21 MARCH 2024

OPEN CALL

Bruges 2030 launched an open call looking for projects by new artists or new collaborations with established artists and organisations on 'the art of Conversation'.

The open call has since ended, the artists and organisations have come to pitch their ideas and the independent jury, consisting of Sofie Vaneeckhoutte, teacher and co-founder of Klein Verhaal during Brugge 2002; Silke Heusequin, communications manager at MA Festival and project coordinator at De Letterie; Viktor Vandenabeele, coordinator of Jeugdhuis Comma and creatively active as Viktoir Viktoir; Inès Nzeyimana, lawyer and diversity and inclusion expert, and cultural volunteer Océane Bollé, finally chose seven projects that will be allowed to realise their artistic dreams under the wings of Bruges 2030.

Bert Larnout upgrades the tin phone of our (parents') youth.
De Republiek, Relaas and FMDO join forces for a storytelling festival.
De Tank organises a Penalty Protest and aims to spark a conversation about the abolition of the KVR (Kleine Vergoedingsregeling - small compensation scheme) with a performative football match.
Roots Explosion aims to transform Bruges into a vibrant centre for reggae and intercultural dialogue through workshops focusing on local talent and a rub-a-dub night supported by a renowned sound system from the UK.
Artist Rodrigo Fraga aims to give Bruges back to the people of Bruges by replacing advertising messages on billboards around the city with work by local artists.
Fika Huis will organise creative collaborations between artists and people in recovery.
Artist Frow Steeman will engage with vulnerable people and assist them in a creation.

All projects will take place from now until December 2024 and will have a starting point before and during the summer.

De Tank - Penalty Protest

In a world where being compensated as a starting maker is becoming increasingly difficult compared to a beginning football player, 10 artists trade in their brushes and canvases for a football jersey for a day. It will be a performance, a protest, but above all a spectacle like you have never seen before! On the lawn of creator studio de Tank, we will organise a staged football match with only artists as players.
Saturday 23 June 2024 - this project has ended
Rodrigo Fraga - Billy

Billy aims to create more alternative platforms for visual art. Billy is an organic project that grows with the city's culture by placing artworks by emerging artists on billboards throughout the city.

Billy is happening right now! Follow along on Instagram @billy.board.billy
De Republiek, FMDO & Relaas - PUUR

Are you new to Bruges? Did you trade another city for Bruges because of new friends, a new job, a new home...? Did you experience something new here that changed your life? Would you like to share your story? Then the new storytelling festival PUUR is for you!
On 14 December, De Republiek, Relaas and FMDO will for the first time take to the city together with unheard, true stories of people for whom Bruges played a role during a turning point in their life path.

Saturday 14 December 2024

More info (in Dutch)
Roots Explosion - The Birth of Modern Conversation

With their project ‘The Birth of Modern Conversation’, Roots Explosion Soundsystem aims to transform Bruges into a centre for reggae, sound systems and intercultural dialogue. They will do this through a series of MC workshops with both local and international hosts that will focus on the different facets of MCing. Furthermore, they will conclude their event series at the end of 2024 with a final event where artists, music lovers and MC enthusiasts from different countries will be brought together for an unforgettable evening; without a doubt a first for the Bruges (and Belgian) reggae scene.

Saturday 21 December 2024: 'Saxon Sound Old School Revival Set'

Info & tickets
Frow Steeman

Frow Steeman engages in a conversation with a vulnerable person. During this conversation, Frow assumes the role of listener while the person writes, scribbles and symbolises how they feel. Frow then uses the drawings made by the person to do something creative using enlargements and copies. In the process, nothing is changed about what the person has put down. With these enlargements, which will eventually be displayed on flags in Bruges, Steeman wants to draw extra attention to people with a mental vulnerability.
More info soon!
Bert Larnaut - Tin Telephone

In an age of smartphones and digital communication, Bert Larnout's ‘Tin Telephone’ takes us back to a time of simple and pure communication. Step into one of the life-size cans and become part of a work of art that invites you to connect. As you talk to someone in the other can, bystanders see the connection between you come to life through the light cable. An artwork that invites you to play, explore and connect.
More info soon!
FIKA-huis

Everyone knows that being seriously ill has a major impact that cannot be underestimated, socially, mentally or relationally. Just getting back on track after a serious illness is not easy. The FIKA-huis supports people to get a grip on life again and to design a new future.
The project ‘the art of Conversation’ encourages artists and people in recovery to connect with each other through story and dialogue. Three Bruges artists, each with their own art form (Catherine De Decker - photography, Eva De Corte - spoken word and Pia Burrick - glass art), will each work with a small group over the course of three workshops.

More info soon!