In 1974 several people in Dordrecht took over the fate of the back then worrying technical state of the monument and this is was the beginning of the founding of the Association of Friends of the Grote Kerk in Dordrecht.
Our main mission today is to make sure the future of the Great Church is sure, thus preserving this building and its distinctive historic character, sparking revitalization within and around it and championing our important architectural legacy. To this end, we are dedicated to keeping the Grote Kerk of Dordrecht unique and distinct for the future generations. We are committed to preserving its religious, social and cultural significance character, energizing its surroundings and collaborating with other local partners to keep this architectural masterpiece and church institution interesting and authentic.
The skyline and the landscape of Dordrecht are changing and evolving every day, but the church will always take the same place in this landscape and impress hundreds of visitors with its iconic structure as she did for decades.
In this context, the Friends cannot emphasize enough the fact that the Grote Kerk belongs to all of us. But this also means that we all have to take responsibility for ensuring that future generations can continue to freely enjoy this church that is still keeping its original function and keep it accessible for anyone else interested in its beauty. But the Friends are not the only ones pursuing this scope. There are many other individuals and organizations who also strive to this end. The Friends were and still are open and very willing to cooperate with all those individuals and organizations standing for the same goals.
One of the ways in which we work towards this scope is organizing and facilitating, among others, musical activities and art exhibitions (temporary and permanent) in and around the Church. In addition, the association contributes to issuing various written, audio and video materials on the Grote Kerk. For people visiting the church, the association has placed a permanently DVD installation within the building church displaying continuously an informative video on this impressive building and its history.
In recent years the number of members of the association rose to over 600. It is partly thanks to their contribution fees and participation and attendance at our activities that the association can make a substantial contribution to the preservation of the Grote Kerk.