LEUVEN events and activities
EN
Leuven in Scène
© Steff Gilissen
You will find that Leuven is overflowing with high quality events of substance and other ways of spending your leisure time. We present below a selection of the major happenings for anyone who wants to stay fully informed, a free magazine ‘Uit in Leuven’ comes out every month and is available in a great many places. Use it, just pop in to Tourism Leuven or take a look at www.visitleuven.be.
Leuven in Scene 2
Cover image © Steff Gilissen
EVENTS ARTEFACT-festival from Tuesday, 14 to Thursday, 23 February
MOVE ME
From Monday, 19 to Friday, 23 March; from Monday, 7 to Saturday, 12 May; from Monday, 22 to Thursday, 25 October; from Tuesday, 11 to Friday, 14 December
An annual festival for media art where the most impressive installations from both Belgium and abroad are consolidated in an all-encompassing exhibition.... An impressive experience for you free of charge!
STUK opens all dance registers four times per season. Move Me always presents the most remarkable dance performances and lets you enjoy movement and whirling dance.
Kulturama
International Folklore and Easter Celebrations
From Thursday, 16 to Sunday, 19 February For 10 years now, the city festival has been providing you with an exciting mix of activities and an impressive number of shows. Culture houses are once again opening their doors to you. Or looking for new and unknown places and are presenting a versatile and excellent programme. Prepare yourself for four cultural heydays! Programme and tickets are available as of January at www.kulturama.be
Leuven Cinema: film posters in the picture(s)!
FROM Thursday, 16 February through Saturday, 31 March
Cinema Rex, Eden, Forum, Lovanium, etc. They existed in Leuven! You will find out more about Leuven’s cinema history in an exhibition that frees one’s imagination in the Openbaar Entrepot located on the canal. All eyes are on the beautiful collection of film posters at the Leuven City Archives, supplemented with stories, memories and film fragments.
KLAVECHORDinPRIMETIME FROM Wednesday, 14 through Sunday, 18 March
A double festival around the clavichord, once the most popular keyboard instrument in Europe, but hardly known today. KLAVECHORDinPRIMETIME presents four leading piano virtuosos in four personal solo recitals.
From Friday, 6 through Monday, 9 April Easter egg throwing from the front of the town hall, the cutting up of the Paschal lambs, the peasants’ ball in the Rijschool and the festival mass in the St. Peter’s Church are established ingredients of this festival. The highlights are appearances by folk dance groups from Belgium and abroad.
Erfgoeddag Leuven: helden! Leuven Heritage Day: heroes!
Sunday, 22 April In any event, Sunday, 22 April will be a heroic day. The 12th edition of Heritage Day does, after all, focus on the theme of ‘Heroes’! Leuven’s heritage organisations will provide exceptional activities at various locations in the city. These will range from exhibitions, guided tours and lectures to walks; everyone can join in free of charge. The entire programme is available as of the end of March at www.erfgoeddag.be.
Zythos Beer Festival 2012
Saturday, 28 April and Sunday 29 April The largest beer trade fair in Belgium and its surroundings is coming to the Brabanthal in Leuven for its 9th edition. Approximately 100 brewers will present over 300 beers. Exclusive brews, completely new beers and great classics to be tasted in glasses of 15 cl.
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Internationaal Documentaire Filmfestival DOCVILLE DOCVILLE - International Documentary Film Festival
From Saturday, 28 April through Saturday, 5 May In 2012, DOCVILLE will be presenting a choice selection of the best national and international documentary films of the past year for the 8th time running. The festival is held in various locations in the city centre of Leuven. All films are either in English or subtitled.
Kunstroute-Leuven 2012 Art Trail-Leuven, 2012
From Sunday, 29 through Tuesday, 1 May During Art-Trail Leuven, 36 Leuven artists and members of the artistic establishment will specially open their studio to the public between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. This is a unique chance to enter and explore the work environment of the artists. Workshop addresses and route planners are available free of charge at Tourism Leuven as of the end of March.
Leuven in Scene - International open-air theatre festival ambience | spectacle | city Saturday, 26 and Sunday, 27 May
Fireworks and acrobatics, circus and poetry. Leuven in Scene provides ambience and spectacle in the city centre. The programme has a number of emotional and magical presentations of the highest calibre. The most beautiful squares and façades are given cinematic allure after dusk.
Wereldfeest Leuven Leuven World Festival
Saturday, 2 June The World Festival is an annual multicultural meeting place with a wonderful mix of musical performances, workshops, children’s animation and fringe events, an information market, world cuisine and a world market with objects from various continents.
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De langste Dag Leuven The Longest Day Leuven
Saturday, 23 June At the beginning of the summer, Leuven traditionally celebrates The Longest Day - a relaxing day of shopping and strolling in a lively giant flea market.
BeLEUVENissen
Fridays 6, 13, 20 and 27 July The 24th edition of this free music festival will again be held in six locations in the historic heart of the city. The programme includes national and international music in the open air on the Grote Markt, the Oude Markt, the Vismarkt, the Hogeschoolplein, the Mathieu de Layensplein and the Vounckplein.
Feestdag van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap - Vlaanderen Feest Holiday of the Flemish Community - Flanders celebrates
Tuesday, 10 July Each year Leuven celebrates the Flemish Holiday on the eve of 11 July. The programme starts with a speech on the importance of Flanders in Europe and a perspective on the future followed by a reception for all the Leuven residents. The evening finishes with a show in the centre of the city.
M-idzomer M-idsummer
from Thursday, 26 through Sunday, 29 July The 3rd edition of this sensual and unique summer festival. The impressive architecture of the museum building and cosy enclosed garden are still the perfect location for a contemporary event brimming with concerts, comedy, performance, dance, the spoken word and visual arts.
Hapje-Tapje & Barmannenrace
Annual market and cattle fair
Sunday, 5 August
From 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., you can stroll in the pedestrian city centre along the stalls with general market produce. There is a market fair in the shopping streets. The cattle market is held in the H. Geeststraat. The provincial cattle competition takes place on the Sint-Jacobsplein.
Hapje Tapje & barman’s race
Hapje-Tapje is a well-known one-day summer event for gourmets and epicureans. A culinary route with delicious snacks, drinks and loads of atmosphere leads them through the city centre. In addition, there is also a healthy portion of music and animation, such as the traditional barman’s race.
Meiboomplanting Raising the maypole
Thursday, 9 August Every year, the ‘Mannen van het Jaar’ (Men of the Year) circle organises the raising of the maypole in front of the Town Hall. This must be done before 5:00 p.m., otherwise the privilege passes to Brussels, which has been disputing the right to raise the ‘true’ maypole with Leuven since time immemorial.
Leuven September Fair
From Friday, 31 August through Wednesday, 21 September 75 fairground attractions for young and old are gathered on the Mgr. Ladeuzeplein, the Herbert Hooverplein, the Oude Markt and the Martelarenplein. On Friday, 7 September 2012, you can enjoy the great fair fireworks in the city park at 10:30 p.m.
Festival van Vlaanderen Vlaams-Brabant
Monday, 3 September
Open Monumentendag Open Heritage Day
Sunday, 9 September Open Hertiage Day has become a regular item on Leuven’s cultural agenda. The general public can enjoy the precious heritage which Flanders, and in particular Leuven, has to offer, and which normally isn’t accessible to the public. Because the annual theme is ‘Music, word and image’, the focus for this edition is on heritage that is sung, painted, put to music and dance, etc. What is new in 2012 is that real estate heritage may also be presented by highlighting a film in which the city was used as decor. This promises to be a creative Open Heritage Day!
Jaartallendag
Sunday, 11 September The ‘Mannen van het Jaar’ (Men of the Year) has been active since 1890. You can recognise every year by its particular emblem, flag and costume. During the procession, each year’s cohort can be admired in all its glory. Unique in the world!
Start!12
Festival of Flanders Flemish-Brabant
Saturday, 15 September
September and October
Abrahamviering
Start!12 is the informal but enchanting start of the season at the 30CC culture centre. That evening you will enjoy surprising and pleasant acts in a special location. After editions, for example in the Botanic gardens, the beguinage, the Keizersberg Abbey or on the terraces along the River Dyle, you will party in an unexpected location again this year.
Saturday, 1 September
STUK START
To get an idea of music in the 20th and 21st centuries, come to the Festival of Flanders FlemishBrabant in Leuven with big names in music from Belgium and elsewhere.
Commemoration of Abraham
Between their 40th and 50th birthdays, the ‘Mannen van het Jaar’ (Men of the Year) organise all kinds of activities in and around Leuven, finally celebrating their 50th birthday with great splendour at the Commemoration of Abraham.
From Thursday, 27 September to Saturday, 29 September A free four-day opening heralds the start of the new cultural season at STUK. The ideal introduction to STUK and a fine taster for the coming season.
PLAYGROUND
Christmas Market
Playground is a unique festival which plays with the interface between the visual and stage arts. Renowned international artists present their most fascinating presentations and expositions in STUK.
The Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein and Herbert Hooverplein will again become the enchanting backdrop for the Leuven Christmas Market, with the most beautiful Christmas articles, decoration items, gifts and sampling stands for your culinary enjoyment. Make sure you also visit Santa’s fairy-tale house.
From Wednesday, 7 to Sunday, 11 November
La Petite Bande Day Sunday, 18 November
For the 3rd time, 30CC is dedicating an entire day to La Petite Bande, the unique company under the direction of Sigiswald Kuijken, which will be celebrating its 40th anniversary. The theme of this year’s edition is ‘historical declamation in France and Germany’, including a performance of the melodrama ‘Ariadne auf Naxos’ by Georg Benda.
International Short Film Festival Leuven
From Saturday, 1 December through Saturday, 8 December
The 18th edition presents an extensive selection of classic short films, from fiction to animation films, documentary films, experimental films and video clips. The focus is on Flemish and European short film competitions. In addition, the International Short Film Festival Leuven spares no expense on children’s films, retrospective programmes and specials. All films are either in English or subtitled. Christmas Market
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© Sofie Hoste
Friday, 7 December through Sunday, 16 December
Winter season in Leuven
From Friday, 7 December through Friday, 30 December The holiday season was cosy enough in Leuven. But since the first edition of Winter in Leuven, it has become even cosier still. A great number of new activities such as a nostalgic fair in the historic centre and special guided tours in the Gothic Town Hall have joined the classic item of the Leuven Christmas Market.
Dit was 2012! This was 2012!
From Tuesday, 18 December through Thursday, 20 December On three wintry evenings, 30CC will look back at the year 2012 in its own characteristic way. With numerous interesting guests and a healthy dash of humour and nostalgia, we will assess the year that is almost at an end.
longer in leuven Carillon concerts Continuously
- Carillon of St. Peter’s Church in the Great Market: throughout the year: every Friday from noon to 12:45 p.m., and on Saturday from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Carillon of the Central Library on Mgr. Ladeuzeplein with free ascent of the tower up to 25 persons: every Tuesday and Thursday from 7:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. during term time (not during vacations or exam periods); the tower can be visited free of charge at 6:30 p.m. (information and booking at www.kuleuven.be/ cultuur/beiaard) - ‘Ladeuze Bells’ square festival: five Saturdays in July and August, with deck chairs, ice cream, a musical supporting programme at 9:30 p.m. and carillon concert from 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. - Carillon of the Groot Begijnhof: played every first and third Wednesday of the month from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Colora festival Continuously
Colora festival is a small-scale, enjoyable and quality world music festival in Leuven. Throughout the year, in various locations in the city, from an outdoor festival weekend during the summer, from large halls to small rooms and in a genuine café circuit, come and enjoy the world music concerts, intercultural meetings and honest and delicious drinks and snacks.
Fotokaders Vriendenkringen Mannen van het Jaar Framed photos, ‘Men of the year’ circles
Saturday 7/01 - 11/02 - 17/03 - 14/04 - 19/05 - 16/06 - 14/07 - 18/08 - 15/09 - 20/10 - 17/11 - 15/12, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Leuven region between their 40th and 50th birthday and finally celebrate their 50th birthday in style. This Leuven phenomenon is unique in Europe and possibly the world. The ‘Men of the Year’ circles have existed since the 19th century. The brasserie in the cellars of Leuven Town Hall has framed photographs of the rich history of the ‘Mannen van het Jaar’ (Men of the Year) on display.
De Twaalf Weken van Sint-Michiel
The Twelve Weeks of Saint-Michael
Every Wednesday evening in april from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The St. Michaels Church in Naamsestraat is magically transformed into a freely accessible meeting place for lovers of art and culture. The festival unites artists from a variety of disciplines and offers performances of a different feather every week.
Leuven Bevlagd Leuven in flags
June, July and August During the summer months, some 300 heraldic flags adorn the streets of the town centre. The starting point is the town’s seven aristocratic ‘founding families’ and their numerous descendants.
Zomer van Sint-Pieter Summer at Saint-Pieters
Every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in July and August (except in the week of 15 August) at 12:15 p.m. For the 11th time, 30CC is giving mostly young Belgian musicians a chance to perform. In cooperation with the Brussels festival MidiMinimes, this series again offers a varied musical palette with classical music, more contemporary classical work and world music.
The ‘Men of the Year' circles or the ‘Leuven years’ create a circle of friends purely based on the mutual year of birth when they turn 40. They then organise all sorts of activities in the
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Exhibitions at M – Museum Leuven M - Museum Leuven Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 28, 3000 Leuven, tel. +32 (0)16 27 29 29, bezoekm@leuven.be, www.mleuven.be
Charles Burns
8 December 2011 through 11 March The American, Charles Burns, is particularly well known as a comic strip creator who integrates pop art and pop culture in his comics. The atmosphere of his comics varies from rather kitsch nostalgia to cheerless horror. Themes such as adolescence and sexual awareness are constantly mingled with recurring images of mutation, pestilence, alienation and violence. Burns’ work as an illustrator is not as well known. His work includes illustrations (covers for Time, The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine), long-playing record covers (Iggy Pop), photographs and films of, e.g. the set for Mark Morris’ version of the Nutcracker. You can discover Burns’ versatility in the exhibition in M.
Patrick Van Caeckenbergh 2 February through 22 April
Patrick Van Caeckenbergh attempts to re-arrange and re-draw the world in an extremely personal, yet at the same time universal manner. He distances himself from the outside world and studies his own life and living environment in a pseudo-scientific manner. His highly imaginative collage and figure sculptures are created by restructuring everyday objects. With only a few resources, he creates pieces of art that stimulate our imagination, reminding us of fables and fairy tales. In M, Patrick Van Caeckenbergh creates a path that is linked to the various periods in his work.
From Teniers to after Van Gogh Den Bosch guest collection 8 March to 26 August
The North Brabant Museum van Den Bosch is currently closed for radical works to expand it. M will feature approximately thirty of the best Den Bosch works for half a year. Beautiful late Gothic wood carvings, unique city views from the 15th and 16th centuries, followers of Bosch, 8
Rubens and Van Dijck will be combined in perfect harmony with the 19th century works by masters including Vincent Van Gogh. In addition, Theodoor van Thulden, Jan Van Dornicke, Pieter Coecke Van Aelst, David II Teniers, Henriette Ronner Knip and Jan Sluijters are also represented in the selection.
Sol LeWitt
26 June through 14 October For the first time, M is presenting Wall Drawings by the American artist Sol LeWitt on a large scale in Belgium. Sol LeWitt is one of the most influential contemporary artists. He is particularly famous for his Wall Drawings on a large architectural scale and for his geometric sculptures. M will display a selective review of Sol LeWitt’s Wall Drawings from the period starting in the late 1960s until 2007. The departure points of these often colourful wall-to-wall drawings are basic ideas for which the artist recorded patterns and accompanying manuals at the time. In this way, the drawings can be applied directly to the wall, tailor-made for every exhibition hall, even today.
Signed, Jan R.
8 November through 17 February 2013 Until very recently, too little attention had been paid in the artistic history of the city to 16th-century Leuven painting. Yet, there are clear indications that Leuven painting experienced an important development during the first half of the 16th century. The people from Leuven came into contact with new painting styles by way of large Southern Netherlands art centres such as Antwerp and Brussels, which caused a break with 15th-century tradition, which had been started by Dirk Bouts. But Quinten Massys, who was from Leuven, caused Leuven painting to cross the threshold into the Renaissance. Other Leuven masters, too, were inspired by innovation and painted in that style. The painter who, to date, has been known as ‘Jan van Rillaer’, played a pioneering role in this regard. Yet, his work was never brought to the attention of museum-goers. For example, besides engravings and paintings, he also produced many glass medallions and stained glass windows. That is why we can consider him to be an important and talented engraver, painter and glass painter, who significantly shaped 16th-century Leuven painting. It is essential to have an exhibition in ‘his’ city.
Markt | Market - Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein
Markt | Market - Brusselsestraat
markets Leuven
Thursday
Sub-municipality of Kessel-Lo
• Brusselsestraat (pedestrian precinct) from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.: selling flowers and plants.
WEDNESDAY
FRIDAY
Sub-municipality of Heverlee
• Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein, Herbert Hooverplein, Leopold Vanderkelenstraat (between Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein and Savoyestraat) from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for food, flowers and plants from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. SATURDAY • from Mathieu de Layensplein, Mechelsestraat (to Schrijnmakersstraat): antique market • Brusselsestraat: (pedestrian precinct) from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.: craft market • Oude Markt: (from the Zeelstraat) from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.: arts and crafts market and local products
Baron August de Becker-Remyplein van 2:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.: selling general market products
SUNDAY
Van Arenbergplein, de Lignestraat, Naamsesteenweg, part of Waversebaan (from Lignestraat to the fork at numbers 41 and 43) from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.: selling general market products
Sub-municipality of Wijgmaal MONDAY
Sint-Hadrianusstraat (church square) from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. selling general market products
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overview of events 2012
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DatE
ACTIVITY
VENUE
Tuesday 14 to Sunday 23 February
ARTEFACT-festival
STUK
Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 February
Kulturama
various locations
Thursday 16 February through Saturday 31 March
Cinema Leuven
Openbaar Entrepot - Vaart
Wednesday 14 through Sunday 18 March
KLAVECHORDinPRIMETIME
various locations
Monday 19 to Friday 23 March, Monday 7 to Saturday 12 Mai, Monday 22 to Thursday 25 October, Tuesday 11 to Friday 14 December
MOVE ME
STUK
Friday 6 through Monday 9 April
International Folklore and Easter Celebrations
Rijschool, Saint-Pieter’s Church, Town Hall
Sunday 22 April
Leuven Heritage Day: Heroes
various locations
Saturday 28 April and Sunday 29 April
Zythos Beer Festival 2012
Brabanthal
Saturday 28 April through Saturday 5 Mai
DOCVILLE – International Documentary Film
various locations
Sunday 29 through Tuesday 1 Mai
Art-Trail Leuven
various locations
Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 Mai
Leuven in Scène
various locations
Saturday 2 June
Leuven World Festival
various locations
Saturday 23 June
The Longest Day
town centre
Friday 6, 13, 20 and 27 July
BeLEUVENissen
six locations
Tuesday 10 July
Holiday of the Flemish Community - Flanders celebrates
town centre
DatE
ACTIVITY
VENUE
Thursday 26 through Sunday 29 July
M-idsummer
M - Museum Leuven
Sunday 5 August
Hapje Tapje & barman’s race
town centre
Thursday 9 August
Raising the maypole
town centre
Friday 31 August to Wednesday 19 September
Leuven September Fair
Mgr. Ladeuzeplein, Herbert Hooverplein, Old Market Square and Martelarenplein
September and October
Festival of Flanders Flemish-Brabant
various locations
Saturday 1 September
Commemoration of Abraham
town centre
Monday 3 September
Annual market and cattle fair
town centre, H. Geeststraat and Sint-Jacobsplein
Sunday 9 September
Jaartallendag
town centre
Sunday 9 September
Open Monument Day
various locations
Saturday 15 September
Start!12
30CC
Thursday 27 September to Sunday 30 September
STUK START
STUK
Wednesday 7 to Sunday 11 November
PLAYGROUND
STUK
Sunday 18 November
La Petite Bande Day
30CC
Saturday 1 December through Saturday 8 December
International Short Film Festival Leuven
STUK
Friday 7 December through Sunday 16 December
Christmas Market
Mgr. Ladeuzeplein and Herbert Hooverplein
Friday 7 December through Sunday 30 December
Wintertime in Leuven
various locations
Tuesday 18 through Thursday 20 December
This was 2012!
Great Market Square
© Pieter Jelle De Brue
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L E UVEN | FLANDERS | BELGIUM
TOuRISM LEUVEN Open from 10:00 to 17:00, Monday to Sunday. Closed on public holidays and associated days and Sundays from the first of November to the end of February. t +32 (0)16 20 30 20 - f +32 (0)16 20 30 03 - tourism@leuven.be - www.visitleuven.be
Colofon The greatest care has been taken over the accuracy and up-to-dateness of the information published in this guide. Tourism Leuven declines all liability for any errors. Neither is the publisher liable for changes after the date of publication. Any comments and changes may be communicated to infogids@leuven. be. This series also includes: street wise in Leuven architecture and sculptures university and colleges group tours and day trips lodging in Leuven cycling and walking
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