The research group ‘Ghent, a playing field for the visual arts; 1957 – 1987’ studies the fertile delta formed by the numerous artistic initiatives in Ghent after the Second World War. Starting in the 1950s and continuing up until the 1990s, a multitude of organizations, initiatives and galleries were active in and around the city, many of which finding international resonance, and all contributing to the artistic climate.

Specifically, what is studied is which initiatives made up and determined the Ghent cultural landscape in the period between 1957 and 1987: a delimitation that starts with the founding of the V.M.H.K. and ends after the ‘Summer of Ghent’. What activities did they organize? How did these relate to national and international developments? What parallels can be discerned between the past and present, and in which ways do these historical initiatives inspire a young generation of artists and curators?