Artistic forms of remembrance at Westerbork Memorial

• How can the arts contribute to the development of contemporary, artistic forms of commemoration and remembrance of the stories from Westerbork Memorial? 
• What artistic concepts and musical or educational roles emerge in the context of Westerbork Memorial? 

The research focuses on the development of artistic practices around the commemoration, and (re)telling of stories from Westerbork Memorial. Researchers from the professorship Music in Context examine the artistic process of (future) professional musicians working within the setting of Westerbork Memorial.

Additionally, together with colleagues from Westerbork Memorial, they investigate the impact of this artistic work on the artists/ musicians themselves, on the staff of the Memorial Centre, and on the audience. The study also considers what working with students in this context requires in terms of supervision and teaching approaches. Our methodology is inspired by ethnography, participatory action research, artistic research, or a combination of these approaches.

For the professorship Music in Context and the Prins Claus Conservatorium, this project contributes to: 

• a deeper understanding of how the arts can stimulate, enable and support new forms of commemoration; 
• insights into the artistic concepts that emerge from such a setting, and knowledge about the related musical and educational roles; 
• a better understanding of how the training of professional musicians can be shaped for settings such as Westerbork Memorial, and what this requires of teachers in terms of supervision and teaching methods. 

For Westerbork Memorial, the project contributes to a renewal process that, in the coming decade, should lead to a redesigned camp site, a new museum, and a revised educational approach. This project forms part of the foundation for that process. A careful exploration of contemporary ways to remember, commemorate and convey the past. 

The arts have the potential to bring different places and stories closer, to intertwine past and present, and to add sensory layers to the experience of visitors to Westerbork Memorial. The impact lies in keeping the present informed by the past, while creating space for sharing experiences in verbal, auditory, visual and tactile ways. 

The research generates insights and experiences about the added value of the arts in retelling the stories of Westerbork. For the Prins Claus Conservatorium, it also provides insights into how to design new pedagogical methods and learning environments for lecturers who supervise students in this type of context. 

The results will be translated into an internal guideline for the Prins Claus Conservatorium, outlining how to design new pedagogical methods for lecturers guiding students in this context. In time, and in collaboration with colleagues of Westerbork Memorial, articles will also be published about the added value of the arts in retelling the stories of Westerbork Memorial.