8 HOURS OVERTIME (2013)

8uur overwerken werd dit jaar ‘8 Hours Overtime’ omdat NGDH het wel eens tijd vond om wat extra aandacht te hebben voor de internationale creatieven die Den Haag steeds vaker weten te vinden.

Ondanks de naamsverandering bleef het concept de laatste editie onaangetast en dus werkten jonge creatieven ook dit jaar weer acht uur over voor het goede doel.

Terwijl de creatieven hard aan het werk waren, kon publiek in de balzaal van The International Club terecht voor een vermakelijk programma met een talkshow, kunst, muziek en comedy. Kunstenaars, waaronder Marijn Ottenhof en Jason File lieten het publiek hun vakmanschap zien.

Ondertussen praatte Theodore Pronk een Engelstalige talkshow aan elkaar waarin hij met vertegenwoordigers van de goede doelen en partners over uiteenlopende onderwerpen sprak. De Haags-Schotse formatie Knotwilg gaf aan dat programma een muzikale draai en met een eigen versie van Have I Got News For You werd het randprogramma afgesloten en was er weer alle aandacht voor de creatieven die na 8 uur overwerken op het podium hun ontwerpen en adviezen voor een volle zaal konden presenteren.

Jeu-de-boules…

Nieuwe Garde Den Haag demonstrated great sportsmanship during the Creative Convention on the Lange Voorhout. Creative athletes from all around the world  showed different styles in playing jeu-de-boules while performance artist Jason File tried to influence the game in his very own particular way… Although the French players had an advantage growing up playing the game daily, no new international conflicts arised. Also no serious injuries have been reported. More pictures on: http://www.facebook.com/nieuwegardedh

The Talk Show!

With guests like Stephen Hodes (partner at consultancy agency LAgroup) and Samuel Wuersten (art director Holland Dance Festival) we discussed the ‘creative future’ of the international city of The Hague during an entertaining talk show with live music by Julie Scott and Roeland Drost.

Jason File, Puck Verkade and Samuel Wuersten
Photo by Patty Broese van Groenou

During the first session artist Puck Verkade (Wander) and performance artist Jason File joined Samuel Wuersten to point out possibilities to make The Hague more interesting for artists from abroad. Since The Hague weekly gets CNN-airtime we benefit more from what makes us really unique. By connecting ‘peace and justice’ with art The Hague possibly could grow out to become not only the capitol of peace and justice, as well as the capitol of socially engaged art.

Geert Stam (Mundo Den Haag), Sjoerd Louwaars (C4i) and Yair Callender

Wether this is a ‘theme’ Yair Callender can live with remains to be seen. Callender spoke during the show-case-session about his ambition to start a ‘Space’ where he and his fellow-artists are free to produce work, but where also a legacy is being started.

Representing a different kind of creativity Sjoerd Louwaars told about the ‘inspirationlab’ of The Centre for Innovation. To gather society and science C4i organizes Inspirationlabs in which two seemingly different disciplines outline their vision on innovation in their work field. The final project that was featured is Mundo Den Haag.

WILL THE INTERNATIONAL DREAM EVER COME TRUE?

With Stephen Hodes we discussed the international dream of The Hague. Would that ever come true? A resolute “No!” was the answer of the marketing expert who’s done several researches for the municipality of The Hague. Although Hodes doesn’t believe The Hague will ever grow out to become a true creative metropolis he sees the profile of peace and justice as an opportunity to develop the city. But if The Hague actually wants to craze the world it’s required to quit short-term-thinking, invest in individuals with extraordinary talents and to show some guts… Who prefers to walk on the middle of a road, should not be surprised to get hit by a car…