Vooruit

The Vooruit Ghent is a cultural center and a standing under monument protection of historic building complex, which was originally created as the home of the people of the consumer cooperative Vooruit in Ghent.

History

Ferdinand Dierkens was the architect of the built 1911-1914 building which functioned until the 1930s as a symbol of strength of the Belgian Socialist movement in the interwar period. The namesake, the consumer cooperative Vooruit ( "Forward ") was founded in 1891 by Edward Anseele and existed until 1970. Today Vooruit building had been originally planned as a festival and cultural center, the actual company premises were located in another place. The building had a ballroom, a movie theater, it was also home to a theater group. Since the Second World War, the building fell into disrepair after the war became the carrier cooperative in increasing economic difficulties. In 1982, the decision was made to get the festival venue of the Vooruit as a public cultural center. Since 1983, the renovated building is now a historical monument.