Rataplan

Rataplan soon developed a wide range of theatre, music, film and workshops for a young, urban and hungry audience. Close cooperations with associations, schools and neighbourhood groups were also anchored in the activities.

Already during the pioneering years, Rataplan resolutely draws the jazz card. Rataplan offers innovative musicians a stage and is an ardent advocate and pioneer of a Flemish jazz network that today is extremely fascinating and diverse.

Almost the entire Belgian jazz scene has been on stage in Rataplan. Artists like Jef Neve and Robin Verheyen already played there when they were young talents just looking at the window, but also renowned jazz musicians and groups like Philippe Catherine, Bert Joris, Philippe Aerts, AKA Moon, Lander Gyselinck, De Beren Gieren or BRZZVLL coloured the bill.  

Apart from that, Rataplan welcomes international artists like Sons of Kemet, Soweto Kinch, Jamie Peet or Niels Broos every year. Rataplan has grown into the jazz podium in Antwerp, with a supra-local character, presenting young and established names, offering opportunities and space.

Rataplan receives local funds from the City of Antwerp, Borgerhout district, and project grants from the Arts Decree with which the house sets up a neighbourhood-oriented children's and youth work, a jazz work and artistic projects with the city as its breeding ground.

Rataplan will focus on extensive cooperation with partners and curating artists.

March 2020. Belgium is closed and public life comes to a standstill. Rataplan doesn't sit still.   In house, Rataplan offers long-term rehearsal opportunities, video clips are recorded of Granvat, Lucid Lucia for example and emerging artists make new work. Outside Rataplan lives up to its reputation as an art house in and for the neighbourhood, with door-to-door performances, pop-up tones, slam poetry walks with Seckou Ouologuem and short videos are made in which artists talk about their artistic experiences (Common Ground). During the summer of 2020, the Track East youth programme will take shape (in collaboration with TRIX, JES and Fameus).

In the autumn of 2021, Rataplan will once again open its doors to the public with a robust jazz programme, jam sessions and concerts curated by Vincent Brijs, Nabou Claerhout will be artist-in-residence (Connections), there will be a month full of children's art, showcases of artists participatory projects with city residents such as Iedereen Stadsdichter (where city residents donate their stories to slam poets, curated by city poet Seckou Ouologuem), XXL Onze buurt (door-to-door project), Common Ground (talks), De Fakkel (musical walk with Trix), ...