The Cultural Landscape in Flanders

FLANDERS ARTS INSTITUTE 

The Flanders Arts Institute is an interface organization and expertise center for the arts from Flanders and Brussels.The organization caters to both national and international professional arts audiences.
The institute is the contact point for foreign art professionals in search of information on the visual and performing arts and on music in Flanders. To increase the awareness and visibility of the Flemish arts scene on an international level we stimulate and help develop international collaboration, communication and exchange between artists, art professionals and policy-makers. With this, we are aiming to build sustainable international relations and to encourage and support exchange and cooperation on an international scale.

Website & contact:
www.flandersartsinstitute.be

Click here for an introduction to contemporary pop & rock, classical music, jazz, folk & world music from Flanders.

The Flanders Arts Institute also organizes tailor-made visitors programs for music, visual & performing arts professionals. Every year, curators and program directors from abroad are invited by Flanders Arts Institute to visit the contemporary visual and performing art scene in Flanders and Brussels.

Click here for more info on this visitors program.

The Flanders Arts Institute also publishes thematic online guides, theme sites and interviews introducing foreign art professionals to artists from Flanders and Brussels. 

 

LITERATURE 

Flanders Literature is part of the Flemish Literature Fund (Vlaams Fonds voor de Letteren). That autonomous government institution aims to facilitate a widely accessible literary landscape and to ensure better visibility for literature from Flanders at home and abroad. Quality, professionalism and diversity are the core values of everything it does and everything it stands for.

Flanders Literature opens a window on the dynamic and diverse literary landscape in Flanders.
It puts translators from Dutch in the spotlight and highlights the works of Flemish authors and illustrators abroad.
Flanders Literature supports the publication of translations and literary tours abroad by means of grants, that can be applied for by foreign publishers and festival organizers.

Website & contact: 
www.flandersliterature.be
www.vfl.be

 

FILM

  

Flanders Image is the audiovisual export agency for Flanders and Brussels, Belgium. It is in charge of the promotion of Flemish audiovisual creations abroad and is the sole official representative of Flanders cinema at all key international festivals and markets. In 2003, Flanders Image became part of the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF) where its mission is to both maximize the cultural impact of Flemish audiovisual creations and enhance its economic growth abroad. As of recent, there's also Screen Flanders, providing information and services via its film commission and financial support through its new economic fund. Flanders Image supports Flemish audiovisual creations and talents at the major film festivals around the globe. It produces publications, both online and in print, informs curators and buyers, runs market and festival booths, etc.

Screen Flanders was launched in April 2012 by the government of Flanders as a new economic support measure for audiovisual works. Besides this, Screen Flanders is also the central film commission for the Flanders Region (previously known as Location Flanders).

Via Screen Flanders the government of Flanders offers financial support to audiovisual productions that spend (part of) their budget within the Flanders Region. Belgian producers can apply to receive up to 400,000 euros refundable advances by way of economic support to cover their audiovisual expenses in the Flanders Region. Foreign producers interested in applying for the fund can coproduce with a Belgian producer that satisfies all the selection criteria. 

The Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF) includes three specialized funds:

-The VAF/Film Fund co-finances the production of individual films in various genres: fiction, animation, documentary and experimental film. Feature films, medium-length and short films are all eligible. For applications concerning foreign films, financing must be at least 50% complete or have a production support commitment from the lead territory's selective film fund.

-The VAF/Media Fund focuses on the co-financing of high-quality television series developed in co-production with a Flemish TV broadcaster. This includes fiction, animation, documentary and cross-media developments of TV series. For applications concerning foreign series, at least 50% of the financing must be guaranteed, with at least 20% of funding coming from Flanders. It is also a requirement that a Flemish television broadcaster should be financially involved in the production of foreign series.

-The VAF/Game Fund co-finances the development of video games by games companies in Flanders and Brussels.

In addition, VAF has a promotional department, known as Flanders Image, along with a wide range of accompanying activities and support measures in the area of talent development, research, film culture and sustainability - the latter known as 'e-Mission'.

Website & contact:

www.flandersimage.com
www.screenflanders.be
www.vaf.be

 

ARCHITECTURE

The Flanders Architecture Institute is a center for contemporary architecture. Its aim is to raise public awareness for the importance of a well-designed environment, to stimulate the public debate on the design of buildings and cities and to disseminate knowledge about architecture. The Flanders Architecture Institute is the prime address for information on Flemish architecture and current developments in architectural policies in Flanders. As the main support organization for architecture, it offers a platform for everyone who wants to contribute to the development of the culture of architecture. The institute organizes exhibitions, lectures, debates and architecture trips, produce publications and coordinate events, such as the production of the biennial Architectural Review Flanders and the Festival of Architecture. 

Website & contact:
www.vai.be

 

DESIGN & FASHION / CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

Flanders DC, or Flanders District of Creativity, is the single point of contact for entrepreneurs in the creative industries in Flanders. After the merger with Design Flanders and Flanders Fashion Institute, the organization is well placed to serve the entire sector’s needs. As an independent non-profit organization, Flanders DC acts as the ‘front office’ of the government agency Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship, actively supporting creative entrepreneurs who want to build or grow their business. More Return on Creativity is what we’re after.

Website & contact:
www.flandersdc.be

 

FLEMISH INTERFACE CENTER FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE 

The Flemish interface center for cultural heritage (FARO,  Vlaams steunpunt voor cultureel erfgoed) is a not-for-profit organization that supports the sector of tangible and intangible cultural heritage in Flanders and is subsidized by the government of Flanders. 

Website & contact:
www.faro.be

 

FLEMISH ART COLLECTION

The Flemish Art Collection is a cooperation of five art historical museums in Flanders:
the Royal museum of fine arts in Antwerp, the Groeningemuseum in Bruges, the Museum of fine art in Gent, M-Museum Leuven and Mu.ZEE in Ostend. Together they offer an excellent overview of the art production in Belgium and the southern Netherlands.

Website & contact:
www.vlaamsekunstcollectie.be

 

CAHF. CONTEMPORARY ART HERITAGE FLANDERS

Contemporary Art Heritage Flanders (CAHF) is a collaborative knowledge platform initiated by and built around the collections of four contemporary art museums in Flanders: S.M.A.K. (Ghent), M HKA(Antwerp), Mu.ZEE (Ostend),  & the Middelheimmuseum (Antwerp).

Website & contact:
www.cahf.be 

 

CENTER FOR AMATEUR ARTS

The Forum for Amateur Arts creates a network that promotes the valorization of the arts in the leisure time, the strengthening of the amateur arts field and the connection of amateur arts organizations, policy levels and sectors.

Website & contact:
www.amateurkunsten.be

 

FLEMISH CIRCUS 

Flemish circus is an organization that develops circus arts and promotes everything that has a link with circus.

Website & contact:
www.circuscentrum.be