Anti-Fascist Church
by Jeanne van Heeswijk & Jonas Staal
11 october
11:00 - 23:00
Paradijskerk, Nieuwe Binnenweg 25, 3014 GB Rotterdam
How do we counter rising fascism? We organize!
In their first artistic collaboration, artists Jeanne van Heeswijk and Jonas Staal gather more than forty art-activists, musicians, political organisations and social movements to collectively perform a 12-hour antifascist musical sermon.
Together, they transform the Paradijskerk in Rotterdam into an anti-fascist church: a space where the broadest coalition possible assembles in common opposition to rising authoritarianism, genocide, misogyny, systemic racism and the dismantling of critical democratic institutions.
At engage, we’re committed to making our programmes accessible to everyone.
Due to personal circumstances of our sign language interpreter, we unfortunately won’t be able to provide interpretation for the Anti-Fascist Church (11 October). We sincerely apologise to visitors with hearing impairments.
Everyone is, of course, still very welcome — there is plenty to see, feel and experience — though we understand this may be disappointing for some and sincerely apologise to visitors with hearing impairments. We remain committed to improving accessibility across all engage programmes.
For any questions or suggestions, please contact us at hello@engagerotterdam.nl.
Note: Anti-Fascist Church requires seperate registration:
Anti-Fascist Church is an engage project by Jeanne van Heeswijk and Jonas Staal, co-programmed with Shirin Mirachor and Julia Wilhelm.
Music by Khadija El Kharraz Alami (theatre maker, director, actor), Max Frimout (musician), Cheb Runner (producer), Mohamed Abdelkarim (artist, performer, cultural producer), Matthijs van der Wilt (organist, pianist, composer), and Rhythms of Resistance (drumming collective).
Address by Vijay Prashad (Tricontinental).
Opening by Tofik Dibi (BIJ1), Mustapha Eaisaouiyen (Woonopstand) and Eman Khasawneh (activist, spoken word artist).
Contributions by Aki Negate (The Niteshop), Anarcha (organiser), Bruce Rienstra (pastor, Oud-Katholieke Paradijskerk, Rotterdam), Chihiro Geuzebroek (Stichting Aralez), Clementine-willow (activist, poet, performer), Coni Ledesma (National Democratic Front of the Philippines), Crystal van Kalmthout (ROOD Socialistische Jongeren), Denk neni (artist), Ehab Ghafri (filmmaker), Esme Smithson (MiGreat), Grâce Ndjako (philosopher, author), Havin Güneşer (Academy of Social Science), Iliada Charalambous & Jun Saturay (True Counterpower), Janna (XR Justice Now!), Jerry Afriyie (Nederland Wordt Beter), Joana Cavaco (Erev Rav), Jouke Huijzer (Jacobin NL), Juul Seesing (organiser), Lila Athanasiadou (Cultural Workers Unite), Little Red Kitchen (cooking and mutual aid collective), Loes de Kleijn (Artsen voor Gaza), Lyra Willow (Rotterdam Front for Liberation), Marco Derks (pastor, Oud-Katholieke Parochie H. Johannes de Doper, Gouda), Muna Shirwa (S.P.E.A.K.), Nikita Krouwel (The Black Archives), Rogier van Reekum (sociologist), Saada Ali (Sudanese Refugees Organization), Sahand Mozdbar (ASVA Studentenvakbond), Srishagon Abraham (Colored Qollective), Sterre (STUUR Rotterdam), Stevie Nolten (Utrecht BIJ1), Urok Shirhan (artist), Wendela de Vries (Stop Wapenhandel), and Yasmin Ahmed (Verzet Tegen Oorlog).
How do we counter rising fascism? We organize! In their first artistic collaboration, artists Jeanne van Heeswijk and Jonas Staal gather more than forty art-activists, musicians, political organisations and social movements to collectively perform a 12-hour antifascist musical sermon. Together, they transform the Paradijskerk in Rotterdam into an anti-fascist church: a space where the broadest coalition possible assembles in common opposition to rising authoritarianism, genocide, misogyny, systemic racism and the dismantling of critical democratic institutions. During the Nazi occupation, people of faith often found themselves side by side with communists in the underground resistance and refugee support system, and many churches operated as hiding places for Jewish people and resistance members.
In van Heeswijk and Staal’s project, the church as a site of unexpected alliances is brought back to life to compose new majorities united in their resistance against neofascist forces, but it also appropriates the (far)right framing of progressives as forming a “leftist church” (linkse kerk): claiming it as a badge of honour.
For the entry and stage of the church, Van Heeswijk and Staal have developed an immersive installation honouring antifascist symbols of the past and proposing new ones for common resistance against (neo)fascism. Here, for twelve hours, organisations from across the political spectrum will collectively contribute to the musical sermon, celebrating and strengthening the links between communal, embodied and spiritual practices of liberation, across social, feminist, LGBTQI+, Black and ecological struggles. An improvisational chorus responds to parts of the sermon in between speeches, turning the twelve hours into a collective political and musical event. The Anti-Fascist Church is open to anyone who stands in opposition to fascism. Together, we’ll celebrate anti-fascist unity across difference.
Curious about the meaning of the flags? Each one represents a branch of the alliance united in the Anti-Fascist Church: the Palestinian freedom movement (Palestinian flag); LGBTQI+ movement (progress pride flag); feminist movement (purple), ecological justice (green) and the socialist movement (red). Get your flag pin at the Paradijskerk and become part of the collective (suggested donation: €5)!
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Project team: Jeanne van Heeswijk and Jonas Staal (artists); Nancy Hoffmann (curator); Shirin Mirachor (musical programming); Julia Wilhelm (speaker programming); Marieke Holtes and Menno Versluis (producers engage); Leonie Wenting (marketing); Emily Rhodes (copywriter); Nadine Gouders (producer); Paul Kuipers (architect); Remco van Bladel (designer); Studio Kunstwerk, Michael Klinkenberg and Niklas van Woerden (construction); Ruben Hamelink, with Daniel Szollosi en Max Wassink (photo and video documentation); Ollie Paterson (production support); Paul van Laak (light design); Max Frimout and Cheb Runner (sound design); Tony Netten (sound); Arthur Moret (podiums); Little Red Kitchen (catering); Matthijs van der Wilt (manager Paradijskerk); Afrikaanderwijk Coöperatie (hosting).