Meet our LOVers - Hannelore Vandezande

Who are you?

I’m Hannelore, programme coordinator at COBRA. COBRA stands for Cultuurregio Oost-Brabant. It is the new inter-municipal partnership for supra-local culture involving no fewer than 26 municipalities in the Oost-Brabant region. Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside many regional colleagues to get this partnership off the ground, and I’ve set out our plans for the future in an ambitious cultural policy document.

In addition, I coordinate the supra-local cultural project TROOST-Brabant. The participating municipalities are joining forces with various partners to make grief and loss more open topics of discussion and to create space for comfort. We regard this as a pilot scheme for structural collaboration from 2027 onwards. We are currently eagerly awaiting news regarding the operating grants we have applied for. In the meantime, we are continuing to build the COBRA network and preparing to really hit the ground running from 2027, should our application be successful. 
 

Why did you become a LOVer?

I strongly believe inthe power of collaboration. You don’t tackle major societal challenges alone, but together. The most wonderful things emerge when you work together, across municipal boundaries and sectors. And I believe that culture can be an important lever in this. LOV2030 brings people, local authorities, organisations and ideas together, and that aligns perfectly with what I’m working on. Since I started as a project coordinator, I’ve been liaising regularly with the LOV team. After all, there are many points of overlap between COBRA’s ambitions and the programme strands of LOV2030. And to be honest: I’m simply proud of our region. We really ought to put it in the spotlight every now and then!

What does LOV mean to you?

For me, LOV2030 is above all an opportunity to look beyond a single year as ‘City of Culture’ and to build something that will last. I hope that LOV2030 will become a catalyst that strengthens existing initiatives, allows ideas to flourish and creates space for new cultural venues, new talent and surprising collaborations. But above all, it’s an opportunity to use culture to bring communities closer together. To enable people to meet one another, across municipal boundaries, generations and backgrounds.

LOV2030 is all about new encounters. Who have you met in Leuven and/or the East Brabant region who gave you that LOVely feeling?

It’s difficult to pick just one person when you work for an entire region. Over the past year, I’ve got to know so many inspiring people. One recent experience that has stayed with me was Kweikersdag in Tienen. The passion of the organisers, volunteers and participants gave me a genuine LOVely feeling. At a time when conflict and budget cuts dominate the news, it’s heart-warming to see what emerges when people create together: so much imagination, connection and positive energy!

When was the last time you were filled with wonder by nature?

It actually happens quite often. I often cycle through the region, and it’s usually the little things that surprise me: a fawn emerging from the mist in the early morning, a squirrel by the roadside, or the tranquillity of a ride along the Demer. Those moments of wonder always make me pause for a moment, but they also really give me energy.

Do you think art and culture can help foster greater connection?

Art and culture broaden our view of the world. They bring us into contact with other stories, ideas and perspectives, and stimulate our imagination and empathy. What’s more, they’re incredibly unifying: experiencing or creating culture together brings people together who might otherwise never have met.

What’s your favourite LOVely spot in Leuven & Beyond?

That’s an impossible choice for me. Our region is full of special places, so I’m going to cheat a little: it’s precisely the variety of places that makes the region so fascinating. But perhaps, ultimately, it isn’t the places themselves that make the difference, but rather the people who come together there and what happens: the encounters and initiatives that arise are what make a place special.

What are your hopes for 2030?

I hope that by 2030, lots of people – not just from Leuven but from across the whole region – will feel part of LOV2030: as visitors, spectators, volunteers, participants, creators or initiators. I hope that people don’t just take part, but are truly involved. And that the new connections, collaborations and initiatives that emerge will continue to exist long after 2030. It is precisely here that I see an important role for COBRA: helping to build a strong cultural network that helps to anchor the energy and dynamism that LOV2030 sets in motion. So that these continue to resonate in the region long after the title year is over.