With 21,000 visitors, the Watou arts festival attracts more people than last year
The organization looks back with satisfaction. The arts festival in Watou in West Flanders received more visitors than last year.
“We had 10 percent more visitors in the first weeks of July, but after that the bad weather played tricks on us,” says alderman for culture Loes Vandromme (CD&V). “The Watou visitor clearly comes for the total picture: experiencing art, cycling and walking, having a drink on a terrace. And then the weather is a determining factor. Many visitors also make it a multi-day trip.”
New concept
The arts festival came up with a new concept. Artists camped in Watou during the summer under the motto ‘Patchwork’. They were selected by an international jury chaired by Koen Vanmechelen.
“The thirty Patchwworkers who pitched their tent in Watou this summer are now hatching projects for the next edition. The link between visual artists and poets is a hit,” says coordinator Annemie Morisse.
The poetry course can be followed until the end of September. The route takes visitors past thirteen war poems selected or written by contemporary poets. Each poem has a QR code that visitors can scan. This allows them to hear the war poems with the voice of actor Tijmen Govaerts.