somewhere. We also lack a good exhibition space,” sums up Hugo Galama.
They really want to move into the future as a unit, have plans to organize an open day, for example, and are open to new ideas. Together they have the website and an informative newsletter. “The bond is there, but the fact that bankruptcy came after corona was difficult. Fortunately, we also have three volunteers who form the board of Sch!k,” reports Hugo. Jet laughs: “Yes, we are artists, not accountants.”
Info: www.scholeninkunst.nl