END FEST: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐞𝐦𝐬

END FEST: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐞𝐦𝐬
CULTTERRA goes to Kortrijk, Belgium

END FEST took place as part of the project “𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐞𝐦𝐬”, a collaboration between Cultterra (Elefsina, Greece) and Durf Jij (Kortrijk, Belgium), supported by the Erasmus+ program.
The phrase reflects the idea of a space that is undervalued or underused but can be transformed into something valuable and essential.

END FEST marked the final stage of this long-term project. The CULTTERRA team, together with young people from Elefsina, Magoula, Mandra, and Aspropyrgos, traveled to Kortrijk, Belgium. From the very first day, a creative and meaningful week unfolded, full of collaborations, exchanges, and cultural experiences.

The meeting point was DAM71, a former hotel that has been transformed into a creative hub. During their stay, CULTTERRA visited local collectives and organizations, took part in artistic workshops, and discovered new ways of reclaiming public space. Members had the opportunity to try screen printing and bleach painting techniques at Destroate, join projection mapping sessions in abandoned buildings, experiment with podcasts and digital tools at Quindo, and engage in discussions about creating safe cultural spaces.

They also visited artistic spaces and workshops such as Bolwerk, BAF!, and Ok! Radio, which bring old buildings back to life through artistic and community use. CULTTERRA also participated in open activities, including the Poetry Performance on the Water with poetry in multiple languages, a graffiti jam, music workshops, as well as the Cultterra Dub and Ballroom Party events hosted at DAM71.

This journey highlighted the importance of intercultural exchange and the power of youth to transform public space. CULTTERRA was impressed by the way abandoned buildings are repurposed in Belgium, as well as by the support provided by municipalities, the region, and major cultural organizations to new initiatives. The experience proved that nationality, gender, religion, or social background are not obstacles when there is a shared goal: creativity, solidarity, and community empowerment.

CULTTERRA returned from Belgium with fresh ideas and knowledge to be applied in future projects in Elefsina, continuing to serve as an example of cultural decentralization and the promotion of contemporary cultural heritage.

The week’s program was organized by Durf2030, Gael Houlpine, and Jolle Desloover, while the Greek delegation was coordinated by CULTTERRA facilitators Marianna Zervogiorgi and Fiorida Tsenai, together with Youth Workers Panos Stavrianos and Giannis Loukopoulos.
The young participants were Orestis Troka, Marianda Kazakou, Nektaria Kontoliou, Kris Triantafyllou, Aristini Papadioti, and Loukas Iliopoulos.