annual report 2007 by BOZAR

ANNUAL REPORT 2007

Candida Hรถfer - The Brussels Series

Crossing boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

II.

A wide range of styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

- BOZAR FESTIVAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

- BOZAR MUSIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

- BOZAR EXPO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

- BOZAR ARCHITECTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

- BOZAR THEATRE, DANCE, LITERATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

- BOZAR CINEMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

- BOZAR STUDIOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

III. Friends of BOZAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 IV. BOZAR and its audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 V.

Behind the scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

VI. Management and policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 VII. Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Photos : Danielle D’Haese Mikaël Falke Koenraad Impens Julien Lanoo Lydie Nesvadba Vinciane Pierart Olivier Rouxhet

I Crossing boundaries

Crossing boundaries

With Balkan Trafik, the Centre for Fine Arts entered a very popular field. Balkan rhythms have become an export product. Gipsy music with its blaring brass instruments and emotions, swinging backwards

Dialogue, exchanges, creative fusion: the general theme for the BOZAR

and forwards between melodrama and tristesse, is being increasingly

programme in 2007 was crossing boundaries. And quite literally so.

remixed and sampled. During a packed two-day festival, young groups

During the year the world came a little bit closer. Visitors to the Centre

moved virtually directly from the underground scene to the big stage.

for Fine Arts could travel thousands of kilometres in their imagination

The top performance was Forgive me, is this the way to the Future?, a

and make wonderful discoveries without leaving Brussels. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

work commissioned from the Serbo-Croat musician Goran Bregovic

line-up included a comfortable excursion through old and new European

by a number of European concert halls. For his European premiere

member states, a voyage of discovery with 16 century Portuguese

he borrowed from many sources of inspiration. His musical letters to

adventurers and a chance to learn to appreciate the delicate symbolism

three religious traditions were received as a celebration of reconciliation

of traditional Chinese art.

across the borders and musical tastes. Bregovic produced a powerful praise song to the universal in human experience.

The exhibition The Forbidden Empire was a high point of the season at many different levels. It was preceded by lengthy diplomatic negotiations between China and different Belgian authorities. Luc Tuymans developed the concept together with the curator Yu Hui, based on a sensitivity and sophistication which you only find in true artists. The outcome was not a radical clash between two traditions, but a subtle exploration of differences and connections. Five centuries of art from China and from the Southern Netherlands were exhibited side by side in a surprising and illuminating way. Portugal provided the topic for a rich and diverse festival with art, literature, music, film, architecture and dance. The Centre for Fine Arts has a conscious strategy of erasing the boundaries between the different disciplines in-house. Encounters between various creative and artistic voices had a mutually reinforcing effect. The festival became an exchange of knowledge, arts and ideas from the 16th century to today. With a selection of exquisite art objects, the exhibition Encompassing the Globe clearly showed how the Portuguese were the first to try to bring the world together.

I. Crossing boundaries

Learning from the past

has been following since its opening, appeared even more relevant than in the first six years. The Centre for Fine Arts really has become the ‘meeting place for all the arts’ as a result of the continued emphasis

A new legal structure and a young but experienced director, a wide-

on multidisciplinarity and ‘transversality’, as demonstrated by the

ranging cultural project, stronger and reorganized teams, clearly defined

Portugal Festival. The eclectic nature of the programme has ‘lowered

missions and priorities, an architectural heritage to be restored and

the threshold for the general public’, by ungrudgingly offering items

renovated, a public to attract and satisfy … When it opened its doors

that are more accessible to it. Our million visitors are living proof

on 1 January 2002, the new Centre for Fine Arts faced a series of not-

of this. We also entered ‘quality partnerships’ with a large number

to-be-underestimated challenges. The most difficult of these was to

of players in the Belgian cultural field, like the Queen Elisabeth

meet them all simultaneously, as every measure had a knock-on effect

Competition, the KlaraFestival and the Halles de Schaerbeek, as well

on everything else.

as foreign organizations like the Smithsonian Institute and the Natural

Anyone who has been following developments over the last six years

Europalia Festival and the ‘architectural vision for the capital of Europe’,

will be familiar with the adventurous and exciting history, an audacious

we not only laid the foundations for the cultural Europe of the future,

enterprise but a successful one. At the end of the first mandate of

but actually participated in its creation.

World Museum. With the German and Portuguese programming, the

A message from Étienne Davignon, Chairman of the Board of Directors

the Director-General Paul Dujardin, the main objectives have been achieved. Rather than an ending point, this is but a stop on the way, or

2007 was an outstanding year in terms of maintaining the good

a starting point for the future. This future takes the form of a new six-

governance that has been in place since 2002, witness the good industrial

year mandate, starting on 1 January 2008 and enabling us to continue

relations and the financial balance of the institute. Artistically speaking

on the same path.

we reached a new peak in terms of number of activities. Our international image has increased significantly as a result of our contacts, productions

As in previous years, the Centre for Fine Arts’ remit is to provide a

and co-productions abroad, like Magritte and The Forbidden Empire in

public service which endeavours to move with the times, both as regards

Beijing, Encompassing the Globe in Washington, Ingenium in Lisbon or

its cultural vision at an international level and the essential adaptations

Melting Ice in Oslo, as well as Views on Europe in Munich.

which are necessary for it to be more productive, more securely rooted and user-friendly. Two important restoration stages have been

The financial accounts for 2007 and our assessment of the first mandate

completed, the large northern exhibition circuit and the BOZARSHOP

of our Director-General and his team point in the same direction.

on the Rue Ravenstein. The excavation works for the new rooms of the

Together they form the ideal basis for a new leap forward of the Centre

Royal Belgian Film Archive and the redefinition of the Film Museum

for Fine Arts between now and 2014.

are continuing and should be completed in 2008. In 2007 the four main policy lines that the new Centre for Fine Arts

I. Crossing boundaries

Combining our strengths

partners or in collaboration with others, provided unity in diversity.

A remit of an institution like the Centre for Fine Arts, of providing an

diversity of our cultural offering. In every field we could count on

The activities carried out in co-production with our usual cultural They represented a quality advantage which contributed to the great

international cultural image at both national and international level, is

cultural and financial cooperation from outside Belgium, with the

a challenge that cannot be met unaided. If the Centre for Fine Arts is

support of Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel De Gucht and in particular

once again ‘up to speed’, it owes this to its solid internal structure, and to

with the cooperation of the authorities responsible for cultural and

being able to count on extensive outside assistance and collaboration.

international relations in China, Germany and Portugal. To them too we would express our profound gratitude.

The confidence and the support given by the Board of Directors under

Photo : Julien Lanoo

Paul Dujardin, Director-General

the Chairmanship of Viscount Davignon has allowed us to take some

As behoves its international level, our programme confirmed our main

good decisions during the course of this year and to advance our general

priorities with classical concerts, jazz, world music and even rock. In

project. For this I would like to extend to them my sincerest thanks.

addition to large exhibitions of ancient and modern art, particular

The investments and our balanced budget would not have been possible

of high quality, as were the architectural programme and the literary

without the intervention of Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, Deputy

activities. The dramatic arts too were well represented, both as solo

Prime Minister and Justice Minister Ms Laurette Onkelinx, Deputy

events and as part of multidisciplinary formulas. In all an enormous

Prime Minister and Justice Minister Didier Reynders, Deputy Prime

programme of 5,480 activities.

attention was paid to current Belgian creativity. The film events were

Minister and Budget Minister Ms Freya Van den Bossche, and without the participation of the Beliris Fund (federal-regional cooperation),

The resulting dynamism is marking out a path for the future. It is a path

via the government of the Brussels Capital Region. We would like to

we are determined to continue on, with total dedication, in order to

express our profound gratitude to all of them.

ensure the future of the Centre for Fine Arts.

But we also owe our success to our home team, that is 365 employees who are responsible for the administrative management, the building, and the cultural programming of this great multidisciplinary centre, a body of tasks taken on entirely by the institute itself. As well as the cultural side, I would also emphasise the work carried out, in collaboration with the Régie des Bâtiments/Regie der Gebouwen, by the site managers, architects, foremen and technicians. With their help we are continuing with the renovation work to provide a building in which we can work effectively whilst respecting the heritage it represents.

Jan Lauwers and Needcompany, Deconstruction ÂŠNeedcompany/Luc Galle

II. Een waaier aan stijlen

II A wide range of styles

BO ZAR FES TI VAL!

All the genres which come together: in the Centre for Fine Arts, transversality is not an empty term. The artistic programme is constantly looking for opportunities for crosspollination which place every project in a broader context. In some cases this broader context comes from the artists themselves because they often no longer restrict themselves to a single medium. In other cases a geographical aspect can form the starting point. In 2006 the India Festival could certainly be considered a huge success, both in terms of the number of visitors to the event and as regards the reviews in the press. The festival ended beautifully in January 2007 with some important events. A ‘Spiritual India’ weekend went on an exploratory trip through the spiritual heritage of India via music, dance and poetry. Sharmila Roy, known for the music for the film Mahabharata by Peter Brook, sang compositions of Rabindranath Tagore. Navtej Johar danced to Sufi texts. The Baûls, wandering musicians from Bengal (also known as ‘God’s crazy men’) shouted out the beauty. In the Centre for Fine Arts and exceptionally also under the starry sky of the Brussels Planetarium, the audience heard dhrupad, music based on a recital of the Vedas. The highpoint of the India Festival was a concert with virtuoso percussionists such as Zakir Hussain, Viku Vinayakram and the Drums of Manipur. The German presidency of the Council of the European Union was represented in the Centre (and in the ING Cultural Centre on the Place royale/Koningsplein) by no fewer than two important exhibitions.

II. A wide range of styles

On the fringe a German Spring blossomed in Brussels: music, poetry,

stars such as Mariza, Mísia and Maria de Medeiros. Mafalda Arnauth

literature, dance and theatre were all directly linked to the themes of

performed a contemporary version. Sarah Tavares and Tito Paris came

the exhibitions. BOZAR MUSIC explored the romantic repertoire,

from Cape Verde with heartwarming music which refuses to make a

for example, with the Lieder of Schubert, Schumann and Brahms,

choice between Europe and Africa.

Beethoven’s piano concerts, symphonic music by Brahms, Mahler and

At the invitation of BOZAR LITERATURE authors came to Brussels

Bruckner. The contemporary German cultural scene was represented

from Brazil (João Ubaldo Ribeiro and Paulo Lins), Angola (José Eduardo

with productions by the choreographer/dancer Antje Pfundtner.

Agualusa) and East Timor (Luis Cardoso), in anticipation of guest

Pfundtner combines dance and the spoken word. She flatters people’s

lectures by authors from the mother country with which the festival

vanity and does this in a very recognizable way. An evening of dance brought

concluded in 2008.

together several dancers and the choreographer Martin Nachbar.

BOZAR THEATRE presented a mixture of theatre, gastronomy, science and concerts with Banquete (directed and conceived by Patricia

BOZAR THEATRE invited one of Germany’s most prestigious

Portela).

companies, the Münchner Kammerspiele, for the Belgian premiere of

BOZAR DANCE confronted the students of the PARTS dance school

Die Zehn Gebote (The Ten Commandments). The director Johan Simons

with the electronic jazz improvisation of the Portuguese ensemble

based this on the eponymous film by the Polish filmmaker Krzysztof

Granular.

Kieslowski. BOZAR CINEMA invited Werner Herzog for the presentation of a documentary, Little Dieter learns to fly. The installation Kristall by Matthias Müller and Christoph Girardet meditated on the theme

India Festival

of mirrors in classic films. Finally BOZAR LITERATURE brought together six lectures in the context of Literatuur op de Middag (Literature at Lunchtime) under the common title, Germany’s grand century. Portugal and the World, a festival in the context of the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the European Union, explored the cultural mix and the confrontations which resulted from the Portuguese voyages of discovery, the traces of which exist up to the present day. First and foremost in music: the boundless melancholy of ‘being at home everywhere and nowhere’ can still be heard in fado. BOZAR MUSIC brought traditional fado from Coïmbra, as well as contemporary

BO ZAR MU SIC

The project

Activities

The Centre for Fine Arts has a long tradition of varied and high quality concerts. Well-known names appear in the programme side by side with fresh young talent. BOZAR MUSIC would like music fans to enjoy their favourite repertoire and the most popular artists, as well as pointing them towards the unknown. In addition to classical music, other genres are also increasingly included. The concerts – BOZAR MUSIC organizes about 250 per year – take place in the Centre for Fine Arts itself, or in other venues, such as the Minimes Church and the Conservatory. There is a clear line and continuity in the programme. The season is built around themes and residences, which provide added depth. Audiences appreciate the range of styles and the broad horizon, as is revealed by the evergrowing numbers. In addition, the BOZAR MUSIC programme is also highly regarded at the European level.

series.

The 2007 programme included thirty subscription series and ten free

Paul Van Nevel and Huelgas Ensemble © Huelgas Ensemble

Symphony orchestras The Belgian orchestras continue to have a strong presence in the programme as loyal partners. Three of these orchestras have welcomed a new artistic director. In September 2007, Walter Weller replaced Mikko Franck as the leader of the National Orchestra of Belgium (NOB). In the Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège (OPL) Pascal Rophé took the place of his fellow countryman Louis Langrée. In the Monnaie/Munt Mark Wigglesworth replaced Kazushi Ono; during the 2007-2008 season the two leaders are both still conducting symphony concerts. The constant efforts made by these orchestras – and this applies equally for deFilharmonie, conducted by Philippe Herreweghe and Daniele Callegari – have achieved results and are greatly appreciated by the public. One of the advantages of the public success is the presence of important soloists: former winners of the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition, such as Yuzuko Horigome, Severin von Eckardstein, Abdel Rahman El Bacha, revelations such as the young violinists Arabella Steinbacher and Patricia Kopatchinskaja, as well as established names such as Boris Berezovsky, Elisabeth Leonskaya and great Belgian soloists, such as Bernard Lemmens. There have been regular guest appearances by the most prestigious foreign orchestras: the Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Daniele Gatti, the Berliner with Simon Rattle, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the London Symphony Orchestra with its new permanent conductor Valery Gergiev, the SaintPetersburg Philharmonic with Yuri Temirkanov, and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra with Mariss Jansons.

II. A wide range of styles

Recitals Pianists, violinists, cellists and singers: legendary performers

of the three hundredth anniversary of his death. No other concert hall

have played in the Centre for Fine Arts, such as Alfred Brendel, Itzhak

in Europe celebrated this anniversary in such detail. The organ cycle

Perlman, Grigory Sokolov and Radu Lupu, former winners of the Queen

covered Buxtehude’s complete works, with Bernard Foccroulle at the

Elisabeth Music Competition who have now gone on to have glittering

organ. At the beginning of May four concerts were grouped together in

careers, such as Gidon Kremer and Vadim Repin, young stars such as

a single weekend.

Evgeny Kissin and Matthias Goerne.

The harpsichordists Laurent Stewart, Nicolau de Figueiredo and the

Audiences in the Conservatory have had the chance to discover the

duo Skip Sempé and Olivier Fortin played in the Protestant Chapel,

improbable talent of young artists, such as Patricia Kopatchinskaja,

as did the lute player Hopkinson Smith. Familiar partners made an

Leonidas Kavakos and Laurent Korcia. Established names, such as

appearance in the cycle of early music: Paul Van Nevel and the Huelgas

Pieter Wispelwey and Heinrich Schiff have also performed there.

Ensemble (in a co-production with Flagey), Jos Van Immerseel and Anima Eterna, Philippe Pierlot and the Ricercar Consort, La Petite

Chamber music The Alban Berg Quartet played its penultimate

Bande and Sigiswald Kuijken.

concert in Brussels. After the death of the viola player, the ensemble

In 2007 there were three artists in residence, spread over two seasons.

decided to stop playing together in May 2008.

Skip Sempé performed as a harpsichordist and conductor with his

The viola player Tabea Zimmermann and her Arcanto Quartet

ensemble Capriccio Stravagante and the Belgian baroque orchestra

performed in the Conservatory with a mini-festival of three concerts,

B’rock. The high point of this residency was the big production La

consisting of the quintessence of chamber music. This cycle also

Pellegrina, which was recorded in the Henry Le Boeuf Hall. Pierre

featured other top ensembles: the Hagen Quartet, Artemis Quartet,

Hantaï played the harpsichord in his ensemble Le Concert français.

Takacs Quartet, Pavel Haas Quartet (talented Rising Stars). In

Lorenzo Ghielmi played the organ and the harpsichord and made

November 2007 Andras Schiff and the Quatuor Mikrokosmos (which

an appearance with his ensemble La Divina Armonia. Ghielmi and

consists of four of the best Hungarian soloists) devoted three evenings

Hantaï were also guests of the Bach Academy, an initiative of Philippe

to Bartók. These included his six string quartets, top works in that

Herreweghe in co-production with BOZAR MUSIC, deSingel in

genre, as well as works for solo piano.

Antwerp and the Concertgebouw in Bruges. Herreweghe was in

Early music and baroque music In the intimate setting of the

for master classes, concerts and conferences.

residence in the Conservatory with his ensemble Collegium Vocale Minimes Church audiences were given an opportunity to enjoy attrac-

3. 1. Philippe Herreweghe © Miel Pieters 2. Magdalena Kozena © Kasskara / DG 3. Vadim Repin © Kasskara / DG

tive programmes of early music and baroque music, including the Ricer-

Vocal music The greatest vocal masterworks, particularly baroque

car Consort, La Petite Bande, the Choeur de Namur (with a concert for

and classical music, attracted large audiences to the Centre for Fine

the twentieth anniversary of this excellent ensemble), Stylus Phantas-

Arts: Vivaldi (Tito Manlio), by the Accademia Bizantina, Rossini (Tan-

ticus (in a co-production with the Printemps Baroque du Sablon), the

credi) by René Jacobs and the Orchestre des Champs-Elysées, Händel

Daedalus ensemble.

(Jephta) by Opera Fuoco. William Christie and his Arts Florissants also

BOZAR MUSIC devoted several concerts to Buxtehude on the occasion

made an appearance, first with the young singers of Le Jardin des Voix,

Cecilia Bartoli

then with Haydn’s Creation. John Eliot Gardiner, the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique and the Monteverdi Choir performed beautiful programmes of Bach and Brahms. Two brilliant voices stood out in

The Italian mezzosoprano Cecilia Bartoli is a regular guest at the Centre for Fine Arts. In 2007 she performed a programme based on her illustrious predecessor, Maria Malibran. Photo © Universal/Decca Music Group

‘I always like returning to the Palais des Beaux-Arts, but this season was especially moving for me because of the homage to Maria Malibran, who lived in Brussels for some time and is buried there. When in December the aria Mendelssohn wrote for Maria and Charles de Bériot resounded in this hall for the first time ever and a movement from a Bériot concerto resounded probably for the first time in over a hundred and fifty years played by period instruments, I was truly overwhelmed. I was also particularly pleased by the support and interest of the Belgians which made a repeat of this concert possible! So, another sold-out concert could take place in March – one week before the actual bicentenary of Maria Malibran! Therefore, this was a particularly meaningful and moving season for me in Brussels, and I hope for you too. I am looking forward to coming back very soon.’

the cycle of vocal music: Magdalena Kozena and Cecilia Bartoli. Contemporary music Ars Musica continues to be an important partner, as do the ensembles Ictus and Musiques Nouvelles. The pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard played a programme of music by the composer George Benjamin in Studio 4 in Flagey. The cooperative venture ECHO (European Concert Hall Organisation) came to Brussels with two special productions: Forgive me, is this the way to the Future? by Goran Bregovic and his Wedding and Funeral Band, with Kristjan Järvi and the Absolute Ensemble. In December Jan Fabre produced his work I am a mistake, (text, choreography and scenography) for which Wolfgang Rihm wrote the music and Chantal Akerman showed a film. Events The German presidency of the European Union was officially concluded by the Bayerisches Staatsorchester conducted by Kent Nagano. Following the fiftieth anniversary of the Treaty of Rome in March, the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg played Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, conducted by Emmanuel Krivine. As usual, the season started with the KlaraFestival: a programme of gala concerts in cooperation with the Festival of Flanders and Klara. The invitees included prestigious orchestras, such as the Philharmonic Orchestra of Israel with Zubin Mehta, the World Orchestra for Peace with Valery Gergiev, the pianist Boris Berezovsky in a programme of Russian music, Rafal Blechac in a recital devoted entirely to Chopin. The first season of the director of the Monnaie/Munt, Peter De Caluwe, also started during the Festival with the monumental Gurrelieder, conducted by Mark Wigglesworth. As in August 2006, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra again visited Brussels. This orchestra of young musicians of Jewish and Arabic origin

II. A wide range of styles

was conducted by Daniel Barenboim. It was a moving concert in a

and classical Chinese music (three old masters in a solo performance).

packed concert hall.

Jazz was well represented by Kris Defoort, Archie Shepp, Sonny Rollins

Dimanche au Mont des Arts/Kunstberg op Zondag

attracted more than three thousand young people. In a festive mood

and Woody Allen. In the space of two days the Balkan Trafik! Festival The Sunday morning concerts in the context of Dimanche au Mont des

they danced to and enjoyed brass bands and contemporary music from

Arts introduced the audience to talented performers from Belgium and

the south of Eastern Europe.

abroad. It is a series of good quality performances presented in an ac-

The autumn was devoted to Portuguese music with fado from Coïmbra,

cessible formula. Opportunities are given to Rising Stars in cooperation

Sara Tavares in a double concert with Tito Paris, and Mariza sold out

with ECHO (European Concert Hall Organisation). The cellist Chris-

the Henry Le Boeuf Hall.

tian Poltera and the pianist Polina Leschenko concluded the season at

A Congo day with workshops, lectures, documentaries, films, shows and

the end of June. The tenth anniversary of the Sunday morning concerts

concerts (Kasaï Allstars) was seen as the highpoint of the Congolese

was celebrated in September with former Rising Stars, Yossif Ivanov,

autumn in the context of the Yambi project.

Marie Hallynck and Ronald Van Spaendonck.

The Moussem festival in November attracted both new young

Music and Poetry This cycle took listeners on a trip to the India

speaking world. Music was combined with documentaries, theatre and

of Rabindranath Tagore (during the weekend on spirituality concluding

contemporary dance.

movements and established names such as Sabah Fakhri from the Arab1.

the India Festival), to the Ancient Greece of Sappho (an evening with Angélique Ionatos) and the romantic universe of Friedrich Hölderlin (in the context of the Views on Europe exhibition.) World music World music has been given an important place in the Centre for Fine Arts. Themed series, festivals and days devoted to special themes attracted more than 16,000 interested listeners to the Centre. The concluding weekend of the India Festival took place in January 2007, with a focus on the mysticism of the Bauls, the poetry of Tagore and the meditation of the dhrupad. The latter was a double concert and a film projected in the Planetarium. The Henry Le Bœuf Hall was the stage for a feast of percussion conducted by Zakir Hussain. In the spring there was a series of three concerts of Chinese music. This 2. 1. Woody Allen © Sygma - 2. Kasaï All Stars

included popular music (with the Shanghaï Teahouse Ensemble), as well as contemporary music (with improvisations by the Min WuXu trio)

BO ZAR EX PO

The project

The Forbidden Empire Visions of the World by Chinese and Flemish Masters From 15 February to 6 May

The multifaceted programming of the BOZAR EXPO department focuses strongly on current topics. Historical, modern and contemporary exhibitions alternate with each other. Video, film and digital technology also have a place. Installations and exhibitions are found comfortably side by side. The Victor Horta building, a source of inspiration for many, has a series of rooms which can be adapted to today’s multiple requirements.

Two continents, five centuries of painting and drawing – two ways of relating to images. The Belgian artist Luc Tuymans and Yu Hui, curator of the Palace Museum in Beijing, started a dialogue between art from the Southern Netherlands and China. Drawings and paintings from the 15th to the early 20th century, e.g., by Van Eyck, Brueghel, Rubens, Van Dyck, Jordaens, Ensor, Mellery and Spilliaert were united with works on paper and silk from the Ming and Qing dynasties and the start of the Chinese Republic. Luc Tuymans: “Via the visual image we are trying to open up the dialogue without detracting from either of the traditions. We work with ‘interpunctions’: two groups of images, for example, from Chinese art, are interrupted by a western work.” The exhibition The Forbidden Empire gave the old masters a new lease of life, and served as a bridge to the next group of contemporary art.

Activities

After the Centre for Fine Arts, the exhibition travelled to the Palace

In 2007 there was once again a rich and diverse programme, with

exhibition will also travel to Beijing in 2010.

Museum. Luc Tuymans is preparing the second theme of this exhibition on contemporary art in China for Europalia-China in 2009. This

seventeen exhibitions, two of which were extra muros. The cooperation with China (The Forbidden Empire and Magritte) deserves a special mention.

Curators: Yu Hui en Luc Tuymans • Coordinator: Anne Judong • Production: BOZAR EXPO and The Palace Museum, Beijing • Catalogue: The Forbidden Empire. Visions of the World by Chinese and Flemish Masters, BOZAR BOOKS by Mercatorfonds, Brussels, 2007, 207 pp.; a French and Dutch edition of the book were published at this occasion. • Subsidy/sponsorship: The Flemish and Belgian federal governments and the Ministry of Culture of China • Venue: Rue Royale/Koningsstraat Circuit • Entrance: ¤ 7.00 • Visitors: 44,323

San Keller: installation, Clever and Smart © Philippe De Gobert

II. A wide range of styles

The Archives of Imagination

inexpressible, freedom and despair coincide there and can even form a

Focus on the masses

unity.

From 17 February to 25 March

For two evenings he invited associated artists – ‘just for Brussels’, who

The FotoMuseum Antwerpen has several thousand glass negatives

carry out all sorts of projects in addition to the larger productions of

dating from the late 1940s and 1950s. They come from the archives of

the Needcompany. These ‘entrepreneurs in entertainment’ made films,

the Antwerp newspaper Volksgazet.

installations, performances and productions in various configurations.

In comparison with the masterworks of journalism of that time by Henri Cartier-Bresson or David Seymour, these photographs may appear

Curator: Jérôme Sans • Coordinator: Sophie Lauwers • Production: BOZAR

modest. But this ‘humanist’ photography has an eye for the masses, and

EXPO and Needcompany • Catalogue: Restlessness. English edition (with an

in this way explores the poetry of everyday life.

11 page Dutch quire), BOZAR BOOKS by Mercatorfonds, Brussels, 2007, 176 pp. • Venue: Antechambers • Entrance: free of charge

Curator: Pool Andries • Coordinator: Frank Vanhaecke • Production: BOZAR EXPO and the FotoMuseum Provincie Antwerpen • Subsidy/sponsorship: FotoMuseum Provincie Antwerpen and the National Lottery • Venue: Ravenstein

Faire un effort: San Keller

Circuit • Entrance: free of charge

Clever and Smart From 2 March to 15 April In consultation with the Centre for Fine Arts, the New International

Jan Lauwers

Cultural Centre (NICC) put on the programme Faire un effort, a series in

Restlessness

which rhythm and time are the most important aspects.

From 2 March to 6 May

Following Tris Vonna-Michell, San Keller (1971, Switzerland) was

Jan Lauwers (1957) is a visual artist, and a theatre and film director. His

invited to appear. Stefan Keller studied at the University for Art and

theatre productions with Needcompany are internationally acclaimed

Design in Zurich. Action forms the basis of his artistic work. His

as groundbreaking productions. Up to now he has only occasionally

artificial alter ego San Keller leads him “away from the inner privacy of

shown his visual art. With this first solo exhibition, he opened his studio

thoughts to the kingdom of real life, the world”.

to the public.

The exhibition Clever and Smart in the Centre for Fine Arts comprised

The exhibition Restlessness focused on his visual art from 1996 to 2006.

a diverse range of works and interventions which inspired the viewer to

It was accompanied by events which reflect the multidisciplinary

reflect.

character of Lauwers’ work and the Needcompany.

Anonymous, The Imperial Concubine of Emperor Hongli, ca. 1750, Palace Museum, Beijing.

As Jan Lauwers says himself, he is ‘just an artist’, active in different

Coordinator: Anne Judong • Production: BOZAR EXPO and NICC • Venue:

disciplines. In a world which has returned to a ‘superficial realism’

Foyer I • Entrance: free of charge

in order to survive and exist, Jan Lauwers stubbornly stakes out an idiosyncratic territory with words and images. Hysteria, the absurd, the

Views on Europe

French quire), Hatje Cantz, Ostfildern, 415 pp.; Blicke auf Europa. Europa und

Europe and German Painting in the Nineteenth Century

die deutsche Malerei des 19. Jahrhunderts. German publication (with a Dutch

From 8 March to 20 May

and French quire), Hatje Cantz, Ostfildern, 2007, 415 pp. • Scenography:

The Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen

Scala, Günter Krüger, Berlin • Subsidy/sponsorship: German Federal Cultural

Dresden and the Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen München

Foundation and the Kulturstiftung des Bundes • Venue: Ravenstein Circuit •

worked together on the occasion of the German presidency of the

Entrance: ¤ 9,00 • Visitors: 21,295

Council of the European Union to take a look at 19 -century German th

art from various perspectives. Important European countries and regions were repeatedly linked to specific themes. Countless trends

Visit(e). Contemporary Art in Germany

in European art, history and current affairs in the 19 century were

Selection from the collection of contemporary art of the Federal

reflected in German art. The exhibition revealed these interactions.

Republic of Germany

The journey started in Greece, the cradle of European culture. Artists

From 23 March to 1 July

such as Karl Friedrich Schinkel and Anselm Feuerbach idealised the

Since 1970 the Federal Republic of Germany has collected

classical sites and myths. Italy was the favourite destination for masters

contemporary art. By now the collection comprises more than a

such as Joseph Anton Koch, Friedrich Overbeck and Carl Blechen; the

thousand works of art created after 1949. The policy on acquisition

Isa Genzken, Lampe, 1994 © Courtesy Galerie Daniel Buchholz, Köln

Academy of Copenhagen inspired Philipp Otto Runge, Johan Christian

is based on a broad vision. It does not concentrate on individual

Dahl and Caspar David Friedrich. The Austrian and Swiss Alps were

artists, but on a broad range of artistic starting points. In this way

a strong attraction for Friedrich and Ludwig Richter, immortalised in

the collection provides a fascinating summary of artistic creativity in

their breathtaking panoramas. From Bohemia and Spain the exhibition

Germany without aiming to be complete in terms of the history of art.

moved to English portraiture.

The exhibition Visit(e) was conceived as a lively visual essay. The

Belgium left its traces with its historical paintings. Max Liebermann

emphasis was on the artistic production of the last twenty years,

stylised Dutch genre works in a social utopia. Carl Spitzweg and

including works by Isa Genzken, Andreas Gursky, Jonathan Meese,

Wilhelm Leibl indulged themselves with the French open-air paintings.

Neo Rauch and Gregor Schneider.

The journey ended in Berlin with one of the most discerning observers:

There were three central themes reflected in the contemporary art: the

Adolph Menzel, a star in the European firmament.

construction of history, individual and collective life and the various ways of representing space. The paintings included works by Jonathan

Curators: Bernhard Maaz, Joachim Kaak, Ulrich Bischoff • Coordinator: Ann Flas

Meese and Daniel Richter, there were drawings by Joseph Beuys and

• Production: BOZAR EXPO and Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, the Staatliche

Johannes Kahrs, sculptures by Rebecca Horn and Nam June Paik,

Kunstsammlungen Dresden and the Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen

photographs by Thomas Demand and Wolfgang Tillmans and films and

München. Under the gracious patronage of Dr. Angela Merkel, chancellor of

videos by Tacita Dean and Omer Fast.

the Federal Republic of Germany • Catalogue: Views on Europe. Europe and © Jacques Charlier

German Painting in the Nineteenth Century. English edition (with a Dutch and

Curators: Eugen Blume and Anette Hüsch • Coordinator: Ann Flas • Production:

II. A wide range of styles

Willy Ronis, The Trade Union Representative, 1950

BOZAR EXPO • Catalogue: Visit[e]. Werke aus der Sammlung zeitgenössicher Kunst der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Bilingual catalogue in English and German, DuMont, Cologne, 2007, 200 pp. • Subsidy/sponsorship: The Representative of the Federal Government for Culture and Media, in the context of the German presidency of the Council of the European Union • Venue: ING, ING Cultural Centre, Brussels • Entrance: ¤ 5.00 • Visitors: 10,670

ikob Collection of the Museum for Contemporary Art in Eupen From 29 March to 24 June The ikob (Internationale Kunstzentrum Ostbelgien) is located in a busy commercial district in Eupen. For about ten years it has served as the showcase for contemporary art in the German language community. Since 2003 the museum has been collecting works by internationally famous artists. As an initial stimulus, more than fifty artists from Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany donated or loaned works of art. The collection was supplemented with purchased and commissioned works. BOZAR EXPO exhibited a careful selection which reflected various different media: installations, video art, paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs and graphic work. The exhibition contained works by international artists, though the emphasis remained on Belgium. Curator: Wolfgang Becker • Coordinator: Frank Vanhaecke • Production: BOZAR EXPO and ikob, Museum für Zeitgenössische Kunst Eupen (Museum for Contemporary Art of East Belgium) • Catalogue: Le Frac Oriental de Belgique. The ikob collection. Catalogue in four languages (French, German, English, Dutch), ikob, Eupen, 128 pp. • Subsidy/sponsorship: Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft Belgien, Stadt Eupen, BRF, Grenz-Echo Verlag, Cultural Christian Gottlieb Schick (1776-1812), Bildnis der Heinrike Dannecker, 1802, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin – Nationalgalerie

Jan Lauwers, Restlessness

Department of the Province of Luik and Ethias • Venue: Foyer I •Entrance: free of charge

A4: Hell’O Monsters. Game on you

Domein, Sittard), Jérôme Sans (BALTIC, Gateshead) and Nicolaus

From 27 April to 16 September

Schafhausen (Witte de With, Rotterdam).

A4, an initiative by B.P.S.22 Project from Charleroi, provides a stage

The seven nominees were given support for their productions to create

for young artists. It returned to the Centre for Fine Arts for the second

a work which could win one of the following four prizes: the Crowet

time with Hell’O Monsters, a collective of four artists from the graffiti

Young Belgian Painters Award (¤ 25,000), the Émile and Stéphy

scene: Blastus, Desro, Ewing 33 and Tatone.

Langui Young Belgian Painters Award (¤ 12,500), the Centre for Fine

Just as some graffiti artists enhance crumbling walls in the city with their

Arts Award (¤12,500) and the ING Prize (¤ 12,500).

creations, Hell’O Monsters aim to spread their illustrations to brighten up a world that is not particularly happy. At the same time, they also hold

Coordinator: Laurence Leunen • Production: BOZAR EXPO and the Young

up a mirror: their ironic caricatures represent all too human traits.

Belgian Painters Foundation • Catalogue: Prix de la Jeune Peinture Belge.

They use pens, felt tips, spray cans or paint for their art work.

Prijs Jonge Belgische Schilderkunst. Young Belgian Painters Award, BOZAR

In Brussels they created a highly personal universe inhabited by bizarre

BOOKS by Mercatorfonds, Brussels, 2007, 96 pp. • Subsidy/sponsorship:

monsters. A fantastic world of imaginary characters adorned the walls

Brussels Capital Region, ING, Swift, Fondation Magritte Stichting • Venue:

of the Centre.

Ravenstein Circuit • Entrance: free of charge • Visitors: 7,860

A bilingual (French-Dutch) A4-document explained the artists’ work. Curator: Nancy Casielles • Coordinator: Anne Judong • Production: BOZAR

Ingenuity

EXPO and the B.P.S.22 Project • Venue: Ravenstein Circuit • Entrance: free

Photography and Engineering, 1846-2006

of charge

From 6 July to 9 September Ingenuity demonstrated man’s technical and industrial ingenuity with 345 historical and contemporary photographs. The work of a total of

2007 Young Belgian Painters Award

164 photographers was exhibited. The exhibition revealed both the

From 22 June to 9 September

creative and the destructive forces.

The Young Belgian Painters Award is for Belgium what the Turner Prize

The works zoomed in on natural forces and man’s endeavours to control

is in Great Britain, the Marcel Duchamp in France and The Vincent in

and harness them: earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, tornadoes, volcanic

the Netherlands.

eruptions and forest fires. Man has responded with some ingenious

Former winners, such as Pierre Alechinsky, Ann Veronica Janssens,

constructions against all this violence.

Hans Op de Beeck and Christophe Terlinden demonstrate the

Ingenuity comprised the entire history of photography, from pioneers

discerning judgement of the jury and the impact of the prize. In 2007

such as Robert Howlett to modernists like Albert Renger-Patzsch,

an internationally composed jury once again provided a guarantee

Life photographer Margaret Bourke-White and humanists such as W.

of quality: Ann Demeester (De Appel, Amsterdam), Eva Gonzalez-

Eugene Smith and André Kertész to contemporary art photographers.

Sancho (FRAC Bourgogne, Dijon), Stijn Huijts (Stedelijk Museum het

II. A wide range of styles

Curator: Jorge Calado • Coordinator: Frank Vanhaecke • Production: BOZAR EXPO and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation • Catalogue: Ingenuity. Photography and Engineering 1846 – 2006, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon, 620 pp. • Subsidy/sponsorship: Federal Government Department of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation 50 years • Venue: Ravenstein Circuit • Entrance: ¤ 7.00 • Visitors: 11,500

Candida Höfer Brussels Series From 6 July to 9 September The photographic oeuvre which Candida Höfer has built up since the early 1970s constitutes an extensive catalogue of public interiors, libraries, theatres, concert halls, opera foyers and museums. Her work is more than a tour around all these buildings; it provides an excellent selection of public interiors. Locations such as the Printroom of the Royal Library, the Music Conservatory, the Centre for Fine Arts, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, the Monnaie/Munt theatre and the Flagey broadcasting building are included in her oeuvre. Together they form the Brussels Series. The Centre for Fine Arts premiered five photographs from the series of 22 architectural photographs. There is no one to be seen in the Brussels concert halls and exhibition rooms, foyers and halls that are shown. They are submerged in a pregnant silence, characteristic of Höfer’s style. Coordinator: Frank Vanhaecke • Production: BOZAR EXPO and Patrick De Brock Gallery • Catalogue: Candida Höfer. Brussels Series, Patrick De Brock Gallery, Knokke, 2006 • Subsidy/sponsorship: Léon Eeckman n.v./s.a. Venue: Council Room • Entrance: free of charge Thomas Weinberger, Cracker, Esso Raffinerie, 2003 © Nusser & Baumgart Contemporary

Luc Tuymans

René Magritte From 30 April to 5 July National Art Museum of China, Beijing

In 2007 the artist Luc Tuymans was curator of the exhibition The Forbidden Empire.

‘Both for the Centre for Fine Arts and for myself, the exhibition The Forbidden Empire was an adventure into the unknown. The initiative was unparalleled. I particularly experienced the cooperation between the two countries and the two cultures as a great success. Although the original concept could not be carried out in full in the Forbidden City because of technical problems, what remains expresses a good feeling about the mutual bond. The follow-up project in 2009 will be based on strong foundations.’

In expectation of a René Magritte Museum in the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, located on the Mont des Arts/Kunstberg, the work by this great master of surrealism has travelled to the National Art Museum in Beijing. The exhibition brings together all the aspects of Magritte’s art: paintings, drawings, gouaches, lithographs, painted objects, photographs, etc. A largescale première in China, coordinated by the Centre for Fine Arts. Curator: Michel Draguet • Coordinators: Claude Lorent (Centre for Fine Arts) and Pierre-Yves Desaive (Royal Museums of Fine Arts) • Production: BOZAR EXPO and Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium • Subsidy/sponsorship: French Community of Belgium • Venue: National Art Museum of China, Beijing • Entrance: free of charge

The Forbidden Empire Visions of the World by Chinese and Flemish Masters The Palace Museum, Beijing From 27 June to 5 September In the spring of 2007 Flemish and Chinese masters came together in the Centre for Fine Arts. In the summer the exhibition travelled to the Forbidden City in Beijing. A Chinese catalogue was also published for this exhibition. Curators: Yu Hui and Luc Tuymans • Coordinator: Anne Judong • Production: BOZAR EXPO and The Palace Museum, Beijing • Catalogue: The Forbidden Empire, The Forbidden City Publishing House, Beijing, 2007, 421 pp. • Subsidy/ sponsorship: The Palace Museum, the Flemish Community, Ministry of Culture of China, Federal government, Brussels Capital Region • Venue: The Palace Museum, Beijing • Entrance: free of charge

II. A wide range of styles

The Grand Atelier

Melting Ice

Pathways of Art in Europe (5th-18th Century)

Envisioning change

From 5 October 2007 to 20 January 2008

From 5 October 2007 to 6 January 2008

The 2007 edition of Europalia, europalia.europa, was the largest festival

Melting Ice focused the attention on the effects of climate change and

devoted to Europe in the context of the 50 anniversary of the Treaty

the fragile condition of our polar ecosystems. Forty international artists

of Rome. The French curator Roland Recht was in charge of the main

concentrated on the topic of global warming. They formulated their

exhibition The Grand Atelier.

responses with paintings, sculptures, photography, multimedia and

From the 5th to the 18th century Europe served as a single gigantic

conceptual installations.

studio as a result of the development of the trade routes and waterways.

The exhibition had the ambition to raise awareness of global warming

Painters, sculptors, jewellers, princes and clients travelled round and

and climate change. It aimed to bring about a positive change of attitude

influenced each other. With more than 330 artworks from more than a

in individuals, societies and world leaders.

hundred museums, the exhibition outlined the creation of these artistic dialogues. It revealed the cultural roots of European philosophers

Curator: Randy Rosenberg • Coordinator: Axelle Ancion • Production: BOZAR

and focused on fourteen typical European phenomena which spread

EXPO, Natural World Museum and United Nations Environment Programme

through Europe like shockwaves. Visitors discovered how Irish monks

Subsidy/sponsorship: Nobel Peace Center, Norwegian Ministry of Environment,

influenced the European mainland with their magnificent manuscripts

Autodesk • Venue: Council Room, Foyers adjoining the Henry Le Boeuf Hall

in the Middle Ages, how great and smaller renaissance masters entered

Entrance: free of charge • Visitors: 4,272

into a dialogue with each other, and how sketches of gothic cathedrals several metres tall circulated, inspiring architects throughout Europe. 2.

Encompassing the globe Curators: Roland Recht, Catheline Périer-D’Ieteren, Pascal Griener •

Portugal in the World in the 16th and 17th Centuries

Production: BOZAR EXPO and Europalia International. Under the gracious

From 26 October 2007 to 3 February 2008

patronage of H.M. King Albert II • Catalogue: The Grand Atelier. Pathways of

In connection with the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the

Art in Europe (5 -18 Century), Europalia International and Mercatorfonds, 335

European Union the Centre for Fine Arts, in collaboration with the

pp.; a French and Dutch edition of the book were published at this occasion.

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian

Scenography: Repérages Architecture, Paris • Subsidy/sponsorship: Suez,

Institution, Washington DC, organized the exhibition Encompassing the

Thalys, Total • Venue: Ravenstein Circuit • Entrance: ¤ 10.00 • Visitors:

globe. Portugal in the World in the 16th and 17th Centuries.

78,274

The Portuguese voyages of discovery in the sixteenth and seventeenth

3. 1. René Magritte, Le retour, 1940. Collection MRBAB © Charly Herscovici, 2007, per courtesy 2. Gallery of Cardinal Silvio Valenti Gonzaga © Musée des Beaux-Arts, Marseille, photo | foto J. Bernard 3. Yoshiaki Kahaitsu, Japan, Social Services Project, Teahouse

centuries brought together people from all over the world. An unprecedented exchange of knowledge, technology, images and ideas resulted in extremely original works of art. The Portuguese voyages of discovery went south to the west coast

Tupinamba, Feathered Crown, before 1869, National Museum of Denmark

of Africa, west to Brazil, east across the Indian Ocean to India, Sri

programme of the Centre for Fine Arts.

Lanka, Indonesia, China and Japan. Encompassing the globe showed art

By way of a slogan, the exhibition curator Devrim Bayar quoted the

treasures illustrating the diversity of the cultures which were part of

Japanese playwright Monzaemon Chikamatsu: ‘Art is situated in the

the Portuguese trading empire. More than 160 artworks, including

interval which is as thin as the membrane separating truth from lies.’

paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, maps and other exceptional artefacts

A bilingual (French-Dutch) A4-document explained the work of the

revealed the development of a modern view of the world.

artists.

Curator: Jay A. Levenson • Coordinator: Ann Flas • Production: BOZAR EXPO,

Curator: Devrim Bayar • Coordinator: Alberta Sessa • Production: BOZAR

the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the Smithsonian Institution,

EXPO and B.P.S. 22 Project • Subsidy/sponsorship: Levita Chemical

Washington D.C. and National Museum of African Art, Washington D.C. •

International NV, Finres Group, l’Atelier de restauration de La Cambre, Lukas

Catalogue: Encompassing the globe. Portugal in the World in the 16th and 17th

and Art Gallery Shop • Venue: BN Halls • Entrance: free of charge

Centuries, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., 2007, 386 pp.; a French and Dutch edition were published at this occasion. • Scenography: Lee Preedy, Antwerp-Manchester U.K. • Subsidy/sponsorship: Turismo de Portugal, Ministry of Economy and Innovation of Portugal, Ministry of Culture of Portugal, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation • Venue: Rue Royale/ Koningsstraat Circuit • Entrance: ¤ 9.00 • Visitors : 39,229

A4 : Kelly Schacht and Fabrice Samyn. Intervals From 7 December 2007 to 20 January 2008 The new exhibition of A4, an initiative by the BPS 22 Project in Charleroi, brought together two young Belgian artists. They shared the theme of the ‘interval’. In his time intervals Fabrice Samyn takes old works in hand. Kelly Schacht examines the concealed history of exhibition rooms in spatial intervals. The works of the two artists relate to each other like a musical composition, rather like the harmonic interval between two simultaneous sounds, or the melodic interval between two successive notes. Fabrice Samyn, séries The Mausoleum Shop, 2006

The exhibition focused on the differences and similarities between emerging artistic practices. It was part of the varied interdisciplinary

II. A wide range of styles

BO ZAR ARCHI TEC TURE

The project The Centre for Fine Arts works with the architectural journal A+ Revue belge d’architecture /A+ Belgisch Tijdschrift voor Architectuur and the Belgian Order of Architects on exhibitions, symposiums, lectures and debates on architecture. Under the heading BOZAR ARCHITECTURE these three parties give the broad architectural debate a permanent place in the Centre for Fine Arts.

Activities Exhibitions

A Vision for Brussels Imagining the Capital of Europe From 16 March to 16 September For three years an international team of sixteen architects and urban planners associated with the Berlage Institute (Rotterdam) focused on the city of Brussels. The exhibition coincided with the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome. In this way it marked a fifty-year search for a coherent European project for Brussels. A Vision for Brussels argued that Brussels was the best conceivable place to develop the capital of Europe. With its many social, political and cultural layers, the city perfectly reflects the diversity of Europe today. The project broke through the entrenched ideas which consider Brussels to be an arbitrary capital of Europe. The all-too-abstract discussion about the future of the capital of the European Union acquired a concrete, tangible and accessible form. A Vision for Brussels adopted a polemic position which provided substance for the current debate on the future of Brussels and Europe. On 9 May – the day celebrating Europe - A+, BOZAR ARCHITECTURE and the Berlage Institute organized a colloquium including the speakers, Pier Vittorio Aureli, Joachim Declerck, Eric Corijn, Lieven De Cauter and Géry Leloutre. Curators: Pier Vittorio Aureli and Joachim Declerck • Coordinator: Iwan Strauven • Production: BOZAR ARCHITECTURE, Berlage Institute Rotterdam and A+ • Catalogue: Brussels - A Manifesto. Towards the Capital of Europe, NAi Publishers, Rotterdam / A+ Editions, Brussels, s.d., 240 pp. Visitors guide: 32 pp. • Scenography: Office Kersten Geers David Van Severen • Subsidy/ sponsorship: Ministry of the Urban policy, Brussels Capital Region, National

Sines Arts Centre Manuel & Francisco Aires Mateus

Lottery, Stimuleringsfonds voor Architectuur (NL), HGIS Cultuurmiddelen (NL), Ministry of the Flemish Community, The Vlaams Bouwmeester, the French Community Wallonia-Brussels, Régie des Bâtiments/Regie der Gebouwen and the Representation of the European Commission in Belgium. • Venue: Foyer 2 and 3, Small Theatre • Entrance: free of charge

Gonçalo Byrne + Aires Mateus the void From 10 October to 30 November The exhibition the void illustrated eleven projects of the architects Gonçalo Byrne and the Aires Mateus brothers with a number of gigantic models and countless plans and photographs. The common theme in the approach of the two Portuguese bureaus is ‘negative space’, which forms the basis for their architecture. The void provides structure for the architecture and the city. The community becomes a possibility and acquires an identity in the empty spaces. On 9 October Manuel Aires Mateus and Gonçalo Byrne opened the exhibition with a lecture. Curator: Gonçalo Byrne • Coordinator: Iwan Strauven • Production: BOZAR ARCHITECTURE, Instituto Camões, A+ and the Belgian Order of Architects • Catalogue : Visitors guide: 32 pages. • Subsidy/sponsorship: Léon Eeckman s.a./n.v., Federation of the Belgian Cement Industry (Febelcem), the Belgian Order of Architects and SigmaKalon Deco Belux s.a./n.v. • Venue: Foyer 1, 2 and 3, Small Theatre • Entrance: free of charge

Michel Desvigne

II. A wide range of styles

Lecture series

Risky business Juan Herreros (6 November) combines sustainable technologies

A regular series of lectures and a selection of speakers based on cutting

with contemporary design. He came to speak about his recent work

edge topics, to make contemporary architecture accessible to a broad

in Brussels: bioclimatic buildings, waste recycling units, multicoloured

general public. In every case the lectures are linked to a detailed dossier

towers around public spaces, and a 90m2 house in Mallorca.

in A+. Production: BOZAR ARCHITECTURE, A+ and the Belgian Order of Architects

Landscape Strategies

• Venue: Henry Le Boeuf Hall • Subsidy/sponsorship: Federation of the

On 25 January, the celebrated French landscape architect Michel

Belgian Cement Industry (Febelcem) • Entrance: € 7.00

Desvigne presented a privileged vision of the procedures, underlying House in Alenquer Manuel & Francisco Aires Mateus A Vision for Brussels Imagining the Capital of Europe

reasons and strategies for his extensive oeuvre. At the time Desvigne was working on seven projects in Belgium, including the conversion of a military hospital in Antwerp, the reconstruction of the banks of a tributary of the Oude Leie in Kortrijk and the Le Bavière site in Liège. Together with Xaveer De Geyter he won the competition for the Place Rogierplein in Brussels. Production: BOZAR ARCHITECTURE, A+ and the Belgian Order of Architects • Subsidy/sponsorship: Project2 and the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works of the Brussels Capital Region • Venue: Henry Le Boeuf Hall • Entrance: € 7.00

After KM3

Juan Herreros

MVRDV successfully concluded the first commissioned work in Belgium with the conversion of the exhibition space of Argos. This was the perfect occasion to devote a retrospective exhibition to their work in Argos, and organize a lecture by Winy Maas at the Centre for Fine Arts (6 March). Their latest publication KM3 formed the starting point. Production: BOZAR ARCHITECTURE, A+ and Argos • Subsidy/sponsorship: Régie des Bâtiments/Regie der Gebouwen • Venue: Chamber Music Hall • Entrance: € 7.00

BO ZAR THEA TRE DAN CE LITERA TURE

The project The dramatic arts corresponded as much as possible to the topics of BOZAR EXPO and the in-house festivals. In 2007 the emphasis was on:

Activities BOZAR DANCE and BOZAR THEATRE

Münchner Kammerspiele, Die Zehn Gebote ©Andreas Pohlmann

BOZAR DANCE and les Halles de Schaerbeek, focused on young dance from Germany following the German EU presidency (in the context

- the dialogue between international producers and Belgian dramatic artists - productions in venues outside the traditional theatres - transversalism - interculturalism - continuity and permanent cooperation - tradition: the series Theater op de Middag (Theatre at Lunchtime)

of the Dimanches de la Danse). The German choreographer Martin Nachbar (ex-PARTS and C de la B) created an unusual location project for the Terarken Rooms. He worked there with Lilia Mestre and Carlos Pez, dancers living in Brussels, and with the German choreographer Antje Pfundtner. The audience and dancers together explored the meaning of the idiom of dance: the viewers actively took part in the ‘dance conference’. Christian Vögel concluded the Sunday of dance with dissonant techno. Antje Pfundtner gave a striking performance as a dancer in projects of Michèle Anne De Mey, Felix Ruckert and David Hernandez. In the Centre for Fine Arts she danced her solo EigenSinn, based on one of Grimm’s fairytales. The French choreographer Mathilde Monnier and the French writer Christine Angot performed on stage as a duo in La Place du singe. Together they analysed the rituals of civilisation and raised questions about the role which society can play in art. From Inside, an interactive multimedia installation by Thierry De Mey, was set up in the Horta Hall. The installation operated as a sort of jukebox which allowed the visitor to choose between three different choreographic (and geographic) worlds: the dance performance One Flat Thing by William Forsythe, the whirling dance of Manuela Rastaldi in the concrete streets of the former Sicilian town of Gibellina, and Kinshasa with exciting music and dance from the eponymous town. BOZAR CINEMA showed the film One Flat Thing reproduced and organized a meeting with Thierry De Mey.

Jan Fabre, I am a mistake

Pippo Delbono, Urlo © Jean-Louis Fernandez

II. A wide range of styles

The solo exhibition Restlessness by Jan Lauwers in the spring of 2007

Commandments), an adaptation of the eponymous film by the Polish

was accompanied by a series of events reflecting the multidisciplinary

filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski. The director was Johan Simons. The

character of Lauwers’ work and Needcompany. During BRXLBRAVO

famous German company produces contemporary theatre with a strong

Needcompany looked in a different way at its twenty-year history with

sense of commitment. In Die Zehn Gebote the twelve actors switch from

an installation in the Horta Hall. There were various sideshows under

one role to another. They look straight at their own weaknesses and free

the heading ‘Just for Brussels’ in de Terarken Rooms, as well as unknown

themselves from commandments which tell them how to live from a

work by the Needcompany: the Porcelain Project by Lemm & Barkey,

distance. The scenographer Bert Neumann bathed the stage of the Henry

Maison Dahl Bonnema and the Ohno Cooperation by the members of the

Le Boeuf Hall in neon light. BOZAR CINEMA supported the project by

Needcompany, together with special guests such as Davis Freeman and

showing the complete version of Kieslowski’s Decalogue films.

Paul Lemp. There was also a preview of the film C Song Variations.

Fraction was invited to appear with Beards I – daemonie, the first part of

The visual artists Patrick Corillon, Dominique Roodthooft and

a trilogy based on European myths: Bluebeard, Faust and Hamlet. The

Johanna Korthals put on a production for a puppeteer and storyteller.

production was created as a result of the close collaboration between

Le Diable abandonné/De verwaarloosde Duivel (The Neglected Devil)

europalia.europa, Ars Musica, BOZAR THEATRE and Théâtre de la

explored the interaction between sound, images, graphic design and

Place in Liège. This musical spectacle was largely based on the fable

the meaning of words. Corillon produced a contemporary version of

Bluebeard by Charles Perrault. Stefan Oertli successfully attracted a

the Théâtre de la Coquille, a puppet theatre that was established in

group of artists from the opera world to support him. He himself was

Sérinan, a small town on the banks of the Meuse, during the First World

both director and conductor, dramatist and actor, and in addition to

War. The performances were presented both in Dutch and in French,

these artistic tasks, also took on the production side.

collaboration with Théâtre de la Place/Liège.

In the autumn of 2007 young Portuguese artists were given a stage.

Pippo Delbono is one of the most celebrated Italian dramatists. His

The programme was composed in close cooperation with Alkantara

latest creation Questo buio feroce was put on in Théâtre de la Place in

and was financially subsidised by Instituto Camões. The Portuguese

Liège, and Urlo was put on in Brussels. Pippo Delbono’s theatre takes up

dramatist Patrícia Portela, who produces interactive theatre, arranged

the cause of the weakest and most vulnerable members of society. When

tables in the Horta Hall in the form of DNA. Viewers could sit down

his unusual and disabled actors are not able to say things with words,

for a lavish meal. Between the courses of the dinner philosophical

they express them with their bodies. Urlo was a large-scale spectacle

stories were dished up on subjects such as immortality, the finite

somewhere between popular cabaret and the theatre of cruelty. The

nature of things, clones, and the vision of man in the future. The

music was by Giovanna Marini with songs which were sung at village

performance took place in an icy atmosphere, like a laboratory. The

festivals. A (Belgian) brass band took part in this event and played the

Belgian composer Christophe Deboeck wrote science-fiction music

music of processions from Southern Italy. The performance was seen

for the occasion. In de Horta Hall students of PARTS improvised

by 900 viewers.

to electronic jazz played live by the Portuguese group Granular. The

In connection with the German EU presidency, BOZAR THEATRE

dance and music interacted wonderfully under the inspired direction

invited the Münchner Kammerspiele with Die Zehn Gebote (The Ten

of the coach David Zambrano.

Jan Lauwers

During europalia.europa the Austrian choreographer Chris Haring was invited to appear with his company Liquid Loft. Running Sushi, an intimate and extremely poetic production, in which everything

In 2007 the theatremaker and visual artist Jan Lauwers was invited for a solo exhibition and a series of events which reflect the multidisciplinary character of his

‘It is astonishing how a (too) large institute such as the Centre for Fine Arts succeeds in giving the artists who are invited a radical degree of freedom. The very open-hearted approach of Paul Dujardin and some of his closest collaborators means that this gigantic labyrinth became a transparent place to think and work with Marcel Broodthaers and his camel as an alert porter. During all the months of intense work I felt I was surrounded by experts, and this enriched my work.’

revolves around communication, was put on in the Terarken Rooms. To illustrate this, Haring divided the scenario into twelve scenes. The public decided for itself the running order in which the parts of the production were played. The two dancers were seduced to dance a pas-de-deux full of humour. They were inspired by humorous Japanese comic strips. Chris Haring was also a guest in the Centre for Fine Arts last season; meanwhile he has built up his own public. Moussem, a festival which responds to the multicultural reality, was a good reason to invite Moroccan dancers. In Déserts, Désir, choreographed by Cie Anania, a man (Taroufiq Izeddiou) and a woman (Bouchra Ouizguen) each danced a solo. They were together on stage at the same time, but were separated from each other by a gauze veil. The audience was also divided into male and female halves. In Last Night, the second part of the evening, Latefa Ahrrare stood up for women’s rights in a monologue by Mohammed Saïd Al Danahani. Le Fou based on Khalil Gibran, was another interesting event by the Tunisian El Teatro, directed by Taoufik Jebali. BOZAR MUSIC, the inspiration behind this Moussem Festival, organised several concerts.

work.

BOZAR DANCE and BOZAR MUSIC jointly commissioned Jan Fabre, Wolfgang Rihm and Chantal Akerman to produce a creative work. I am a mistake was made for the cooperative venture ECHO (European Concert Hall Organisation) with a subsidy from the European Commission (Culture 2000). It was performed in eight large European cities: Athens, Vienna, Amsterdam, Birmingham, Luxembourg, Brussels, Cologne and Paris. The starting point was a text by Jan Fabre about the freedom of the individual and of the artist. Fabre used the pleasure of smoking as a metaphor for this work. At the same time the black and white film by the Belgian director Chantal Akerman was projected on Jan Lauwers and Needcompany, Deconstruction © Needcompany/Miel Verhasselt

Jan Lauwers and Needcompany, Just for Brussels © Needcompany/Luc Galle

II. A wide range of styles

stage. The Ensemble Recherche from Freiburg, conducted by Lukas Vis, played original music by the German composer Wolfgang Rihm. Hilde Van Mieghem recited the text, while four dancers performed Fabre’s choreography at the front of the stage. The Theater op de Middag (Theatre at Lunchtime) series continued. The poster showed well-known actors and directors, as well as total newcomers. Kamiel Vanhole brought Margaretha of Burgundy back to life, Han Kerckhoffs convincingly played the part of Judas, Uncle Vanya was played by the Mathilde Collective, Eric De Volder produced popular theatre, and Bad van Marie played tricks on the audience. The series of lunchtime productions responds to the character of contemporary theatre and is the ultimate Flemish platform in the Centre for Fine Arts. The series also made a name for itself in the theatre world in Brussels. Many of these productions cannot be seen anywhere else in the capital. The loyal audiences again continued to come in large numbers in 2007. Jan Fabre, I am a mistake

Patricia Portela

De Zus van ©Ben van Duin

EigenSinn © Iris Terzka

BOZAR LITERATURE

Cinema Racista During the new four-day Passa Porta Festival BOZAR LITERATURE, the Royal Belgian Film Archive and Het beschrijf arranged an evening devoted to a literary film programme, Cinema

Series of philosophers In the course of 2007 the literature

José Eduardo Agualusa © Jorge Simao

racista. The writers, Tom Lanoye, Thomas Gunzig, Eugène Savitz-

department organized a series of lectures with four leading French phi-

kaya, Moses Isegawa, Shahrnush Parsipur and Frank Westerman

losophers under the heading ‘Dans les plis du présent’ (In the folds of

each chose a classic film from the Royal Belgian Film Archive. The se-

the present). These were philosophers with a strong sense of social com-

lection included Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl (1919),

mitment who are also at home in the world of art and culture.

King Kong (1931) and Fort Apache (1948). During and in between the

Alain Badiou raised the question of whether our present isn’t lacking

projections the writers commented on the image that is shown of ‘the

a sense of the present. He referred his arguments to Jean Genet’s Le

blacks’, ‘the yellow peril’ and ‘the redskins’. It turned into a literary trip

balcon. Natacha Michel talked about Nicolas Sarkozy’s France and

through the history of film, devoting attention to clichés, prejudices and

chose a sentence from one of her novels as a meaningful title: ‘I saw an

misunderstandings. The programme was repeated in the three chapters

empty France, populated by vineyards, cornfields and factories, guarded

Red, Yellow and Black (each with two writers and the same number of

by dogs and trucks.’ On 26 September Bernard Stiegler spoke on the

film excerpts) during the Centre’s Party Time.

stage of the Henry Le Boeuf Hall about concern (‘souci’) and referred in his speech, amongst other things, to the recent changes in French

Res publica litterarum The multilingual literary evening Res

legislation related to youth delinquency. Jacques Rancière talked to a

publica litterarum was a co-production with the Stichting Ons Erfdeel

packed Studio about the decline in critical thinking.

(Our Heritage Foundation), which celebrated its fiftieth anniversary

In three of the four lectures actors (including Jean-François Beukelaers

in 2007. There was a colloquium in the Egmont Palace on the evening

and Anny Czupper) first read extracts from the texts by the philosophers.

before. Five writers each read an excerpt about language, borders and

These preludes not only served as an introduction, they also emphasised

travel: Abdelkader Benali (Dutch and Berber), Caroline Lamarche

the theatrical, rhetorical aspect of the lectures. Alain Badiou and Jacques

(French), Olga Tokarczuk (Polish), the poet Zoran Anchevski (Mace-

Rancière particularly proved to be new stars in French philosophy. They

donian) and Adriaan Van Dis (Dutch). Translations were projected in

each attracted a crowd of about 200 people. The series was subsidised

French and/or Dutch. Meanwhile the Melike group played Turkish mu-

by the French Embassy.

sic. At the beginning and end of the evening the actress Chris Lomme

Literary salon with Christine Angot Christine Angot

the profile of the Centre for Fine Arts perfectly, and was the ideal pre-

(1959) gave a speech on the evening before the dance performance La

lude to europalia.europa.

brought Princess Europa to life. The multilingual performance suited

Place du singe with Mathilde Monnier. The controversial author talked

Christine Angot ©John Foley/Opale

about her work, and in particular her latest novel, Rendez-vous, which

Portugal In connection with the exhibition Encompassing the globe.

won the 2006 Prix de Flore. Gilles Collard, editor-in-chief of the litera-

Portugal in the World in the 16th and 17th Centuries, writers from the Portu-

ry and philosophical journal Pylône, chaired the discussion.

guese world appeared on the stage.

II. A wide range of styles

The series started with an encounter between two Brazilian authors on

In the spring the series was devoted to the great German poets of the

30 October. João Ubaldo Ribeiro, one of the greatest and most widely

19th and 20th centuries. Flemish poets, as well as one radio producer

read writers in Brazil, described Brazilian history from the Portuguese

explored German literature of that period. In the autumn we linked up

‘discovery’ to the middle of the twentieth century in his magnum opus

with the Portugal theme.

Brazil Brazil (Viva o povo brasileiro). Together with Paulo Lins, author

King Kong

of the novel City of God, about youth gangs in Rio, which was turned into

Sound poet Henri Chopin As the inventor of ‘poésie sonore’,

a film, Ribeiro talked about Brazilian identity and the merging of races.

the French sound poet Henri Chopin (1922-2008) is a living legend.

Afterwards the film City of God by Fernando Meirelles was shown.

Before he started his performance with microphone, tape recorder

The second evening started in Angola, with José Eduardo Agualusa

and mixing desk, two films from the 1960s which Chopin had worked

(Independent Foreign Fiction Prize 2007). This writer-globetrotter

on, as well as one excerpt from a new documentary, were projected on

and rising star of Portuguese literature has a better understanding of

screen.

Portuguese expansion than anyone. The journey ended in the former Portuguese colonies in East Timor, with guest speakers, Luís Cardoso from East Timor and the Portuguese Pedro Rosa Mendes. Since the Carnation Revolution Cardoso has been in exile in Lisbon. Mendes is the author of the explosive work Tiger Bay, about his trip from Angola to Mozambique, and the correspondent of the Portuguese press agency Lusa in East Timor. The group Wordsong concluded the evening with a multimedia pop concert based on poetry by Pessoa and Al Berto. The visual artist Rita Sá made videos accompanying the songs, which were projected during the performance The three evenings took place in Portuguese and were simultaneously translated into French and Dutch. We collaborated closely with boek. be. During the Book Fair in Antwerp, both Ribeiro and Agualusa were present to sign books and talk to the public. Literatuur op de Middag ‘Literature at Lunchtime’ invites writers to take a look at classic works from world literature. The series in 2007 corresponded to two important exhibitions. The cycle is a co-production with De Middagen van Poëzie en Proza (The Middays of Poetry and Prose).

BO ZAR CINE MA

The project

1. Film events 11.01 L ittle Dieter needs to fly by Werner Herzog, in the presence of the

The new department established in 2004, introduces film and video in the Centre for Fine Arts. BOZAR CINEMA works together with the other departments and with the Royal Belgian Film Archive. Regular events explore the border area between film and other art forms.

director. (Partner: Goethe Institute) 16.02 Preview of Khadak by Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth.

In the presence of both directors. (Partners: Royal Belgian Film Archive (RBFA) and Cinéart) 01.03 Tokyo Chorus by Yasujiro Ozu, accompanied by a Japanese

storyteller (benshi) and the Kumonosu Quartet (Japan). (Partners: Maison de la culture du Japon in Paris and RBFA) 09.03 Homage to Micheline Presle in her presence, with the projection

of the film Le Diable au corps by Claude Autant-Lara. (Partner: RBFA)

Activities

20.03 Preview of Goodbye Bafana, in the presence of the director Bille

BOZAR CINEMA explores every aspect of this art form. This includes

23.04 Preview of Here After by the choreographer, dancer and director

films for the general public, but also experimental work. Classic films

Wim Vandekeybus. In the presence of Wim Vandekeybus.

and established names are found side by side with the daring work of

(Partners: Ultima Vez and RBFA)

August and the main actor Joseph Fiennes. (Partners: RBFA and Cinéart)

film directors who are acclaimed by the critics and at the large festivals.

20.06 Preview of Copying Beethoven, in the presence of the director

The cherry on the cake is the previews, but homage is also paid to

Agnieszka Holland. (Partners: RBFA, Benelux Film Distributors.

timeless artists. The exclusive character and encounters with directors and actors mean that these film evenings are always a great event. The

Belgacom event) 18.09 P review of the 2007 Palme d’Or winner, 4 mois, 3 semaines et 2

goal is to provide a forum for film, with a prestigious, high quality

jours by Christian Mungiu. In the presence of the producer Oleg

and visionary character and a national and international image. Both

Mutu. (Partners: RBFA and Imagine)

the general public and the professional sector must feel that there is something for them personally.

08.10 P review of the documentary Retour en Normandie by Nicolas

Philibert, in the presence of the director. (Partners: RBFA and Cinéart) 05.11 Preview of Lions for Lambs by Robert Redford. (Partners: FOX.

Belgacom event) 25.11 Preview of Cowboy by Benoît Mariage. In the presence of the

director and Benoît Poelvoorde. (Partners: RBFA and Belga Films)

Photo : Vinciane Pierart

II. A wide range of styles

30.11 Preview of the documentary Wujong by Jia Zhang-ké, opening

evening of ‘Panorama of the documentary’ 20.12 Preview of Cassandra’s Dream by Woody Allen. (Partners:

Cinéart. Belgacom event).

05.03 Matthias Müller and Christoph Girardet, screening and

installation Kristall (05.03-25.03). 15.06 -17.06 Malcolm Le Grice, Guy Sherwin, William Raban - Live

Cinema. 28.09 Best films from the Pocket Films festival (Paris). Partner: AT

Production

2. Jonge Filmfans/ Jeunes Fans de Ciné (Young Film Fans)

13.10 Tony Conrad and guest musicians: Forty-five years on the infinite

Every Sunday, classics from film history were shown in the Henry Le

20.10 Ken Jacobs: Star Spangled to Death. (Partner: Argos)

Boeuf Hall to young cinemagoers from the age of six. These were Willy

21.10 Ken Jacobs and Aki Onda: Nervous Magic Lantern (live

Wonka & the chocolate factory, Peter Pan (Belgacom event), The Cameraman, Yellow Submarine, Jungle Book and The Gold Rush. The viewing was preceded every time by a bilingual introduction, an Micheline Presle

plain. (Partner: Argos) 14.10 An afternoon with Tony Conrad (lecture). (Partner: Argos)

performance). (Partner: Argos) 06.12 Invideo 2007 (Milan) festival opening. (Partners : Invideo and

Argos)

initiative of Royal Belgian Film Archive and BOZAR STUDIOS.

15.12 Henri Chopin: film and live performance.

3. Expanding Cinema

4. Other projects

BOZAR CINEMA is also exploring the relationship between cinema,

01.06 -03.06 Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Decalogue, shown in its entirety

video and other art forms (visual arts, music, literature). The programme is in the form of installations or performances.

(Partners: RBFA and the Polish Embassy) 20.10 Showing of Congolese films in the context of the Yambi day.

(Partners: Bureau de liaison de l’Espace francophone and 26.01 Sandra Gibson and Luis Recoder: Perf. Form (A Double-

Projection Feature in Three Parts). Sandra Gibson and Luis Recoder also showed the installation Atmos (27.01-25.02). (Partner: International Film Festival Rotterdam) 04.03 W ork from the videotheque of the Young Belgian Painters Award:

Jacques-Louis Nyst, Peter Campus, Charlemagne Palestine, Bill Viola, Nam June Paik, Dara Birnbaum, Jacques Lizène, Ernest Gusella. (Partner: Jeunesse et Arts Plastiques)

Commissariat général aux Relations internationales) 11.11 The documentary, Mariza and the Story of Fado by Simon

Broughton (UK). 24.10 Portrait of Luc Ferrari. (Partner: Radiophonic festival) 28.10 Les Grandes Répétitions. Five films by Luc Ferrari about composers

(France, 1965-1966). (Partner: Radiophonic festival) 02.11 Transes (Ahmed El Maanouni, 1981). Bellek and Sons of Osiris by

Bart Van Dijck, 2003 and 2004. In the context of the Moussem festival

Yellow Submarine

09.11 A rchie Shepp and the 1st Panafrican festival. Film by Théo

Robichet about the first Panafrican festival in Algiers in 1969. Followed by a solo concert by the jazz musician Archie Shepp and a discussion with Archie Shepp, Théo Robichet and Philippe Carles. 29.11 Aperghis : tempête sous un crâne by Catherine Maximoff. In the

presence of Georges Aperghis and the director. (Partners: Ars Musica and Les Films du Présent)

Matthias Müller en Christoph Girardet, Kristall

II. A wide range of styles

BO ZAR STU DIOS

The project

Activities

The art education department is inspired by the incredible diversity of the artistic programme. Visitors are taken through the Centre for Fine Arts on a voyage of discovery. Families and children, schools, teachers, young people, the middle aged and senior citizens: there’s an activity suitable for every visitor.

1. Families BOZARSUNDAYS GOOD MORNING The Centre for Fine Arts provides families with a delicious and cultural Sunday morning. First everyone has breakfast together. Then the children (aged 3 to 10) go to the BOZAR STUDIOS to make music themselves, while there is a concert for the parents. On some Sundays the Royal Belgian Film Archive shows classics from its collection, always with an introduction for children. Partners: Jeugd en Muziek Brussel, Jeunesses Musicales de Bruxelles, BOZAR CINEMA, Royal Belgian Film Archive. BOZARSUNDAYS GOOD AFTERNOON An afternoon programme for adults and children. The adults follow a guide to two exhibitions. The children go on an active voyage of discovery through one exhibition with a ‘pilot’. Then they start creating their own work in a workshop. During Views on Europe the children made a viewing box and discovered the techniques involved in landscape painting. In a travel studio in the exhibition Encompassing the globe they made their own fleet, discovered new territories and penetrated the secrets of cartography. During the interval the whole family get together for tea. The very smallest children (aged 2 to 5) can go to a creative crèche. 7,350 adults and children attended the SUNDAYS formula. INTERACTIVE STUDIOS A STUDIO is an interactive room in the middle of the exhibition, open to everyone over the age of 6. It consists of different workstations with various creative activities, ideas and craft tasks. Visitors are informed in a detailed documentation corner. The

PartyTime

STUDIO is open on Wednesdays (14:00 > 18:00), Saturdays and Sun-

days (10:00 > 18:00). In 2007 2,500 children (aged over 12) visited the

were exhibited in a preview for parents and children in the rooms of the

following two exhibitions; an average of 1,700 visitors passed through

BOZAR STUDIOS. A total of 184 children took part in the workshop.

the STUDIOS.

Partner: Jeunesse et Arts Plastiques

Studio China In the context of the exhibition The Forbidden Empire.

BIRTHDAY VISITS In 2007 50 children invited their friends (750 chil-

Visions of the World by Chinese and Flemish Masters, a playful discovery of

dren) to celebrate their birthday in a very original way in the Centre for

the rich Chinese universe, children created their own musical story.

Fine Arts. They explored the building from top to bottom and discov-

Partner: Amadeo Productions

ered all the nooks and crannies.

Studio Europa In the context of the exhibition The Grand Atelier. Pathways of Art in Europe (5th-18th century), an interactive journey round the European identity and cultural exchanges, children could travel around the different European countries, rummage around in suitcases

3. Schools BOZAR STUDIOS provides a range of activities for primary and

and get a taste of cultural diversity.

secondary schools, and attempts to correspond to the attainment

Partner: Rasa vzw

targets and musical education.

FAMILY KIT The Family Kit invited parents and children to playfully

MUSIC During a musical day programme ‘Le Symphonique, c’est

discover the exhibition Ingenuity. Photography and Engineering 1846-

chic !’ /‘Orkest op zijn Best’ (Orchestra at its best) pupils from primary

2006 and to be introduced to the power of human ingenuity. 142 Fam-

schools attend a rehearsal. They can take a seat in the middle of the or-

ily Kits were sold in the summer 2007 and 122 children took part in the

chestra. 10 schools (300 pupils) have already taken part.

accompanying competition.

Partner: National Orchestra of Belgium The musical project for schools ‘Le Classique c’est Classe’/ ‘Klassiek

2. Children

met Klasse’ (Classics with Class) takes pupils from secondary schools to concert halls. An educational introduction prepares them for the

DAY WORKSHOPS Children (aged 6 to 12) go to the Centre for Fine

evening concert. 4,500 pupils take part in Klassiek met Klasse every

Arts for the day and visit the exhibition and the STUDIO. Day work-

year.

shops took place during the autumn, Christmas, spring and Easter holi-

Partners: Jeugd en Muziek Brussel, Jeunesses Musicales de Bruxelles

days. Approximately 140 children took part. During the ‘Parcours musicaux’/‘Muziekparcours’ (Music Rounds) SUMMER WORKSHOPS Contemporary art and photography were a

pupils from secondary education (121) attend two or three concerts and

source of inspiration for children to be creative themselves. The results

are introduced in this way to a particular genre of music or musician.

II. A wide range of styles

During a day workshop with (orchestral) musicians they create their own piece of music, inspired by music they heard in the concert hall.

4. Young people FINISSAGE Club India – 19.01

EXPO During a day programme pupils from primary education spend a

The most important exhibitions conclude with a Finissage for young

whole day in an exhibition and in the STUDIO. They are introduced to

people. The exhibition Eternal Energy. 1500 Years of Indian Art remained

the artworks in a playful way. A total of 3,700 pupils visited the exhibi-

open until 1 o’ clock at night. Young people were offered a free tour and

tions under the supervision of a guide/pilot.

were able to participate in themed workshops (yoga, massage). Dance and DJ in the Horta Hall: Timaxx, DJ Shanu, PANJABI MC (2,200 visitors).

ARCHITECTURE Together with a pilot, the pupils set out on an adventure, holding their sketchbooks and pens. They discover who Victor

START Young people can attend the activities in the Centre for Fine

Horta was, with opportunities to look, listen and be creative. Approxi-

Arts at a discount. With BOZARSTART they pay only ¤ 5.00 for

mately 1,500 pupils visited the building.

an exhibition, concert or performance (504 START booklets sold in 2007).

THEATER, DANCE, LITERATURE and CINEMA From the range of theatre, dance, literature and cinema, BOZAR STUDIOS selects pro-

STUDIO ICTUS Studio Modern – 18.03

ductions which appeal to a young audience. They take a look behind

Soloists from the Ictus Ensemble support students in the Queen

the scenes with introductions and meetings. A director, actor, dancer

Elisabeth College of Music and the Belgian music conservatories with

or choreographer shows how the initial moment of a creative work is

advice and activities. The result could be heard during three mini-

turned into a performance. An Inconvenient Truth attracted 460 pupils,

concerts (200 concertgoers and 22 participating musicians).

the seventh art form in pocket size, the Pocket Film attracted 50 pupils

Partner: Ictus

and Theater op de Middag (Theatre at Lunchtime) 450 pupils. TEACHERS At the start of a new exhibition period or concert season, BOZAR STUDIOS always organizes teachers’ days (1,500 participants). Teachers also receive a discount for the exhibition. 1,194 teachers

5. The middle aged and senior citizens EXPOTOURS and THE BUILDING Under the guidance of the guide

made use of this. Lesson folders for primary and secondary education

coordinator, 55 freelance guides took groups round the exhibitions and

are produced for the large exhibitions and musical events.

the building. The guides are art historians who are trained during study days and on model tours. The study days consist of lectures by specialists and guided tours in other exhibitions or museums. The model tours are led by the curators of the exhibitions. Every Sunday there are regular

Photo : Lydie Nesvadba

tours for individual visitors. Building at 12.00 (ENG, NL and FR) – exhibition: 13:30 (ENG), 15:00 (NL) and 15:30 (FR)).

BOZARPLUSDAYS The days for senior citizens are the perfect way to discover the Centre for Fine Arts and its cultural activities. A theatre per-

Organization

formance or concert preceded by an introduction is followed by a visit to

BOZAR STUDIOS has its own space in the Centre for Fine Arts: a

the exhibition and a warm meal (participation 750 senior citizens).

reception area, multipurpose workshops and a picnic place for schools and families. The youngest children can go to the crèche. With its own kitchen and small garden, the STUDIOS are an attractive place to visit.

6. Events

For every exhibition period BOZAR STUDIOS also builds a studio, an area for creativity in the middle of the exhibition space.

PARTY TIME- 22.04 This colourful day has a programme of activities for the whole family. For a mere ¤ 5.00 the visitor can go everywhere,

The cooperation with numerous partners will continue: Jeugd en

and children under the age of 12 are admitted free of charge. In 2007

Muziek Brussel, Jeunesses Musicales de Bruxelles, National Orchestra

the theme was China, with the focus on the eye-catching exhibition The

of Belgium, Rideau de Bruxelles, BRONKS, ReMuA, ART BASICS for

Forbidden Empire. The performances, exhibitions, concerts, music work-

CHILDREN, Jeunesse et Arts Plastiques, Ictus, Recyclart, Rasa vzw,

shops, calligraphy, guided tours, activities in the Horta Hall and the

etc. They are all partners with the necessary expertise in their field:

Chinese lion dance attracted more than 2,700 visitors.

music, theatre. contemporary art, etc.

FESTIVAL WEEKENDS BOZAR STUDIOS organizes workshops with artists (dance, music, cookery, storytelling) and lectures for children, families and adults. Balkan Festival– 14.04 (304 participants) Congo Festival– 20.10 (250 participants) OTHER ACTIVITIES The Centre for Fine Arts takes part in a number of initiatives to encourage visitors. On the initiative of the federal Social Integration Minister the Belgian CPAS/OCMW receive an extra subsidy for the organization of cultural and/or sports activities. Together with the ten other federal scientific institutes, and in collaboration with social workers, special formulas are drawn up for a supervised visit. People who have an ‘Article 27’ ticket can go to all the exhibitions and performances for ¤ 1,25. For those who are involved in the social project of the Monnaie/Munt, BOZAR STUDIOS offers ten free tickets, together with the Monnaie/Munt.

II. A wide range of styles

III Friends of BOZAR

BO ZAR FUN DING

The project

Sponsorship Approximately 66% of the turnover of BOZAR FUNDING comes

The Centre for Fine Arts obtains its funds from government subsidies, ticket sales and to some extent also from commercial activities. BOZAR FUNDING is responsible for this last aspect. The department develops and maintains the relationships with the business community. For this purpose it makes use of all the opportunities the Centre for Fine Arts can offer and is aware of the strategies and requirements of the corporate partners. The commercial activities take place in the following fields: – advertising – sponsorship – corporate events Advertising

from sponsorship. A structural partnership is being developed with a limited number of businesses (horizontal approach). In addition, specific sponsors are also attracted for concerts and exhibitions (vertical approach). The returns of the National Lottery are also managed by BOZAR FUNDING in exchange for a subsidy. – Structural: the Centre for Fine Arts has five large sponsors. In 2007 there was a change in the group of structural partners. Akzo Nobel ended its partnership. It was replaced by SIGMA Coatings. SONY became a new partner in addition to Belgacom, BMW, and SUEZ. – Project specific: the successful year of 2006 with support from corporate sponsors for two large exhibitions, did not continue in 2007. Not a single sponsor was found for any exhibition project. This was probably related to the strong presence in the other cultural institutions; 2007 was also a Europalia year. However, private visits were organized for the exhibitions. The share of income from exhibitions amounts to 6%. 2007 was a wonderful year for concert sponsorship with top concerts such as that of Cecilia Bartoli. The concert sponsorship and the formula of business seats accounted in 2007 for 11% of the income, an increase of 30.8% compared with 2006.

In 2007 the turnover of publicity in the house publications accounted for 4.2% of the total turnover. The package contains the BOZAR MAGAZINE (a monthly magazine, which comes out 10 times a year), concert programmes and annual brochures (BOZAR MUSIC, BOZAR

Corporate events

EXPO, BOZAR STAGE AND SCREEN). In 2007 the publicity in

Increasingly the Centre for Fine Arts receives requests from the business

the BOZAR MAGAZINE was contracted out to the Media Selling

community to organize events. In addition to the standard packages

Space bureau. They achieved an increase of 30% in the income from

of nocturnes and concert evenings, requests are increasing to hire one

advertising.

or more of the reception halls in the Centre for Fine Arts for a private

III. Friends of BOZAR

event. In 2007 the Centre for Fine Arts welcomed about 30 businesses

cloakroom and their own bar. They can participate in exclusive cultural

for parties for their personnel, conferences, receptions, private concerts,

trips abroad (in 2007: Leipzig, Dresden, Washington and New York).

dinners, prizegivings, etc.

Tax deductions are an important incentive for those members who

It was an important year for hiring out rooms. In 2006 an events

can make use of this formula. Shortly after the annual press conference

coordinator was employed and in 2007 a catering manager. This was

the Patrons come together at a dinner where the new artistic season is

a large step forward for the services provided. Since 2007, businesses

introduced. At the end of 2007 there were 245 BOZAR PATRONS.

have been able to choose from a range of catering possibilities by 10 different caterers for their receptions. Parameters such as quality and

BOZAR CORPORATE PATRONS

price, as well as bilingual personnel played a role in this. There will be

was introduced in September 2007. It is intended both for the

This is a new formula which

an evaluation in 2008 on the basis of the efficiency and satisfaction of

management and the employees of one and the same company. The

the clients.

members of the board of directors (4 people per membership) enjoy

Corporate events account for 8.3% of the total turnover of BOZAR

the same advantages as the BOZAR PATRONS. They are also given

FUNDING. When the renovation work has been completed there will

the opportunity to take an exclusive tour behind the screens of the

be more rooms available. It goes without saying that the organization

Centre. Once a year, they are given a 25% reduction for hiring the

always takes place with respect for the artistic programming.

rooms. They are invited to a lunch with the management where the programme of the next season is revealed for the first time. In this way they are given an opportunity for their names to be linked to the

Membership The group of patrons of the Centre for Fine Arts provides essential

artistic project. The formula gives the employees of the same company the opportunity to register personally as a BOZAR PATRON or YOUNG PATRON at a very attractive rate.

support for the artistic programming. Since September 2007 there have been three categories: the BOZAR PATRONS, the YOUNG

BOZAR YOUNG PATRONS The year 2007 was the third season for the

PATRONS, and the CORPORATE PATRONS. In September

BOZAR YOUNG PATRONS. This circle consists of young managing

2007 the existing formula BOZAR FRIENDS was renamed MY

employees, entrepreneurs and officials from Belgium and abroad. The

BOZAR. The annual contribution and the advantages have remained

great diversity means that the contacts are all the more fascinating.

approximately the same, but this category of members will in the

Every season YOUNG PATRONS can select 40 free tickets from a

future be managed by the Communication Department.

monthly list. In addition, they are also regularly invited to the openings and exclusive tours in the large exhibitions, premieres of films and the

BOZAR PATRONS BOZAR PATRONS can go to all the concerts

annual dinner where the next season is presented.

of BOZAR MUSIC, participate in private nocturnes, previews of

The great flexibility of the system of reservations is highly appreciated by

exhibitions, film, dance and theatre productions. Furthermore they are

the members who often have a busy and unpredictable diary. At the end

personally welcomed at the special â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;PATRONSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; desk, have a private

of 2007 there were 44 members of BOZAR YOUNG PATRONS.

Cultural partners

In Belgium During 2007 the Centre for Fine Arts cooperated with a growing number of cultural partners. These include both occasional partnerships and structural cooperation with about twenty organizations. The majority of the cultural partners with which the Centre cooperates on a regular basis, each with its own identity, are established in the same administrative rooms as the team of the Centre for Fine Arts. They regularly put on a varied programme for which the Centre cannot be wholly responsible on its own. Their activities guarantee a better balance and attract a varied public. The existing contracts, in particular with the Royal Belgian Film Archive, Jeunesse et Arts plastiques, the Centre d’Information de l’Architecture, de l’Urbanisme et du Design (CIAUDICASD), the architecture periodical A+, Exploration du Monde and the Rideau de Bruxelles were observed to everyone’s satisfaction in 2007. The annual contract with Young Belgian Painters was renewed. In anticipation of the completion of the renovated rooms of the Royal Belgian Film Archive, most films were shown in the alternative room, the Central Gate auditorium. Rideau de Bruxelles is temporarily accommodated in the premises next to the Centre for Fine Arts in the Villa Hermosastraat.

The most important cultural partners are: Les Agrémens Amadeo Productions Amarant AmuseeVous Argos Ars Musica ART BASICS for CHILDREN Artexis

AT Production Bari Het beschrijf BITC B.P.S.22 Project Le Botanique British Council Broodje Brussel/OPB

BRONKS Jeugdtheater Brusselse Museumraad Centre culturel ING Centre international de formation en arts du spectacle/Bruxelles (CIFAS) Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth

Charleroi Danses Chœur de Chambre de Namur CIAUD - ICASD Cinémathèque Royale de Belgique Concours Musical International Reine Elisabeth Conseil bruxellois des Musées Conservatoire Royal de Musique de Bruxelles Culture et Tourisme, Cathédrale Saints Michel et Gudule Cultuurnet Vlaanderen Davidsfonds deFilharmonie Emigrative Art Exploration du Monde fABULEUS Festival van Vlaanderen Brussel – Europa Festival de Wallonie Les Films du Présent Flagey Fondation Europalia International Fondation Magritte Fonds Mercator FotoMuseum Provincie Antwerpen Gezinsbond Goethe Institut Les Halles de Schaerbeek Ictus

ikob (Museum für Zeitgenössische Kunst Eupen) Jeugd en Muziek Brussel Jeunesse et Arts Plastiques Jeunesses Musicales de Bruxelles Jeune Peinture Belge Kaaitheater Klara KlaraFestival Klasse Koninklijk Muziekconservatorium van Brussel Kunstenplatform Ligue des familles MAC’s Middagen van Poëzie en Proza Mont des Arts Moussem Musée de la Photographie à Charleroi Royal Museums of Fine Arts Belgium Musiques Nouvelles Needcompany NICC Antwerpen Office de Promotion du Tourisme Onthaal en Promotie Brussel Opéra de Wallonie Orfeus Instituut

Orchestre National de Belgique Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège Passa Porta Patrick De Brock Gallery Printemps Baroque du Sablon Promotion des Lettres belges de langue française Radiophonic Festival Rasa vzw ReMuA - Réseau de Musiciens intervenants en Ateliers Ricercar Consort Rideau de Bruxelles RTBF Musiq’3 Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie Toerisme Vlaanderen Troubleyn/Jan Fabre vlaamsekunstcollectie Vlaamse Radio Orkest Vaartkapoen WCC Zuiderpershuis

III. Friends of BOZAR

Abroad

The members of ECHO 2007 were:

ECHO (European Concert Hall Organisation) is an association of

Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam

Barbican Centre London

the directors of the most prestigious concert halls in Europe. This

Athens Concert Hall Organization

South Bank Centre London

organization aims to bring about more cultural exchanges, and

L’Auditori de Barcelona

Cité de la Musique Paris

Festspielhaus Baden-Baden

Théâtre des Champs-Elysées Paris

Symphony Hall Birmingham

Konserthuset Stockholm

Palais des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles

Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien

endeavours to put on works on different stages. In 2007 ECHO covered sixteen concert halls, including the Centre for Fine Arts. The association supports young artists with the Rising Stars concerts

Elbphilharmonie & Laeiszhalle Hamburg

which are on the Sunday morning programme in the Centre for Fine

Kölner Philharmonie

Arts. In addition, ECHO commissions works from composers who

Salle de Concerts Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte de Luxembourg

work together with other artists in an interdisciplinary way. I am a

Wiener Konzerthausgesellschaft

mistake, a work commissioned from Wolfgang Rihm, Jan Fabre and Chantal Akerman, premiered in December. With regard to the visual arts, temporary cooperation contracts were concluded with foreign

Other international partners with which the Centre for Fine Arts

museums and art centres, positioning the Centre for Fine Arts in the

carried out co-productions included, inter alia:

European network. Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen München

Ministry of Culture (India)

British Council

Natural World Museum San Francisco

BMEP - British Music Education Project Festival Temps d’Images / EU Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian German Federal Cultural Foundation

National Museum New Delhi

Opéra de Lille The Palace Museum Beijing Smithsonian Institution Washington D.C.

ICCR - Indian Council for Cultural Relations

Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

London Symphony Orchestra

Turismo de Portugal

Lille 3000 Ministère de la Culture de Chine

Staatliche Museen Dresden United Nations Environment Programme

Ministère de l’Economie et l’Innovation du Portugal Photo : Julien Lanoo

International mission

The project

Activities

One of the tasks of the Centre for Fine Arts consists of ‘developing and

Contacts have been established, negotiations conducted and/or projects

implementing a multidisciplinary, integrated cultural programming

carried out with different countries. In 2007 these contacts were mainly

which contributes to the European and international image of the

with Germany and Portugal (each time in the context of the Presidency

federal state of Belgium, the Communities and the Brussels Capital

of these countries of the Council of the European Union). Intensive

Region’.

negotiations and activities took place with Icelandic, Korean, French and Swiss institutions to prepare for the exhibition projects in 2008.

In addition, the management agreement provides: ‘Given the status of

In addition, exploratory talks were held for longer-term projects with

Brussels as the European capital, the Company presents the European

the Palestinian Territories, Turkey, Brazil, the Czech Republic and

Commission and the European Parliament with projects which serve as

Spain. Contacts were also made with countries such as Qatar, Taiwan

the basis for a European cultural activity, in which cultural diversity and

and South Africa.

the mobility of artists and works of art are encouraged. In this context the Company seeks for a specific cooperative venture and can conclude

Cooperative ventures with the European Parliament and the European

appropriate agreements for this purpose’.

Commission were continued in 2007. The Centre for Fine Arts aims to

With this commitment, the Centre for Fine Arts aims to develop as

make an effort to bring citizens closer to Europe.

a breeding ground for the cultural Europe of the future. This involves working out international initiatives as well as reviving new artistic

In 2006 a project-based cooperative venture developed with the

movements in Belgium.

Federal Government Department for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. This will be extended over several years

Coproductions with the biennial Europalia Festival fit this mission perfectly. Therefore the Centre for Fine Arts enthusiastically committed itself to ensuring the success of the 2007 Festival devoted to the 27 member states of the European Union (in the context of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome). In addition, the Centre is working on other projects which fit into this international profile. In this way the Centre for Fine Arts has developed to become the reference point for international governmental and other institutions to carry out a project of cooperation in the heart of the European capital.

and was expanded and implemented in 2007.

III. Friends of BOZAR

Photoâ&#x20AC;&#x2030;: Julien Lanoo

IV BOZAR and its audience

Marketing, The project communication The Marketing and Communication department and box office is responsible for the communication of the BOZAR project, the product marketing and the promotion of all the products for the public (tickets, catering, shop). The department contributes to the presentation of the institute as an art centre, elaborates the BOZAR cultural brand and is in charge of welcoming the public.

1. MYBOZAR This new formula replaces the BOZARCARD, BOZARCLUB and BOZARFRIENDS. It is a combination of a membership and a client card (with a related discount on the ticket price). Cost price: ¤ 49.00 per year Advantages: • 10 per cent discount on individual tickets • 10 per cent discount on purchases in the BOZARSHOP • 1 free entrance ticket to the Centre’s Party Time • 2 free entrance tickets for one or two exhibitions of the member’s choice • 2 free entrance tickets for one or two performances of Young Film Fans • 1 free guided tour From Horta to Horta on Sunday afternoon • 1 invitation to the new year concert • programmes for the concerts and performances • invitations to the previews of BOZAR EXPO • subscription to BOZARMAGAZINE • exclusive benefits about which the public will be informed by e-mail.

2. Press office Three full-time Press Officers work in the press office. They represent the EXPO, MUSIC and TDLC departments (THEATRE, DANCE, LITERATURE and CINEMA). The STUDIOS join in with the other disciplines for their communication. This structure makes it possible to respond to the most diverse questions of the specialist press. The press office covers all the national press, both the written and the audiovisual media. Specific efforts are made as regards the international press. Foreign correspondents in Brussels are contacted for the large

IV. BOZAR and its audience

exhibitions, or for specific events – for example, the Portuguese press about the Portugal Festival.

3. Audience development

Since January 2007 the press office has worked with a press agency in

1. BOZAR MUSIC

Paris which has personal contacts with the French press in the field

Informing the musical public takes place with the tried and tested

of culture, lifestyle and tourism. During a press trip, twenty French

means, such as the annual brochures, the magazine, the website and the

journalists visited the exhibitions Views on Europe, Visit[e] and The

newsletter. New target groups were also approached. This is done by

Forbidden Empire. France 2, Connaissance des Arts, L’oeil, Beaux Arts

means of targeted mailshots to datafiles (which have been purchased),

magazine, Arts Antiques Auctions and Art Actuel reported on these.

the targeted distribution of printed matter, campaigns with social and

In cooperation with OPT (Office for the Promotion of Tourism in

cultural partners (such as the Davidsfonds, authorities, universities).

Wallonia-Brussels) and Tourism Flanders, press trips were organized

Campaigns are also planned with commercial partners (Atos Worldline,

for the German, French and Spanish press. For the Portugal Festival

Fortis, Fresh). Embassies and cultural institutes in Belgium are supported

there were press trips from Brussels to Washington and Lisbon. For

to promote international artists who appear on our stages.

the Iceland Festival, which takes place in 2008, there was a press trip

In order to attract a broader public the concerts are sometimes

in October 2007 with 17 journalists from the most important Belgian

linked to general themes. This is the case with end of year concerts, a

media.

Closing concert, a Valentine concert, and minifestivals with their own

The press office also plays a role in the positioning of the Centre for

branding.

Fine Arts and the management. The renovation work, the opening of

The discovery subscriptions were launched this year for the second

the BOZARSHOP, the new uniforms of the reception personnel and

time. Despite the limited communication budget, about 300 discovery

the second mandate of Paul Dujardin as director-general were all key

subscriptions were sold once again.

moments about which the different media were informed.

The Classicarte formula (a selection of 7 concerts for 75 euros) was

A total of three hundred press releases were sent, i.e., almost one

again available in 2007. This subscription formula was also supported

a day. The press can find the information on a specific section on

and promoted by Musiq’3. This year 333 subscriptions were sold, a fall

the website and receives press releases with illustrated templates by

compared to last season. During a campaign focused on the French-

e-mail.

speaking music schools, more than 4,000 tickets were sold. This

The annual press conference was split into two parts: the introduction

campaign was subsidised by the French-speaking Community.

to the musical programme on 19 March and the presentation of the

The performance of world music increased significantly in 2007.

general programme on 22 May. Altogether there were thirty press

16,000 visitors attended more than twenty concerts. The community

conferences in 2007, each relating to a brand new project.

in Belgium who come from the artist’s country of origin are explicitly approached as a target group: the communication is theme-based: it is linked to exhibitions and a festival.

2. BOZAR EXPO

3. BOZAR THEATRE, DANCE, LITERATURE, CINEMA

The provision of exhibitions had a strong international flavour. We

The annual brochure Stage and Screen was produced for the third

also went abroad to promote them: for workshops, the Uitmarkt in

time. The new lay-out places a stronger emphasis on the groundbreaking

Amsterdam and the Brussels Day in Paris.

aspect. It was for this reason, amongst others, that we did not opt for a

The communication and promotion are complex and labour-intensive,

subscription formula for 2007-2008. However, combi tickets per theme

in view of the very diverse character of the exhibitions. There is still a

and therefore with a cross-disciplinary character, were encouraged

great deal of potential: more targeted campaigns, reaching a public that

during the course of the season. Groups and associations were also given

is already familiar with Bozar, drawing up new partnerships. A limited

a 10 per cent discount.

capacity means that a great deal of this potential remained unexploited

This time the brochure was sent out before the summer holiday. The

in 2007.

seasonal brochures of the other centres were also published at that time

The permanent partners include Tourism Flanders, OPT and BITC

and this meant that BOZAR Stage and Screen could present itself in a

(which are respectively responsible for promoting Flanders, Brussels/

particular way in the landscape of the dramatic arts. Interested parties

Wallonia and Brussels as tourist destinations). In addition, partnerships

could apply for the new brochure via promotional campaigns, inter

developed in connection with the subjects that were presented and

alia, in De Morgen and De Tijd. This also made it possible to extend the

possible interested target groups. The cooperation with the respective

mailing list. 7,500 people were sent the brochure by a direct mailshot.

embassies and tourist services of Germany, China and Portugal was

The timing of the brochure also has an influence on pre-sales. In future

crucially important for promoting the exhibitions in 2007. New

this should be taken into account to an even greater extent. Special

cooperative ventures were achieved with Countdown, the Dutch

attention must also be paid to setting the ticket prices for the dramatic

Museum year card and the art magazine (H)ART.

arts and cinema in 2008.

In addition, the Centre for Fine Arts is involved in district-based and/

In 2007 surveys were also carried out for the first time amongst the

or Brussels initiatives such as the Museum Nocturnes and the Night of the

public for the dramatic arts and cinema. An analysis is planned for the

Brussels Museums organized by the Brussels Museum Council, initiatives

second half of 2008.

for the institutes on the ‘hill of the arts’ by Mont des Arts/Kunstberg

For Theatre and Literature at Lunchtime 12,000 copies of the

vzw, Brussels Day in Paris by BITC, the Cocon project by BBOT/BNA

folder were sent out. Because of the success of the direct mailshot, an

(Brussels belongs to us), etc.

extra run of 5,000 copies followed in October 2007. The performances

Research into the public profile and visitor satisfaction should help

for schools were full almost immediately. At the end of the semester

to make the most of the communication. In addition, there are

the loyal Lunchtime audiences were rewarded with a free ticket for

new initiatives, such as the visitors’ guides produced for a number of

the current exhibition. The permanent partner for the lunch formula,

exhibitions, ‘finissages’ at the end of exhibitions for a young public and

Onthaal en Promotie Brussel (OPB), renewed the lay-out of its

the new BOZARSTART formula, which was introduced on a large scale

monthly folder Broodje Brussel, which means it can devote more text

for exhibitions. The opening of the long-awaited BOZARSHOP is an

to performances. In addition, Fed+ (federal government) also included

extra attraction for visiting the exhibitions.

the range in its calendar again.

IV. BOZAR and its audience

Cinema

was devoted to this in the Belgian press. A flyer was made in the shape

Flagey, the Film Archive and BOZAR CINEMA once again presented

of a mobile telephone, and a competition was organized in cooperation

a joint brochure. In 2007 the Centre for Fine Arts opted for a seasonal

with the partners AT-production and Cinepocket.

folder rather than flyers for every production. This was to once again

In 2008 BOZAR CINEMA will have to make changes. Its position in

provide the family public with a survey of all the performances after all

the Brussels landscape, the cooperation with partners, co-producers and

the changes in the Young Film Fans formula.

sponsors, the frequency of the film shows and the prices are important

Pre-sales increased as a result. 10,000 copies of the folder were

factors for a new communication strategy.

distributed, not only to BOZAR’s family and cinemagoing public, but also at family events. In future a single rate applies for Young

Photo : Vinciane Pierart

Literature

Film Fans: the rate for the BOZARSUNDAYS Good Morning,

For Cinema Racista the cooperation with the Passa Porta Festival

including breakfast. The Young Film Fans are also included in the

was evident, even in the brochure. In addition, A3-posters were made

BOZARPASSPORT savings card. For 2008 there are plans for joint

and there were e-mailshots, radio spots and advertisements. The

communication with other cultural centres which show children’s

communication with the schools was continued in cooperation with

films and for a Brussels festival of children’s films.

BOZAR STUDIOS.

Expanding Cinema once again had a very wide-ranging programme

For the first time a series of lectures was organized with French

this year. Co-productions with specialist centres such as Argos and

philosophers, Dans les Plis du Présent | In de Plooien van het Heden

Radiophonic meant that some audiences moved to the Centre for the

(In the folds of the present). A university public was addressed with the

first time. In future the communication for this aspect will be done by

support of the partner, Emigrative Art. It was promoted by a poster

e-mail more often. Instead of flyers, there will also be small A3 posters

campaign, radio spots and advertisements and digital newsletters. A

for the institutes of higher education in Brussels, mediatheques etc.

loyal public who had not been to the Centre before for this type of event

Building up a permanent public and extending the database continues

developed during the series.

to be a priority for this. The link with the communication and the

Stichting Ons Erfdeel (Our Heritage) organized a literary event

press for contemporary exhibitions must be strengthened even further

around writers from Europe and included BOZAR LITERATURE in

in 2008. There was an unusual initiative to announce the sound poet

the invitation to its 10,000 members.

Henri Chopin: a Youtube film appeared on the website.

The series of lectures with well-known and less well-known Portuguese

The number of big name Previews increased significantly in 2007. These

writers Le tour du monde lusophone | De Portugeestalige wereld

were communicated in fairly traditional way: flyers with a circulation

rond (Round the Portuguese language world) was featured in the Portugal

varying from 5,000 to 7,000 copies, direct mailshots and/or paper

Festival|EXPO brochure. The Portuguese language communities in

mailshots to the cinemagoing public, radio spots and advertisements,

Belgium were sent a detailed newsletter. The literary programme was

e–mails, announcements in BOZARMAGAZINE and on the website.

translated into Portuguese and was distributed by the Portuguese

There was also room for an experiment for the young public: the very

bookshop Orfeu and by the literary circuit in Brussels, amongst other

first Festival of the Pocket Film in Belgium. A great deal of attention

places. The public at the Book Fair in Antwerp was addressed for the

first time, with signing sessions and flyers. The folders accompanied

and performance. Many of the young people (aged 16 to 26) had never

the books in cooperation with the five publishers of the Portuguese

visited the Centre before. The BOZARSTART formula was promoted

writers.

on the evening itself. Thanks to AmuseeVous BOZAR took part in the wristband campaign for the festival visitors to Werchter during the

Theatre and Dance

summer. When they showed the wristband, the visitors were given free

For Antje Pfundtner and the cooperation with Christine Angot

tickets for the current summer exhibitions. The Coup de Coeurs of the

and Mathilde Monnier a close cooperation was developed with the

BOZAR employees was advertised with stickers in the exhibition. The

Halles de Schaerbeek, with big posters. The six participating cultural

soundscape of Girls in Hawaii, which was specially composed for Sara

centres in the project France Dance launched a brochure via the French

Vanagt’s work in the exhibition of Young Belgian Painters, could be

embassy. Compagnia Pippo Delbono was advertised with a large-scale

heard on the CD.

poster campaign, advertisements and radio spots and a small flyer in

The Student conference attended by 2,400 students was organized on

cooperation with Théâtre de la Place in Liège. Once again many Italians

5 and 6 November in cooperation with the Marketing Foundation. No

attended the performance because of the good cooperation with the

fewer than 500 BOZARSTART addresses were collected during this

Istituto Italiano di Cultura. The interactive installation From Inside

two-day event.

by Thierry De Mey was mainly advertised to a dance audience: in the

The Poetry Hacking Project was promoted together with NMK with

brochure of Charleroi Danses, with e-mails and a radio spot.

a banner on the website.

There were two waves of promotion for the Münchner Kammerspiele, directed by Johan Simons. The Centre for Fine Arts produced 5,000 copies of the first flyer, which was also distributed by NT Gent. The

4. BOZAR STUDIOS

second flyer mainly reached the cinemagoing public. In addition, the

Children, families, primary and secondary schools, young people, adults

communication comprised advertisements, radio spots and digital

and senior citizens: BOZAR STUDIOS addresses very diverse target

newsletters. The Centre cooperated with the Polish Embassy, the Dutch

groups. The activities are closely related to those of other BOZAR

Embassy, the Bavarian Staatskanzlei, the EFA (European Festivals

departments, which increasingly devote attention to this sort transversal

Association), the ISPA (International Society for the Performing Arts)

activity. The loyalty of the different groups, particular schools and

and the Royal Film Archive.

families is ensured by means of set formulae.

10,000 copies of a flyer were produced for I am a mistake by Jan Fabre, as well as a paper mailshot to the music, film, and theatregoing public.

The activities for children and families are accompanied by an icon on

The campaigns were supported by posters, radio spots, advertisements

the website, which results in greater visibility.

and digital newsletters. The Ars Musica public was also addressed.

They are also used for the BOZARPASSPORT. This formula was launched in 2007 during the Centre’s Party Time. This is a free discovery

Party Time : chinese music

In April BOZARCOM organized the Soirée Armée with the partner

passport for children between the ages of 6 and 12. They can personalise

AmuseeVous: a museum party with dance, theatre, literature, music

the passport and bring it along to Bozar activities. When they have

IV. BOZAR and its audience

collected four stamps, they receive a gift. They can also win a stamp by

Brussels receive a 50 per cent discount for exhibitions, subsidised by

making a drawing of the BOZAR STUDIOS icon. BOZARPASSPORT

the Flemish Community Commission.

is a playful means of communication, even though the distribution is

An original campaign for the BOZARSTART formula targeted young

still rather difficult.

people under the age of 26. The theme was the journey and access to

There was a separate folder for the Party Time. The public was given

culture. A baggage label was distributed in the Student Pack for institutes

a unique opportunity to discover the Centre for Fine Arts in all its

of higher education and universities (100,000 copies) and in the College

diversity. A 5 euro pass gave access to the activities. Above all, the event

Pack for school leavers (25,000 copies). This was linked to a competition

was a way of discovering the BOZAR STUDIOS department, which for

in which the prize was a plane ticket from Brussels to Lisbon. Almost

the first time concentrated on a particular theme during the 2007 Party

500 young people took part. BOZARSTART was also promoted

Time: China.

during the summer festivals, on the Day of the Student, during events

The BOZARSUNDAYS, family Sundays, are announced in a folder

in the Centre. Sales rocketed and the formula became very well known.

that is published twice a year. The cooperation with La Ligue des

Finissage Club India, the young people’s event of the year, attracted

Familles and De Gezinsbond, the most important national partners,

more than a thousand visitors.

was further strengthened. The members enjoy a 25 per cent discount on various activities. 78,000 copies of the BOZARSUNDAYS folder were

In 2007 the days for senior citizens were renamed BOZAR-

distributed via Le Ligueur.

PLUSDAYS. Dutch-speaking associations of senior citizens are well

BOZAR STUDIOS was also present during the National Holiday (a

represented. On the French-speaking side cooperation was realised

free photo session and entrance to the Ingenuity exhibition) and at the

with Carte S, which resumed its activities.

Cultuurmarkt in Antwerp. There was a free show in connection with the Christmas concert. There is an annual brochure for schools. From May, posters are

4. Media planning

distributed in schools so that teachers can apply for their brochures. A

The cooperation with the permanent sponsors was extended in 2007:

reminder e-mail is sent for every exhibition season in September and

Roularta Media Group, RTBF, VRT, TV Brussel, De Morgen, Le Soir.

January. As updating the database and direct contact are extremely

BOZAR also cooperated with new partners:

important, telemarketing is also regularly used.

• announcement of the competition in the magazine Pays du Nord (Lille

For teachers three meeting days based on the exhibitions were hold.

and the north of France) for the exhibition Treasures old and new from

For the Dutch-speaking side this was advertised in Klasse, an umbrella

Wallonia;

magazine which does not exist for French-speaking education, where teachers register on the website. An evening was also organized round the formula Klassiek met Klasse. The teacher’s price applies for exhibitions all the year round. Dutch-speaking primary schools in

• annual contract with the magazine Afilyatis, sent to euro employees in Brussels; • annual promotional and editorial contract with the Belgian art magazine (H)Art;

Geographical

Top 10 municipalities/cities

origin:

in Belgium:

The partnership with Knack-Club is extended to Club Vif. There is a 10

77% Belgium

Elsene/Ixelles

per cent discount.

6.55% The Netherlands

Schaarbeek

• annual contract with the Nato personnel magazine.

For the Iceland festival On the Edge the Center cooperated with the

4.42% Luxembourg

Brussels 1000

young video artist Thom Vander Beken for a spot on RTBF and TV

3.45% France

Etterbeek

Brussel. Other TV spots were realised for the exhibitions The Forbidden

1.54% The UK

Antwerp

Empire, Views on Europe and Encompassing the Globe.

1.37% Germany

Ghent

There is an agreement with the French magazine Connaissance des Arts to

Jette

send the exhibition brochure to the subscribers in the Paris region.

Grimbergen

An address list of interested people was produced by participating in

Leuven

the campaign ‘Cultural brochures’ of De Morgen, De Standaard, Zone, De

Evere

Tijd, L’écho and the Publicarto titles.

Average time spent: 3 minutes Most visited pages: 1. activity page (via search engines and links on other sites)

5. Website

2. diary page (search on calendar)

2007 was wholly devoted to the analysis and development of

4. information pages

MYBOZAR (site version 2). This was done in three stages: test

Number of subscribers to the newsletter: 12,588

development, update of the internal structure, implementation.

Ratio FR/Dutch: 52/48%

Modifications were made regularly. A gallery tool was also installed.

Ratio man/woman: 52/48 %

3. home page per discipline

This makes high resolution photographs taken during the activities accessible to the press and public. Average number of visitors per day : 2,800 Average number of unique visitors per day (unique IPs): 1,700

6. Total visitors 2007 Productions Centre for Fine Arts

201.727

Funding, Musée du Cinéma/Filmmuseum, BOZARSHOP

100.000

Total

744.506

Productions third party and events

1.046.233

IV. BOZAR and its audience

Box office BOZAR TICKETS

Baroque du Sablon and the Charlemagne Orchestra was resumed in a fruitful way. The Conservatory of Brussels and the Théâtre du Vaudeville made use of a specific service of the reservation office. Online sales are increasing. In 2007 29,000 tickets were sold online (+ 25%). An agreement with Classictic, which specialises in classical

In 2007 the box office of the Centre for Fine Arts sold almost 700,000

music and opera, makes it possible to organize online sales at an

tickets. Half of these were for the exhibitions.

international level.

The BOZARTICKETS department used four sales outlets: the shop in the Ravenstein gallery and the call centre (where all the products are for sale) and also in the Horta Hall and in the entrance on the Rue Royale/Koningsstraat (for the exhibitions). During the summer months there was another location: tickets were sold for the exhibition Visit(e) in the ING Cultural Centre. Extra desks were also regularly placed in the Centre for nocturnes, last minutes and special events, such as Party Time. A new system of barcodes makes it possible to check the validity of the ticket at the entrance to the exhibition. It was introduced for the autumn exhibitions (europalia-europa and Portugal). The call centre continues to provide a diverted reservation service from Flagey. The calls for Rideau de Bruxelles also go there, as do the requests for guided tours organized by BOZAR EXPO and BOZAR STUDIOS. A new seating plan with four price categories was introduced for BOZAR MUSIC. It is better adapted to the acoustic reality of the Henry Le Boeuf Hall. The plan also applies for other disciplines, which means that one approach can be used for all ticket prices. New formulae such as the discovery subscriptions and BOZARGIFT were extremely successful. MYBOZAR, a membership with significant financial advantages, was successfully launched. BOZARTICKETS also guaranteed a reservation office for third parties. The cooperation with Flagey, Ars Musica, the Printemps

The Centre for Fine Arts in the press

On the exhibition ‘The Forbidden Empire’ On the BOZARSHOP ‘A l’instar du Palais de Tokyo à Paris ou du MoMA à New York, le Palais des Beaux-Arts à Bruxelles se dote d’une boutique qui vaut le voyage. Sur près de 350 m², le tout nouveau Bozarshop proposera la crème du livre d’art, une offre pointue de CD et de DVD mais aussi du design bien de chez nous.’ (Le Vif/L’Express, 02.11.2007)

On the exhibition ‘Views on Europe’ ‘Kulturell präsentiert sich Deutschland in der Europa-Hauptstadt mit dieser Ausstellung einmal als grosse Nation und nicht als zankende Kleinstaaterei.’ (Eckard Fuhr in Die Welt, 08.03.2007) ‘Seit zwanzig Jahren hat es keine solche Gesamtschau mehr gegeben. Und überhaupt noch nie gab es eine Ausstellung, für die sich, wie jetzt in Brüssel, drei der grössten deutsche Kunstmuseen (...) zusammengetan haben.’ (Andreas Kilb in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 09.03.2007)

‘The Forbidden Empire is the first exhibition anywhere to interleave Chinese and western paintings across five centuries, from about 1450 to 1950. It has just opened at Bozar, Brussels art deco people’s palace, before travelling in the summer to the Palace Museum in Beijing, and no one interested in east-west cultural dialogue will want to miss it.’

‘Luc Tuymans en Yu Hui hebben een strakke expo gemaakt. Met veel wit en ademruimte. De kunst uit China is een ontdekking, en uit Vlaanderen haalde Tuymans veel verborgens. Het verboden rijk scherpt onze blik voor kunst uit oost en west. En voor de kloof daartussen.’

‘Het is een boeiende, goed gedoseerde, ronduit schitterende expositie vol sprankelend raffinement.’ (Eric Rinckhout in De Morgen, 26.10.2007) ‘Le contenu de l’exposition, présentée au Bozar après avoir été créée à Washington, est d’une réelle densité. Il rappelle surtout l’importance et la diversité de l’Empire portugais à l’ère glorieuse des grands navigateurs partis à la découverte et à la conquête du monde, très motivés, entre autres, par le commerce des épices. D’où le parfum, émanant d’une oeuvre contemporaine, qui embaume l’exposition.’ (Laurence Bertels in Le Soir, 26.10.2007) ‘Een kleine, maritieme natie schonk Europa vijfhonderd jaar een enorme toevloed aan kennis over de wereld. Over het wereldwijde netwerk van versterkte handelsposten van de Portugezen loopt in Bozar de prachtige tentoonstelling De wereld rond.’

(Eric Rinckhout in De Morgen, 21.02.2007)

(Eric Bracke in De Tijd, 27.10.2007)

(Jackie Wullschlager in The Financial Times, 02.02.2007) ‘Breng vijfhonderd jaar Vlaamse en Chinese schilderkunst samen en je schept een wereld van verschil. Toch wekt de artistieke confrontatie in het Brusselse Paleis voor Schone Kunsten niet de indruk van een botsing tussen culturen, maar creëert ze interacties van voorstellingen en hun achterliggende visie op leven en wereld.’ (Sabine Alexander in Tertio, 07.03.2007)

‘Aucune nécessité interne n’irrigue ce propos, pas le moindre fil rouge, aussi riche soit l’exposition en oeuvres de qualité. Aucun argument pour fonder cette confrontation. Un peu comme si on mettait en parallèle et sans autre forme de procès l’oiseau et le poisson, le chien et le chat, l’eau et le feu.’ (Danielle Gillemon in Le Soir, 21.02.2007)

On the exhibition ‘Encompassing the globe’

IV. BOZAR and its audience

On the exhibition ‘The Grand Atelier’

On the installation ‘From inside’ by Thierry De Mey

‘Few shows of recent years have had the scope and grandiose ambitions of this one.’ (Michael Glover in The Independent, 16.10.2007) ‘Les peintres n’ont pas attendu les fondateurs de la CEE pour bouger, ni les marchands pour faire circuler les œuvres. Pour preuve, la superbe mise en abyme de la dernière salle, reconstruction du cabinet d’amateur, figure le vertige d’un marché de l’art mondial à venir.’ (Sean James Rose, Libération, 08.01.2008) ‘Op het eerste gezicht biedt Het meesterlijke atelier een verwarrende hoeveelheid stijlen en vormen. Het onoverzichtelijke panorama is samengesteld uit 350 objecten. Maar de tentoonstelling heeft het onderwerp ook goed afgebakend. Veertien sleutelmomenten, bijeengebracht in evenveel ‘kamers’, bieden telkens een ander perspectief op de Europese kunstgeschiedenis. De scenografie is zonder meer vernuftig.’ (Geert Van der Speeten in De Standaard, 10.10.2007) ‘Het meesterlijke atelier moet vooral een optimistische Europese boodschap uitdragen en aantonen dat er binnen de landen van de EU al eeuwenlang sprake is geweest van een bloeiende uitwisseling van cultuur. Aan bewijzen voor die stelling geen gebrek.’

On the concert of Cecilia Bartoli ‘Bartoli sur scène, en chair et en os, c’est l’étonnante symbiose d’une perfection technique – à si peu de chose près – et d’une virtuosité inouïe, un abattage tout en générosité et de grande classe, l’alliage du plus minutieux travail au plus parfait naturel.’ (Michèle Friche in Le Soir, 19.12.2007)

‘Het concert van Bartoli draaide rond vocale glitter, maar bood spektakel van de bovenste plank.’ (Véronique Rubens in De Standaard, 19.12.2007)

‘Le visiteur peut entrer dans la danse, choisir son monde et sa musique. Une expérience d’interactivité au sein de trois univers de grande force.’ (Guy Duplat in La Libre Belgique, 03.04.2007)

On ‘the void’, the architecture exhibition by Gonçalo Byrne and Aires Mateus ’Leeg is more - Sterke architectuurexpo’s zijn veeleer uitzondering dan regel. Bozar toont stijlvolle stenen en bouwkunst die niet wil opvallen uit de Portugese hoofdstad.’ (Els Fiers in Focus Knack, 31.10.2007)

(Erik Spaans in Het Financieele Dagblad, 27.10.2007)

V Behind the scenes

Human Resources

Statistics 11%

On 31 December 2007, the Centre for Fine Arts had 222 full-time equivalent employees, including temporary personnel. In fact a total of 365 employees are employed. Slightly more than half of the permanent

Working status ■ statutory ■ contractual

50% 50%

89%

employees have been recruited by the limited company since 2002.

M/F Permanent staff ■ male ■ female

89% of the staff work on a contractual basis, 11% are in statutory employment. 17% of the employees work part-time. A good balance is scored between the number of male and female

Employment system

employees in the Centre for Fine Arts: 50% of the permanent employees

17%

are men and 50% are women. In the Management Team the ratio is

■ part-time ■ full-time

M/F Management Team

40%

■ male ■ female

slightly different: 40% women to 60% men. Amongst the temporary personnel the balance goes the other way: 59.2% women and 40.8%

60%

83%

men. The Centre for Fine Arts implements an active policy on nondiscrimination. 93.5% of the personnel have Belgian nationality, 4.5% are people from the rest of Europe and 2% are from non-European countries. Looking at the origin of the employees we notice that 85.3%

were born in Belgium, 6.1% come from a different European country

Nationalities

■ Belgium ■ other EU countries ■ non-EU countries

41%

59%

In comparison with last year, the average ages shifted slightly: the 45 to 65-year-olds fell to 37%. The share of 20 to 29-year-olds declined

9% 6%

The ratio is different for the temporary staff: 18 to 34- year-olds represent 61% of the employees. There was a significant increase in applies particularly for the temporary staff who provides reception services during evening activities. The figures with regard to the years of service of the permanent staff

Year’s service of permanent staff

number of 35 to 44-year-olds increased in 2007 to 31%. The group of

the number of over-65s, 10% compared to 4% in 2006. This increase

■ male ■ female

93%

and 8.6% come from outside Europe.

to 14%, the group of 30 to 34- year-olds increased to 17%.

M/F Temporary staff

Origins

■ Belgium ■ other EU countries ■ non-EU countries

5% 4%

8% 48%

8% 8%

85%

16%

■0>4y ■5>9y ■ 10 > 14 y ■ 15 > 19 y ■ 20 > 24 y ■ 25 > 29 y ■ 30 > 34 y ■ 35 > 39 y

V. Behind the scenes

followed a similar evolution to that of the age pyramid. As the majority 20 %

Age pyramid of permanent staff

of the current personnel were recruited after 2002, there is a relatively high percentage of employees who have been employed 0-4 years: 48%. On the other hand, the people who were recruited before 2002 have

15 %

generally been employed for a long time: 36% have a seniority of at least 10 years. 6 employees have been employed for between 35 and 40 years.

10 %

Personnel and recruitment

Selection and recruitment are and continue to be the key tasks of this department. No fewer than 3211 candidates applied for positions

0 -20 20-24 years years

25-29 30-34 years years

35-39 years

40-44 years

45-49 years

50-54 years

55-59 years

+60 years

spontaneously or applied for a job vacancy. 462 job interviews were conducted, leading to 180 new (permanent and temporary) contracts. A large share of these was for the reception departments and box office (ticket sales).

Age pyramid of temporary staff

25 %

At the moment there are 15 volunteers working in the organization, mainly in the Archive and Marketing, Communication and Sales departments.

20 %

A total of 37 students were on work experience in the Centre for Fine Arts, including 3 international students from Greece, Germany and America. 21 job students were taken on to replace permanent staff

15 %

during holiday periods. 10 %

Modern human capital management

The efforts to integrate the new employees continued. Information sessions, intake discussions and guided tours were organized for them.

0 -20 20-24 years years

25-29 30-34 years years

35-39 years

40-44 years

45-49 years

50-54 years

55-59 years

+60 years

At their start they were also given a BOZAR welcome package with a detailed brochure and a little gift.

In order to increase the retention an internal mobility policy was

flashes by email with personal messages (births, marriages) and general

introduced. This was successful: in the course of the year, 15 people

news; the conversion of the intranet into a user friendly and up-to-date

changed jobs or were promoted. At the level of training, a study was

working instrument; a 2008 office calendar with a photograph of the

carried out of the needs in all the departments. Two employees in

members of the personnel of one of the BOZAR departments every

the Human Resources department did a training course in the new

month.

information technology system of OFO/IFA, the Belgian government

A new uniform was designed, both for the reception employees and for

training institute. The number of enrolments for training increased

the members of the Technical department. Visibility, ease of use and

significantly, but in view of the waiting lists, the majority of these will

comfort were the crucial criteria for choosing the uniform. The wishes

take place in 2008. In 2007 262 hours of training were followed.

of the staff were taken into account as far as possible.

A great deal of attention was devoted to a thorough modification of

The personnel canteen was thoroughly renovated. The room was

the organization chart. The director of the Production department

refurbished and with the appointment of a new caterer there is now

was also charged with the management of the Technical department in

an extensive choice of menus. In 2007, the Technical department was

September. Since then he has been assisted by 3 managers (Production,

the last to move to the Ravenstein Gallery, so that everyone once again

Exhibition and Performing Arts and Cleaning/Maintenance & Stock).

works together under one roof.

In the department a unit was also established which concentrates on investments, safety and security. The creation of a Business Development unit, managed by the director-general should make it possible to outline the main artistic strengths in the long term.

Social dialogue and the global prevention plan At the beginning of 2007, the agreement was implemented which had been concluded by the Joint Employer-Employee Committee at

Internal communication and working conditions

the end of 2006. Members of personnel with hours of overtime were once given the opportunity to have a maximum of 50% of these hours

In a constantly growing organization such as the Centre, sound

paid out. The changes in the working regulations which had been

internal communication is essential. With the appointment of a new

approved at the end of 2007 particularly had an effect on personnel in

Internal Communication Officer, the internal communication policy

the Technical services. A great deal of attention was devoted to clearly

was revitalised. The flow of information is systematically improved,

communicating the changes: amongst other things with a letter and a

the sense of involvement and motivation of the personnel is increased

collective presentation to all those involved.

and the constructive dialogue is promoted between management and

The first evaluation of the new working regulations was drawn up at the

employees with an annual plan.

end of 2007. The effect on the total number of hours of overtime was

Some initiatives were taken such as the systematic distribution of

still difficult to assess. However, there were still some questions about

information and task-oriented communications and vacancies by email,

the possibilities of overtime leave and about holidays. The Human

ad valvas and by intranet, to reach the broadest possible public; news

Resources department is trying to resolve these by communicating even

V. Behind the scenes

more clearly and more frequently. In addition, the heads of department

bookkeeping on salary expenses, a thorough budget control. The

were given greater responsibility with regard to granting holidays and

preparatory work was carried out in 2007 so that the new programme

overtime leave.

could be used from 1 January 2008.

The possibility of taking over the activities from the social service

The time registration system was also adapted. Many of the

was examined. The first results were discussed at the Joint Employer-

compensation rules and reimbursements were included in the

Employee Committee. In 2008 a constructive dialogue will continue on

programme which significantly reduced the number of manual

this subject, as well as on the salary policy.

corrections.

The subcommittee for Accident Prevention and Protection at the

the introduction of a detailed computerised reporting module. The

Workplace met 11 times and focused on the 2007 action plan. This

modification of the system resulted in significant time gains for the

action plan is part of a global â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;well-beingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; prevention plan for 2004-

department.

In addition, the performance of staff can be followed up better with

2008. It is aimed at reducing the number of accidents and improving safety and well-being at work. At the beginning of November a new prevention advisor was appointed on a full-time basis. He took over the tasks of the external prevention

The future

advisor and will concentrate on continuing to modify and implement

Further investments must be made in the development of personnel

the priorities with regard to the necessary investments related to safety

on the basis of an integrated system in which the job descriptions

and working tools.

and competence profiles are the starting points. In addition, computerisation will continue, for example with the introduction of e-HRM and the use of additional modules for recruitment, training

An effective social and salary administration An efficient budget management

and evaluations.

In order to tackle the increasing administrative pressure in the personnel

Increasing the retention of staff remains a concern. An objective salary

department and professionalise it further with the introduction of e-

policy, the introduction of social measures, improving the working

One important project that will be given concrete form in 2008 is the new personnel planning module.

HRM, it was decided to introduce a new social secretariat. Following

environment, and the development of career prospects are elements

a contracting procedure, in consultation with the Finance and IT

which play an important role in this respect.

departments, the choice was for Partena. The new programme has all sorts of possibilities: a detailed database of personnel data, a large range of statistics and reporting possibilities, more detailed salary files, the computerisation of applications for holidays and overtime leave, a completely computerised and detailed transfer of data to the

Organisation chart

P. Dujardin CEO - Artistic Director

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

HUMAN RESOURCES

FUNDING

Administration & Office Supplies

Payroll Administration

Corporate Development

Archives

Internal Communication

Membership & Planned Giving

Legal Affairs

Legal-Social Affairs

Mail

HR Development

Subventions

COMMUNICATION, MARKETING & SALES

MUSIC

ARTISTIC COORDINATION

EXHIBITIONS

FINANCE

TECHNICS, PRODUCTION, INVESTMENTS/SAFETY/SECURITY

Investments, Safety & Security

Box Office

Studios

Accountancy

Audience Development

Cinema

Financial Control & Internal Audits

Press

Dance & Theatre

Publications

Literature Architecture

Production Front of House Planning Technics

Horeca & Shop

Cleaning Maintenance & Repairs Stock Exhibitions & Performing Arts

V. Behind the scenes

The Technical department

The number of activities in the technical department continued to increase in 2007. There were three reasons for this: 1) the artistic programme of BOZAR EXPO, usually three or four

Since 2005 the management of the technical installations, such as heating, air conditioning, lifting equipment and high voltage cabin is contracted out to an outside specialist firm. The personnel who are responsible can call this company on a hotline which is open seven days a week, 365 days a year.

exhibitions in different venues at the same time; 2) the diversity of performances and activities; 3) the large number of building activities in the Centre for Fine Arts, with a number of worksites which must be managed at the same

The exhibition technics team was responsible for setting up and dismantling exhibitions. It was assisted by specialist outside contractors.

time. The stage technics service was responsible for setting up and dismantling our own productions in the various halls. This ranged from setting up stages and sound and lighting installations to the loading and unloading

The ICT Team

of materials. In a number of cases specialist outside contractors were

The ICT projects of 2007 were important in terms of strategic

called in. The growing number of events again required careful planning

development. As a result of these achievements a stable basis was

in 2007 in order to guarantee quality and achieve a balance between the

created which will evolve with regard to the technological development

human input and the timing of the programming. The group of theatre

in the Centre for Fine Arts in the medium and long term.

technicians supervised more than 500 events and productions. These

The achievements can be summarised as follows:

involved theatre, dance, literature, film, but above all music.

â&#x20AC;˘ there was an important hardware and software-related development

In addition to cleaning the various rooms in the Horta building and the

in the heart of the computer network, so that the information

complex of offices with conference rooms in the Ravenstein gallery, the

technology structure could evolve and open up to new computer and

staff services department was also responsible for the supply and removal

communication technologies;

of materials. The service was charged with ensuring that visitors could

â&#x20AC;˘ a central management system was introduced, which simplifies the

always attend activities in comfortable circumstances while the building

everyday work of the ICT team and provides better support for the

work was going on.

users of the computer systems;

The service for the maintenance of the building and installations

â&#x20AC;˘ the security of the computer network was adapted to increase the

comprises several employees: a carpenter, plumber, mechanic, painters

openness of the network. In addition, the first upgrade of the internet

and electricians. They carried out minor repairs, put up showcases for

connections provides increased working comfort for all employees.

exhibitions and were charged with the everyday maintenance of the technical installations. The team of painters brightened up the building,

The investments made in 2007 will be consolidated in 2008, and the

while the electricians were responsible for the maintenance of the

projects which were initiated a long time ago will be carried out in a

electrical installations and telephones.

concrete and visible way.

V. Behind the scenes

Rediscovering Horta

Step by step Victor Horta’s masterwork is being thoroughly restored.

and multidisciplinary art shop. The broad range of items for sale

As a result, the building is regaining its architectural place of honour.

includes books, CDs, DVDs, magazines, posters, postcards and various

2003 saw the start of a Master Plan, with the support and financing of

gift ideas. The selection of these items will be inspired partly by the

the Bernheim Foundation. The document contains a long-term strategy

BOZAR programme and that of the Royal Belgian Film Archive. The

for the systematic renovation of the Centre for Fine Arts. The various

view along the street side was maintained and a direct passage was

interventions are spread over time to prevent the artistic activities from

created to the vestibule of the Centre for Fine Arts.

being hampered by the works. One of the most expensive and most far-reaching stages — costing approximately 11 million euros — involved the renovation of the roofs of

The most important works are listed below:

the northern exhibition area. This stage was completed at the beginning

1996: the Horta Hall was restored to its original condition.

of 2007. It should enable the efficient use of the exhibition rooms. In

1999: the Henry Le Boeuf Hall was restored to its former splendour.

addition, the air conditioning and lighting systems were tackled. The

2002–2003: renovation of the exhibition rooms. Offices and storage

rooms now comply with the strictest norms as regards the safety and

spaces disappeared which meant that the original halls and passages

conservation of the art works (the so-called ICOM norms). The internal

ceilings, with a total surface area of more than 1000m , were carefully

activities. Behind the partitions, the rooms were still surprisingly

restored. On top there was a completely new aluminium roof with light

intact.

regulation. Just as Horta wanted, the daylight floods into the exhibition

2003: the passage between the high and the low part of the Centre for

rooms, but the intensity of the light can be modified by fitting filters

Fine Arts was simplified with a hall through Foyers 2 and 3.

and slats.

2005: the use of the three new underground Terarken Rooms and the

construction of a new Terarken entrance. The Horta specialist Barbara Van der Wee and her team carried out the

2006: the Royal Belgian Film Archive was thoroughly renewed with

preparatory studies. They were assisted by the Ney & Partners office

two new cinema halls which were excavated below the original ‘halls

for the stability, Ingenium for the special techniques and Daidalos for

for decorative arts’. The Film Archive was charged with furnishing the

the engineering. The ambitious works were carried out in cooperation

rooms; the Centre for Fine Arts did the building work. The work is

with the Régie des Bâtiments/Regie der Gebouwen. The architect Luc

expected to be completed during the last quarter of 2008.

Dubrulle was responsible for the technical and budgetary coordination.

2007: renovation of the roofs of the northern exhibition circuit.

Arrangement of the BOZARSHOP. The former shops next to the main entrance in the rue Ravensteinstraat were integrated in the Centre for Fine Arts during the course of 2007. The partition walls disappeared to make room for a single large BOZARSHOP with a shopping area of 360 m2. It is an international

Planning and seat occupancy

Seat occupancy per room

In 2007 a total of 5,480 public activities were held in the Centre for Fine Arts. This is 21% more than in 2006. If the activities without the public are also included (rehearsals, putting up and taking down

Henry Le Boeuf Hall: the seat occupancy increased as a result of a busy

exhibitions, recordings, tuning sessions, auditions and meetings) there

end of the year. The number of visitors was far above that of previous

were a total of 9,182 activities in Bozar, as shown in the planning

years.

software.

Chamber Music Room: a slight increase, also due to the large amount

Public activities include all the activities attended by the public

of activities in the autumn of 2007.

in which the reception personnel of the Centre for Fine Arts are

Studio: the most important user of this room was the Rideau de

responsible for the organization. These include the opening of an

Bruxelles, which performed its entire theatre programme there. The

exhibition or a nocturne with a private guided tour, an artistic activity

rehearsals were extra days of occupancy. This situation does not really

(concert, theatre, dance, literature, film, etc.), a reception, lecture,

allow for an increase in the seat occupancy.

meeting, debate or introduction to a concert, a Doors Open Day, a guided visit of the building or a preview.

Seat occupancy per room (2005 to 2007) 600

100 90

500 241 400 223

Rehearsals

Public activities

70 60

220

300

50 66

200

100

258

244

40 30

319 191

221 188

206

215

20 10 0

0 2005

2006

2007

2005 2006

2007

Henry Le Boeuf Hall Chamber Music Room

2005

2006 Studio

2007

V. Behind the scenes

Performances and occupancy per month During the first quarter of the year there was a significant fall in the

The periods when few activities are planned particularly coincide with

number of activities. This was because the rooms (wholly or partly)

the school holidays and activities restart in September and January.

closed for acoustic reasons during the infrastructural works and because

During the summer months virtually only workshops for children and

the Small Theatre closed and was dismantled.

theatre rehearsals are organised. In August a general meeting of Fortis took place in the Henry Le Boeuf Hall as well as a significant number of rehearsals for the Gurrelieder, the opening production of the season at the Monnaie/Munt.

Seat occupancy per room (2005 to 2007) Occupancy per month (2005 to 2007)

300

600

Performances per month (2005 to 2007) 100

Studio

250

500

Henry Le BĹ&#x201C;uf 241

200

400 223

150

Chamber Music Room

Rehearsals

Henry Le BĹ&#x201C;uf

Public activities

70 60

220

300

100

50 66

200

100

Studio

Chamber Music Room

258

244

40 30

319 191

221 188

206

215

- 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007

2005

January

February

2006

2007

2005 2006

2007

Henry Boeuf Hall Music Room March Le April May Chamber June July August

2005

2006

Studio September October

2007

November December

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September October

November December

VI Management and policy

Legal organization of the Centre for Fine Arts

Legal status

par shares held by the Belgian Federal State. This capital represented mainly the net value of the usufruct of the building and did not provide

The Centre for Fine Arts, which was founded on 4 April 1992 as a

the company with any liquidity.

non-profit organization and was converted in 1984 into a public utility

Given the losses of EUR 1.8 million and 3 million incurred in 2002

institution, has since 1 January 2002 been a limited public law company

and 2003 respectively, the company struggled with a shortage of cash,

with a social purpose .

whereupon the tutelary authorities decided to increase the capital. At

2007 is therefore the sixth financial year of the new Centre for Fine

an extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders on 11 April 2003,

Arts.

the Federal Participation and Investment Company subscribed a

With the change of status the company goal of the Centre for Fine Arts

capital increase of EUR 5 million, in exchange for 6,481 registered non-

has broadened considerably, making it a leading cultural player in the

par shares.

fields of music and exhibitions, but also in the fields of dance, theatre,

The capital now amounts to EUR 22.5 million, represented by 23,981

literature, film and architecture.

shares.

During this sixth financial year the company has continued to carry out the two main tasks assigned to it under its management contract (see infra): managing the more than 30,000 m² building – a unique construction by Victor Horta – and developing a multidisciplinary cultural policy, that gives Brussels and Europe an unmistakable

The shareholder structure As indicated above, the Centre for Fine Arts has two shareholders:

international influence.

— the Federal State owns 17,500 shares (73%). The Federal State is

With the Belgian National Orchestra and the Théâtre royal de la

represented by the Minister with tutelary authority over the three federal

Monnaie/Koninklijke Muntschouwburg, the Centre for Fine Arts is

cultural institutions; from 2003 and up to December 2007 this was the

one of the three federal cultural institutions .

Prime Minister, empowered by the Royal Decree of 21 July 2003. Since 21 December 2007 it has been the Interior Minister, empowered by the Royal Decree of 27 December 2007 .

The company capital

— the Federal Participation and Investment Company owns 6,481 shares (27%).

At the time of the foundation of the limited liability company the company capital was set at EUR 17,500,000 plus and issue premium of EUR 109,106.34. This capital was represented by 17,500 non Act of 7 May 1999 establishing the Centre for Fine Arts in the form of a public law limited liability company with social purpose and implementation decrees of 19 December 2001. Article 150 of the programme law of 8 April 2003 and Article 1, 1° of the Royal Decree of 21 July 2003.

New name of the former Federal Participation company, dissolved (merger by takeover) by the Federal Investment Company (law of 26 August 2006, Belgian Official Gazette, 30 August 2006, which entered into effect on 30 August 2006). Article 4 of the Royal Decree of 27 December 2007 on particular ministerial competences, Belgian Official Gazette, 31 December 2007.

VI. Management and policy

The Board of Directors

The following also attend the meetings of the Board of Directors: the Director-General, the Company Secretary and the three government

The Board of Directors of the Centre for Fine Arts comprises an equal

commissioners (see infra). The Legal Department provides the

number of Dutch and French-speaking members. The directors, the

secretariat to the Board.

chairman and the vice-chairman of the Board of Directors are appointed

In 2007 the Board of Directors met six times. The board discussed

by the King, by Royal Decree discussed in the Council of Ministers.

the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s financial situation (approval of the 2006 annual

They are not remunerated for this office.

accounts, budget for 2007, quarterly and half-yearly statements), the

The first Board of Directors of the company was appointed by Royal

cultural programming as proposed by the Director-General, the major

Decree of 19 December 2001: half the members for six years, the

investments (restoration and renovation work), the legal and financial

other half for three years. Since then two directors have resigned, to be

aspects of the Shop and Restaurant projects. The BOZARSHOP

replaced by Royal Decree of 11 July 2003.

opened its doors to the public on 6 December 2007.

By Royal Decree of 27 December 2004 the King extended by six years

The Board charged the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and two Directors,

the terms of office of the six directors whose original terms ended on

Mr. Courtin and Mr. de Bandt, with any preparations required for board

31 December 2004. From that time all directors have a mandate for six

meetings.

years: half of them expired on 31 December 2007 and the other half on

An audit committee consisting of Ms. Geertrui Windels and Messrs.

31 December 2010.

Blanpain, Courtin and Praet has the task of controlling all financial documents presented by the management.

The Board of Directors consists of the following 12 voting members: Chairman:

Mr. Ă&#x2030;tienne Davignon

Vice-chairman: Mr. Michel Praet Directors:

Mr. Eric Antonis

Mr. Jean Courtin

The Director-General and the Executive Committee

Mr. Jean-Pierre de Bandt

Mr. Paul Dujardin was appointed Director-General of the Centre for

Mr. Jean-Pierre de Launoit

Fine Arts on 19 December 2001 for a period of six years, from 1 January

Mr. Marc Didden

2002 to 31 December 2007, renewable once. His mandate was renewed

Mr. Henry Ingberg (died 14.10.2007)

by Royal Decree on 6 April 2007 for a second term running from 1

Ms. Anne Monseu

January 2008 to 31 December 2013. He is charged with the day-to-

Ms. Marleen Van Waeyenberge

day management of the company, assisted by an Executive Committee,

Ms. Isabelle Verhaegen.

which he chairs.

Ms. Geertrui Windels

The Executive Committee consists of four members, including the

In addition, two non-voting directors have been appointed: Mr. Marc-

Director-General. The three other members were appointed by the

Yves Blanpain and Ms. Marie-Paule Quix.

Board of Directors at the beginning of 2002 for a six-year term; one of

the members was replaced at the end of 2006.

Minister: This is Ms. Rika Denduyver, who was appointed by Royal

The Company Secretary acts as secretary to the Executive Committee.

Decree of 4 April 2003 .

In 2007 the Executive Committee met nine times. The committee can

The government commissioners are invited to all meetings of the Board

invite advisers or heads of department to the meetings. The committee

of Directors of the Centre for Fine Arts and they have an advisory vote .

discusses cultural and artistic projects and questions connected with the

They are appointed for the term of the government and their term of

day-to-day management.

office is renewable .

Finally, there is a ‘Management Team Meeting’, consisting of the heads of the different departments in the Centre for Fine Arts, in order to coordinate these activities.

The college of auditors The control of the financial situation, the annual financial accounts and

The government commissioners

the regular nature of the transactions that are required to be reported in

The Centre for Fine Arts is subject to the control of the following two

Two auditors are appointed by the General Meeting from among

ministers:

members, either natural or legal persons, of the Belgian Institute of

- the federal minister responsible for federal cultural institutions; between July 2003 and December 2007 this was the Prime Minister;

the annual financial accounts is entrusted to a college of four auditors.

Company Auditors. At the statutory General Meeting of 25 April 2006, the following two auditors were appointed for a term of four years:

since 1 January 2008 the Interior Minister has been responsible. - the Budget Minister.

• T.C.L.M.-Toelen, Cats, Morlie & Co CVBA/SCRL, legally represented

The supervision is undertaken by three government commissioners, all

• KPMG BCV, legally represented by Mr. William Van Aerde.

by Mr. Jean-François Cats; appointed by the King. Two government commissioners, one French-speaking and one Dutch-

Two auditors were appointed at the General Meeting of the Court

speaking, are proposed by the Prime Minister, who has been given

of Audit for a three-year term from 1 March 2006. By letter of 20

tutelary authority over the federal cultural institutions : They are Mr.

March 2007, Mr. W. Dumazy, Senior President of the Court of Audit,

Marc Boeykens and Mr. Renaud Bellen, appointed by Royal Decree of

informed the Centre for Fine Arts that the following persons had been

31 March 2004, following the entry into effect of the programme law

Article 14, §1 of the law of 7 May 1999 establishing the Centre for Fine Arts in the form of a public law limited liability company with social purpose (…), as amended by Article 156, 1° of the programme law of 8 April 2003. Article 14, §3 of the law of 7 May 1999 establishing the Centre for Fine Arts in the form of a public law limited liability company with social purpose (…), as amended by Article 156, 2° of the programme law of 8 April 2003. Article 5 of the Royal Decree of 31 March 2004 which governs the status of the two government commissioners at the federal cultural institutions.

of 8 April 2003, which strengthens the control of the federal cultural institutions. The third government commissioner is proposed by the Budget Article 151 of the Programme Law of 8 April 2003, which entered into effect on 19 April 2004 by application of the Royal Decree of 31 March 2004.

VI. Management and policy

appointed as members of the College of Auditors:

democratisation and to fulfil a model function at the cultural, artistic,

— Mr. Jan Debucquoy, adviser;

professional and technical levels. However, the contract provides that

— Mr. Franz Wascotte, adviser (since 22 November 2007).

these obligations remain directly linked to the financial resources

The auditors are appointed for renewable four-year terms.

available to the Centre, and in particular to the funding appropriations that it receives for fulfilling its missions.

The management contract The management contract of the Centre for Fine Arts with the Belgian

The joint employer-employee committee

State was concluded on 18 November 2002 and ratified by Royal Decree

The joint employer-employee committee was set up by Royal Decree

of 2 December 2002. It entered into force on 21 December 2002, the

of 19 December 2001. In addition to the Chairman, Mr. Étienne

date of its publication in the Belgian Official Gazette, and is valid for a

Davignon, it is composed of twelve effective members: Six representing

period of five years, and legally extended until the entry into effect of a

the management and six representing personnel (with six substitutes).

new management contract.

In 2007 the joint committee met six times. At these meetings, it

This management contract governs, amongst other things, the following

discussed, amongst other things, the following points:

matters required by law:

— draft working regulations, which were finally signed on 15 January 2007;

— the modalities of the execution of the public service task of the company, in particular with regard to a multidisciplinary and

— the follow-up of the sub-committee for Prevention and Protection at Work (CPBW);

integrated cultural programming that contributes to the European

— overtime;

and international image of federal Belgium, the Communities and

— contribution to travelling expenses;

the Brussels Capital Region;

— public holidays in 2008.

— the arrangements with regard to the building: on the one hand, its management and maintenance, financed by the Centre for Fine Arts, and on the other hand, the major repair and renovation financed by the State; — the cooperation arrangements with other institutions, and in particular with the regular users of the Centre for Fine Arts; — the arrangements with regard to the funding from the Federal State; — the obligations with regard to internal and external control. Photo : Lydie Nesvadba

In this contract the Centre for Fine Arts undertakes to develop a consistent cultural programme, to follow an active policy of cultural

Photoâ&#x20AC;&#x2030;: Julien Lanoo

VII Figures

Financial report

Balance sheet (in EUR thousands) ASSETS

2007

2006

24.725

21.786

I. Tangible fixed assets

24.663

21.777

I. Capital

A. Land and buildings

17.518

II. Share premium account

395

520

III. Revaluation surpluses IV. Loss carried forward

FIXED ASSETS

B. Plant, machinery and equipment C. Furniture and vehicles

680

556

D. Other tangible fixed assets

5.376

2.513

E. Assets under construction

693

670

CURRENT ASSETS III. Amounts receivable within one year IV. Short-term investments V. Cash in hand and at bank VI. Deffered charges and accrued income

EQUITY

V. Investment grants PROVISIONS AND DEFERRED TAXES

and advance payments II. Financial fixed assets

LIABILITIES

9.890

14.136

6.009

11.040

997

1.418

2.774

1.286

110

392

VI. Provisions for liabilities and charges CREDITORS

34.615

35.922

2006

24.098

24.915

22.500

109

385

(4.995)

(4.948)

6.100

6.869

888

2.234

888

2.234

9.629

8.774

8.131

7.330

4.342

3.882

VII. Amounts payable within one

year at the latest A. Trade debts B. Advance payments received on orders

C. Taxes, remuneration and social security 2.940

2.734

D. Other amounts payable

TOTAL ASSETS

2007

833

709

VIII. Deferred accounts

1.498

1.444

TOTAL LIABILITIES

34.615

35.922

VII. Figures

Income statement (in EUR thousands)

This year it is once again possible to state that the accounts for the 2007 financial year are balanced. After all, the losses of the financial year amounting to ¤ 47,855.93 represent only 0.19% of the operating

INCOME STATEMENT

2007

2006

OPERATING INCOME

25.569

23.343

Turnover

II.

Other operating income

6.629

7.019

18.941

16.323

charges on the income statement (¤ 26,595,218.50). In the operating charges three items deserve particular attention: • Theconsumables, raw materials and auxiliary materials (¤ 13 million), which form the basis for the activities for the Centre for Fine Arts, namely the costs of the total artistic production (¤ 8.6 million) and

OPERATING CHARGES III. Raw materials, consumables and goods for resale IV. Services and other goods V.

Remuneration, social security costs and pensions

VI. Depreciation and write-downs VII. Reductions in value on stocks, orders in progress and trade payables VIII. Provisions for liabilities and charges IX. Other operating charges

26.595

23.895

13.155

11.800

3.378

2.393

10.011

10.111

for communication. • The services and other goods (¤ 3.3 million), which contain the costs for the administrative activities, such as the rental costs and insurances.

1.298

930

(52)

(1.345)

(1.292)

(1.026)

(553)

859

454

(170)

(124)

In order to achieve its ambitious artistic programme, the Centre for

168

191

Fine Arts aims to achieve the greatest possible synergy and cooperation,

• The remuneration, social security costs and pensions (¤ 10 million), which comprise all the costs related to the personnel. In the evaluation of the operating charges shown in the 2007 accounts, account should also be taken of the activities undertaken at the expense

OPERATING LOSS FINANCIAL INCOME FINANCIAL CHARGES LOSS ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES BEFORE TAXES EXTRAORDINARY INCOME EXTRAORDINARY CHARGES LOSS FOR THE YEAR BEFORE TAXES INCOME TAXES

of the external partners of the Centre for Fine Arts. This applies both to the cultural project and the investments in real estate.

139

amongst other things, by means of co-productions with structural (or

(48)

(72)

occasional) partners, or by attracting projects which are granted external

financial support. These partners support the Centre for Fine Arts and

(48)

(72)

producers is essential, and improves the artistic quality of the presented

its overall cultural project. The financial contribution of the various coLOSS FOR THE YEAR

projects. The production costs of the activities borne by the external partners of the Centre for Fine Arts are not included in the accounts of the Centre

for Fine Arts, but these activities do lead to other costs for the Centre,

its own strength. This applies in particular for the entire technical

both as regards manpower and technical resources, or for infrastructure

assistance, but also applies for the general services (for example the

that has been made available. All this is reflected in the high operating

communication via the internet site or the publications, but also for

charges of the Centre.

security and insurance policies). • the artistic projects with third parties with external financing. By

The investments in real estate were possible because of the help of the

way of example, we would like to mention the exhibition Views on

various intervening parties, in particular Beliris, the SFPI/FPIM, the

Europe, which was held on the occasion of the German presidency

Régie des Bâtiments/Regie der Gebouwen, the National Lottery and

of the European Union. Germany took part in the realization of the

also the Brussels Capital Region. Even though not all the financial help

exhibition in being responsible for the transport and insurance of

is included in the accounts, the Centre for Fine Arts is responsible for

the works that were exhibited. Therefore a sum of ¤ 2,088,500 was

the majority of the management and for managing the work which can

managed directly by the Bundeskulturstiftung. Obviously this sum

be carried out because of this substantial support.

was not included in the accounts of the Centre for Fine Arts, but it was essential for being able to put on this high quality exhibition. It is self-evident that all the costs which the Centre for Fine Arts took on

The cultural project

were accurately and comprehensively included in the accounts.

The main activity consists of the Centre for Fine Arts’ own cultural

These two sorts of activities together represent the significant sum of

events. The music and exhibitions are the most widely known, but the

¤ 13.9 million, to be added to the Centre for Fine Arts’ own artistic

Centre for Fine Arts also aims to be a multidisciplinary centre. Film,

production for a value of ¤ 8.6 million.

theatre, dance, literature and architecture are all an integral part of the

Together this comes to a total of ¤ 22.5 million of artistic productions,

cultural activities and are often brought together, for example during

organized in the Centre for Fine Arts.

Festivals. In the accounts of the Centre for Fine Arts for 2007, these activities represent a total sum of ¤ 8.6 million.

There is also a third sort of activity: • the productions of our many other partners which take place in the

In addition to its own activities, other artistic activities are organized in

rooms of the Centre for Fine Arts. For example, these include the

the Centre for Fine Arts:

Queen Elizabeth of Belgium International Music Competition. In

• the activities in co-production with some twenty privileged partners

this case the availability of the rooms is again not limited only to

including the ONB/NOB, Europalia, the Monnaie/Munt, the

renting out rooms: the teams of the Centre for Fine Arts (technology,

Festival van Vlaanderen, and the Rideau de Bruxelles. The Centre

planning, etc.) and they alone are responsible for the reception,

for Fine Arts is responsible for the design, follow-up and execution

incorporating the activity amongst the other activities, the technical

of these activities, partly with its partners, but also exclusively on

management and the successful process. Therefore these activities

VII. Figures

represent an important task for the Centre although the impact is not

such as the Régie des Bâtiments/Regie der Gebouwen or on external

reflected in the accounts. It is difficult to provide a correct estimate

cooperation (architect,..). However, the employees of the Centre for

of the financial value of these activities, but they should be taken into

Fine Arts ensure that the dossiers are followed up, both at the legal and

account in the evaluation of the operating costs for the Centre for

financial, and at the administrative and technical level. This applies

Fine Arts in the consolidated accounts.

with regard to finding investment subsidies, determining our own wishes at the design stage, mediation during the execution to keep the budget under control up to the handover of the work and learning new

The management and investments in real estate

skills for the use of new technologies. All the departments are involved in some way in the management of these investments.

• This section comprises many different and complex activities. To start with the 33,000m2 of the Centre itself which are more than just a

Important investments have been made since the start of the

number of rooms. It also involves the maintenance of the façade and the

first mandate of Paul Dujardin as the director-general. In the

splendid and spacious common areas which constitute its glory (hall,

immediate future, new and equally important investments will

stairway, etc.), but which must also be maintained. This is exclusively

have to be made, not only to restore the building, but also for basic

carried out by the personnel of the Centre for Fine Arts although these

considerations of safety (electricity). They will require the same

areas are available for everyone, co-producers and third parties. There

great effort with the only advantage that there is already some

are also the administrative offices, a total of 4000m2, with a security

experience and that a suitable structure is available. Nevertheless

system, conference rooms, various facilities for the personnel and the

these important investments require increasingly complicated legal

visitors, for the Centre for Fine Arts itself but also for our partners

and financial constructions, amongst other things, with appeals to

who use the same rooms (ONB/NOB, Europalia, Rideau de Bruxelles,

the private sector. To this it should be added that the evolution

etc.). These rooms are rented out, but the technical personnel of the

of the technology which is necessary to conform to the European

Centre for Fine Arts is responsible for the maintenance.

standards which apply for the Centre for Fine Arts, require higher and higher qualifications on the part of the personnel.

• Therealization of the investments made in the last few years required the establishment of a structure in the Centre for Fine Arts, even if

In order to give some idea of the importance, the government and the

the financing does not go through the accounts of the Centre. For

private sector have invested a total of ¤ 44,546,000 in the site of the

example, for the renovation of the northern circuit of the exhibitions

Centre for Fine Arts since 2000 which implied the use of complex

only two of the eleven million euros needed for investment were

financial constructions involving the Régie des Bâtiments/Regie der

included in our accounts. The balance of nine million euros was

Gebouwen, Beliris, the SFPI/FPIM, the National Lottery, the Brussels

entrusted to the Régie des Bâtiments/Regie der Gebouwen, which

Capital Region and the Bernheim Foundation.

paid the contractors directly. Obviously the Centre for Fine Arts calls upon its partners to help with the management of these investments,

As indicated earlier, the sum of the investments which was directly

managed by third parties such as the Régie des Bâtiments/Regie der

cultural activities which are not produced by the Centre for Fine Arts,

Gebouwen, without the direct financial contribution of the Centre for

namely ¤ 13.9 million, and the investments in real estate amounting to

Fine Arts, can be estimated at ¤ 3 million for the year 2007 (completion

¤ 3 million.

of the northern circuit, BOZARSHOP, Film Archive, etc). Bearing this figure of ¤ 43.5 million in mind, the sum of ¤ 10 million that was spent on the personnel costs of the Centre for Fine Arts are

Conclusion

justified.

It is clear that in addition to organizing cultural activities and managing the building, the traditional tasks of the Centre entail many complex aspects.

Notes on the assets - The tangible fixed assets have increased as a result of the renovation

The cultural activities of the Centre include its own productions, coproductions, productions of third parties in the rooms of the Centre for Fine Arts and artistic projects realized with third parties granted with

work on the northern roofs, financed by the Beliris cooperation agreement (Endorsement 9). - The increase in the financial fixed assets is mainly due to the

external financing. The organization which exists in the Centre for Fine

participation in the capital of the company created for the

Arts must support all these activities, of which a part is not reflected in

BOZARSHOP and also by the guarantee for the subsidy of the

the accounts and the budget of the company.

Flemish Community for the China exhibitions. - Theamounts receivable within at most one year are decreasing. This can

The same applies for the management and investments in real

be explained by two effects. In the first place, the commercial amounts

estate. Some subsidies for investments are provided by third parties

receivable reveal an increase as a result of more co-productions.

(particularly the Régie des Bâtiments/Regie der Gebouwen in 2007),

Secondly, the other amounts receivable have fallen significantly because

while as indicated above, the Centre for Fine Arts makes an essential

the subsidies were reduced. In 2006, the Centre for Fine Arts was still

contribution to the achievement of these investments. These efforts

expecting subsidies: Beliris (¤ 4.9 million), the extraordinary subsidy

also benefit everyone, the Centre for Fine Arts, the co-producers, the

at the end of the year of ¤ 800,000 and the subsidy from Foreign

partners, and on the whole to all the visitors to these activities.

Affairs of ¤ 450,000. On the other hand, in 2007 a small amount of Beliris still remained, the balance of 20% of the National Lottery and

It can also be said that the consolidated activities of the Centre for

a sum of ¤ 150,000 from the Flemish Community.

Fine Arts (including the contribution of external partners) in 2007

- The short-term financial investments were not as great.

amounted to a total of ¤ 43.5 million. This sum corresponds to the

- Thedeferred charges of the assets include the costs carried forward of

total of the operating charges of ¤ 26.6 million (as reflected in the 2007 accounts of the Centre for Fine Arts), together with the value of the

¤ 102,000 and the income obtained of ¤ 8000.

VII. Figures

Notes on the liabilities

- The other operating income is increasing. This increase can be

The loss carried forward applies only to the year 2002 when the

explained by the additional ¤ 1 million from the federal grant,

company which took over the activities of several associations was

the subsidy from the Portuguese government for the exhibition

established. At that time no financial plan had been drawn up and the Centre for Fine Arts was permanently underfinanced which was

Encompassing the Globe and the subsidies for the China exhibitions. - The purchases have increased by ¤ 1,355,000, namely 11%, and

the reason for the increase in capital in 2003. Since then, the new

are related to the fees paid to the organizers of the Encompassing the

company, Palais des Beaux-Arts S.A./ Paleis voor Schone Kunsten

Globe exhibition (¤ 1 million) and to the development of the artistic

N.V. has never suffered an operating loss.

activities, particularly music. The expenditure on the building and the

- Theprovisions for liabilities and charges of ¤ 888,000 are divided as follows:

administrative remain stable. - Theservices and other goods comprise the sum of ¤ 1 million which

• Major repairs and maintenance: only the provision of ¤ 275,000 for

was paid to the Régie des Bâtiments/Regie der Gebouwen, in the

the work on the organ remains. In 2006, the Centre already made use

context of the renovation work as agreed between the Régie des

of the provision of ¤ 1.2 million in the context of the charges for the

Bâtiments/Regie der Gebouwen, the Centre for Fine Arts and the

works on the northern roofs;

National Lottery.

• Other liabilities and charges: this item comprises a provision for

- Taking into account the use of ¤ 128,000 of the provision for

the restructural work (¤ 224,000) and the ongoing legal disputes

restructuring work, the salaries have remained stable at ¤ 9.8 million.

(¤ 407,000). The latter is mainly the provision for the VAT charges

- The increase in the depreciations is partly compensated by other

on the media exchanges. - The trade debts are increasing as a result of more co-productions. - The debts with regard to taxes, salaries and social security charges comprise ¤ 816,000 for overtime. - The other amounts payable within one year at the latest contain the debts of the box office, vis-à-vis third parties - The deferred accounts of the liabilities contain ¤ 119,000 of attributable costs and ¤ 1,379,000 of income carried forward.

financial products which take up the Beliris capital subsidy. - The reductions in the value of trade payables are due to the dossier related to a cultural partner. - Theprovisions for liabilities and charges mainly comprise the use of the provision for the works on the roof (- ¤ 1.1 million), the restructuring costs (- ¤ 128,000) and the IT licenses. - Thefinancial income has increased as a result of the investments and the capital subsidy of Beliris. - Theother extraordinary income includes the fees in 2006 which were

Notes on the income statement - The turnover represents the operational product of the Centre for

booked as fixed assets or suppliers from before 2003 which were never rebooked. - The other extraordinary charges represent the depreciations on the

Fine Arts and has fallen by 5% or ¤ 390,000. The Funding and the

fees of 2006 which were booked across and the amounts due which

box office remained the same with the exception of BOZAR EXPO.

cannot be recovered.

Photoâ&#x20AC;&#x2030;: Lydie Nesvadba