Brussels Kunstenoverleg & Réseau des Arts à Bruxelles Cultural diversity & intercultural dialogue in Brussels European Commission Working group of Member States experts (OMC) 11th of December

 Brussels: the context  RAB & BKO  Cultural Plan for Brussels  Working group Interculturality  Teams  Audience  Programmation 2

Brussels: the context Introduction to the institutional, social and cultural context 3

Brussels: the institutional context Brussels = Capital Region = 19 municipalities Culture in Brussels -> Flemish Community + Cocof -> French Community + VGC -> Municipalities -> Federal -> Europe Total = 42 members of Government = no coherent cultural policy 4

Brussels means … … cultural, linguistic and socio-economical diversity  More than 45 nationalities (with more than 1000 people living in Brussels)  Very young population (25% is less than 20 years)  One ‘youngster’ out of three is unemployed  30% of the population lives in poverty  30% of the whole economic activity of the country  Officially bilingual (French and Dutch) but 28% of the population has another mother tongue 5

Brussels Kunstenoverleg & Réseau des Arts à Brussels Two Brussels-based networks, created by the cultural sector, and bridging the language, community and sector divides 6

BKO & RAB Founded in 2004 Subsidized by the French Community the COCOF Gathers cultural institutions linked to French Community, COCOF or any municipality of the Brussels Capital Region 50 members Founded in 2002 Subsidized by the VGC Gathers cultural institutions linked to Flemish Community, VGC or any municipality of the Brussels Capital Region 91 members 7 +=

BKO & RAB: Mission Platform for concertation of the cultural sector - Working together to realise a coherent vision on culture in Brussels: importance of the collaboration of all the parties involved - Encouraging the dialogue and exchange (in the cultural sector + with other sectors and authorities) - Providing advice and information (members + other sectors) - Identifying and supporting joint projects which respond to the demands and needs of the cultural sector 8

RAB & BKO: Joint Projects Cooperation agreement Agreement signed by more than a hundred cultural actors to promote collaboration between French, Flemish and multilingual cultural institutions in Brussels (2007) Cultural Plan for Brussels Development of a shared cultural vision for Brussels (2009)  Concertation platforms based on the different functions (2012) Direction, HR, communication, mediation … 9

Cultural Plan for Brussels 34 proposals for a coherent cultural policy in Brussels 10

1. Cultural Plan for Brussels - Collaboration > the result of two years of consultation and reflection of the cultural sector in Brussels - Transversality > transversal reflection on Brussels, his future and his ambitions - Complementarity > culture as a historical heritage, linked to one’s identity (heritage) and as a dynamic process of constant renewal (creation) - Reinforcement > culture contributes to emancipation and to the (inter)national allure of the city - Dialogue > Invitation to everyone to continue and enrich the dialogue 11

4. The Plan 5 chapters Brussels, interculturel Brussels, cultural area Brussels, creative city Brussels, coherent Brussels, capital city 34 proposals Three levels of action: Cultural actors Cultural sector (via BKO and RAB) Authorities and other parties in Brussels 12

5. Start action plan: Projects 1.Interculturality [Teams] [Public] [Programmation] Partners: Actiris, CBAI, Lasso, Article 27, … 2.Mapping Partners: VGC/Cocof, Brussels Studies Institute, ADT 3.Cultural Agenda Partners : Visitbrussels, Cultuurnet Vlaanderen, Culture.be, … 4. Artistsinbrussels.eu Partners : SMartBE, … 13

Working group Interculturalism Or how to improve the representation of the Brussels’ diversity in its cultural sector 14

Working group Interculturalism  Based on the proposals of the Cultural Plan for Brussels  Main objective How can we improve the involvement of the cultural minorities living in Brussels in our activities, and make sure that they are more present on the stages, in the teams and among the audience?

Working group Interculturalism Some history 1. Plenary meetings (jan – sept 2010) > Action plan on 3 levels: team, public and programmation 2. Diversification (sept 2010 – jan 2011) > of the working group > subgroups per ‘level’ 3. Action (jan 2011 – april 2012) 4. End + continuation (april …)

Working group Interculturalism Plenary meetings Platform for exchange of experience and reflection: terminology, policy frames, etc. Presentations of: - CBAI - Actiris - French Community (France Lebon) - Vlaams Theater Instituut - KunstZ - Article 27 - Lasso - …

Working group Interculturalism Subgroup ‘Teams’  Group of HR-managers  Definition of problems / objectives  Actions - Collaboration with Actiris - Development of Diversity-plans - HR-day – competence management (October 2011)  Visits with unemployed youngsters to cultural organisations

Working group Interculturalism Subgroup ‘Publics’  Group of public mediators  Important platform for exchange of experience, networking  Trajectory note: long term collaboration between cultural organisation and school/social organisation.  Training: Interact. Public mediation in Brussels (June 2012) Partners: Centre Bruxellois d’Action Interculturelle (CBAI), Citizenne, Foyer, Lasso, Article 27

Working group Interculturalism Subgroup ‘Programmation’  Group of artists – no programmers  Meeting with programmers: - The question of the identity of the cultural ‘houses’ - The question of quality – professional art - The question of the subjectivity in the programming process  Interviews with ‘informal’ cultural organisations in Brussels: - Official and ‘informal’ circuits don’t know each other (codes, different networks…) - Lack of means to be able to guide the artists

Working group Interculturalism Some difficulties 1. Interculturalism: an internal question RAB & BKO - Vocabulary: interculturalism vs social cohesion vs diversity vs … 2. Interculturalism: different policies - Difference between French and Flemish community - The subsidiary question: how can a community start with interculturalism / social cohesion if it doesn’t take the other community into account? 3. Action and the limits of our networks 4. What about the future? (continuation)

What about the future? Continuation End of the working group in April 2012 but… Interculturalism = transversal theme in the working of RAB/BKO New projects / to do’s / challenges: - Exchange of experience via the concertation platforms: HR, Public mediation, etc - More cultural houses involved in Diversity-plans! - Continuation of the ‘training’ - Realisation of the trajectories - Reflection criteria for programmation - Getting in contact with programmers - Seminar on Programmation and the Brussels’ diversity - Strategic level: how to get the theme on the agenda of the Directors? - Spreading of the information - …

Contacts RAB - Réseau des Arts à Bruxelles c/o La Bellone Rue de Flandre 46, 1000 Brussels T BKO - Brussels Kunstenoverleg Sainctelettesquare 19, 1000 Brussel T