In order to survive in the coming years, the musical association must look for a structural solution. “The number of members must increase and we must also cut salaries. We have a professional team, which means that the quality of the children is also increasing. That of course has a price, but if it almost makes you go bankrupt, you really have to change something.”
‘Learning who you want to be’
If the musical association indeed disappears from Alkmaar, it would be an eternal shame, says 22-year-old Kyara van der Rhee. She is part of the group for 16 to 23 year olds. “This is the place where I discovered myself. Here I learned who I want to be and how to interact with other people,” she says.
Moreover, she has built up cherished friendships there. “You make a lot of friends here because you do what you enjoy most: singing and dancing together. It is so important to have this in your city: a cultural place, where young people can discover their creative sides and possibly pursue a career in to develop theatre.”
The children hope to get some extra attention for their fundraising campaign with a special Christmas campaign on social media: