Stad Onderstroom

Under the flag of 'Stad Onderstroom', several associations from Diksmuide (Linx +, vzw De Bron, De Diksmuidse Filmclub) unite the powers to present free cultural activities during the summer like concerts, (open air) movies, expositions, theatre and literary evenings. Stad Onderstroom isn�t just any uninspired summer festival. With this daring project, we try (since 2000) to awake Diksmuide and its surroundings from the traditional yearly summer sleep. The local government did too less: the inhabitants and mainly the youngsters complained that there was a lot to do in other Flemish cities while they were bored at the home front. With this initiative (as a little Westhoek city), we hope to co-operate on a front against the infamous (brain) drain of this region. Big cities as Ghent or big music festivals like Werchter or Pukkelpop get recognized as the cultural place to be by the youngsters. We want to counter that. We want to give impulses to the habitants of the Westhoek and let the conscious grow so that young people are aware of the unique value of their region, in the hope that they don�t leave so quick and are guaranteed better cultural (and economical) future perspectives.