Vanmechelen passes the torch

After four transformative years as inspirator of the Watou Arts Festival, Koen Vanmechelen is now passing the torch. He believes the time has come for new voices to shape the next chapter of the festival.

In 2020, the organizers of the Watou Arts Festival invited artist Koen Vanmechelen to help rethink the foundation of the festival during a time of transformation and transition. Vanmechelen developed Patchwwwork — a new curatorial approach that invited artists to immerse themselves in the unique context of Watou: its landscape, its people, its pace.

Rather than imposing answers, Patchwwwork aimed to create space for thought and creation. Artists were encouraged to engage deeply with the place and its community, resulting in three distinct editions:

Patchwwwork I – Sense of Place (2022)

Patchwwwork II – /kom.po'zi.ci.o:/ (2023)

Patchwwwork III – Landscape of the Imagination (2024)

Throughout the process, there was a strong emphasis on dialogue with the Watou community. Feelings of being overlooked - by politics, by the outside world, and even by the festival itself - were openly addressed. By incorporating these voices into the festival’s philosophy and concept, Patchwwwork succeeded in reconnecting the event with its local roots. The people of Watou became more than a picturesque backdrop; they became co-creators.

The trajectory revealed the true strength of the festival: collectivity. In the next edition, The Smell of Grass is Changing intentionally brings together diverse collectives to help shape Watou’s future from multiple perspectives.

Now, the time has come for transition. Koen Vanmechelen steps back, making space for new voices and new energy, while remaining involved in the background.

“Watou is alive - not because of me, but thanks to those who continue to nurture it,” says Vanmechelen.

He extends his best wishes to the new curators, Danielle van Zuijlen, Bart Lodewijks and Michaël Vandebril, and the organization as they carry the festival forward. “It was an honour to help lay the groundwork for its next chapter.”