Electron
Electron is a cultural breeding ground. This is a place that leads to inspiration, knowledge transfer, invites collaboration and enables networks to be built. For beginners who are learning the tricks of the trade and for creative makers who have been around longer. The contact between a diverse group of creators lead to creativity from new innovations to original art.
Now it is the case, as in so many places, that this creativity has made Electron a valuable place making it an attractive place for investors and developers. Because of these developments, the future of Electron and all the other creative enterprises in the Havenkwartier is uncertain.
To get the story across Lisette Spee and Edine Wijnands wrote a longread focusing on cultural incubators, information about the value of the land and why it is important to nurture cultural incubators.
I had the opportunity to create animated illustrations for the online longread of this article. A great project to contribute to, also because my studio is also located in Electron.
Date November 2022
Client  Stichting Beeldmakers Breda
Animation Daan Snels
Article Lisette Spee, Edine Wijnands
Tech giants in Sillicon Valley
The link to tech giants like Google and Meta is made, referring to their realization that a creative environment encourages thinking outside the box. In a creative incubator, creative creators contribute to the idea mill among themselves. Thus, everyone contributes to the development of creative plans.
Neighborhoods for profit maximization
Over the years much creative capital has been accumulated in Breda. At the same time, there are voices calling for the demolition of Electron|MotMot. Nationwide, an increasing number of cities are realizing that it is a shame to remove such striking, industrial buildings from the streetscape. In addition, more and more (local) governments are slowly realizing that social meeting places such as cultural incubators have an important function for the neighborhood in which they are located.
Permanent home or relocation?
There is speculation about moving a cultural incubator, to temporarily vacant buildings, for example. But can the visitors and users who always have to actively search for this kind of location keep coming or will they drop out? What will remain of the distinctive, lively atmosphere that initially attracted developers, entrepreneurs and new residents to the neighborhood?
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