Bühne de BovenLucht was founded in June 1997 by the Rotterdam visual artist Arnold Schalks. Since then, he provided the in- and outdoor spaces around his studio for the presentation of literature, visual arts, film-/video art and performing arts. From december 1997 on, the Bühne operated as a foundation.
The facilities of Bühne de BovenLucht consisted of a number of multifunctional spaces around the stairwell, three platforms inserted in the elevatorshaft and the flat rooftop of an industrial building at the Keileweg 26 in Rotterdam. The building was located in a non-stop active sector of the port of Rotterdam. The roof terrace offered a splendid view of the typical non stop activity of this international sea port.
Cross-section of the tower of the former Inverpak-factory at the Keileweg in Rotterdam.
THEATER
Foundation Bühne de BovenLucht produced three musictheater performances: 'Uitzicht' in 1997, in 1999 'Brandschat' and in 2000 'Recombinant'. The last two projects were included in the programming of the metropolitan arts festival 'September in Rotterdam'. The extensive documentation of these events is available on this website.
FILM
GAF 5: open air projection on the roofterrace (level 4).
Around the turn of the century, Bühne de BovenLucht produced, coordinated and facilitated the five editions of the Global Attic Filmfestival, a small-scale cinematographic event initiated in 1996 by Arnold Schalks. The Rotterdam filmmaker Noud Heerkens and his foundation Picos de Europa curated the program from 1997 on. The following editions took place:
1st Global Attic video- & Filmfestival (1996)
2nd Global Attic video- & Filmfestival (1997)
3rd Global Attic video- & Filmfestival (1998) [Click here to download the'GAF gazette #3' in pdf format./ File size: 88 KB/ © 1998, Rotterdam, Arnold Schalks.]4th Global Attic video- & Filmfestival (2000)
5th Global Attic Festival (2002)
After 2002, Arnold Schalks continued to put the objectives of Bühne de BovenLucht into practice with art space the Free Shed (2004-2005) and OCW, stage for small-scale events (2009- ).