Guide

Want to orient yourself in the field, looking for advice on how the field works, want to work internationally but don’t know where to start? Is the Arts Decree still unclear to you? Looking to contact other people working in the arts? Then Flanders Arts Institute is for you!

• We have a wealth of information. At our online advice link you’ll find tips for developing an artistic practice, or on how to introduce best practices in your organisation. You can also ask your questions at advies@kunsten.be or at our virtual morning coffees.
• We have a database with an overview of the arts in Flanders.
• We continuously conduct research into the arts field, elaborate trajectories for development and innovation, facilitate contacts, ensure the exchange of knowledge, and promote the international arts in Flanders. You will find our mission and vision here.

Have a question about business, legal or financial topics? Detailed questions about your budget, about how to pay people, about setting up a non-profit or other legal entity? Want coaching regarding your business plan?

Then Cultuurloket is for you! They work for the broad cultural sector and focus on professionalisation, sustainable entrepreneurship and supplementary financing.

Complete this contact form to make an appointment with Cultuurloket.

VI.BE is the support centre for the non-classical music sector, from amateurs to professionals.

Visit the advice page or send an email to advies@vi.be!

The Flemish Architecture Institute is the main point of contact for information about architecture in Flanders and Brussels.

At this link you’ll find the VAi advice page with advice on research, archive management and subsidies.

On this page Circuscentrum collects all information for professionals from the sector (artists, teachers) or professionals who come into contact with the circus (programmers, organisers, cities & municipalities).

The FAF supports the independent professional audiovisual and game sector

Literature Flanders invests in the literature sector, from author to reader.

The Performing Arts Social Fund is the training and development fund of the professional performing arts and music sector. They focus on quality careers and a strong organisational policy.

They organise training courses and work on themes such as safety and well-being (inappropriate workplace behaviour, stress…), career guidance, inclusion and intersectionality, digital transformation.

OP/TIL stimulates culture in all directions. It connects players from the broad cultural sector across the boundaries of municipalities, sectors and disciplines.

Socius is the support centre for socio-cultural work. They are there for all civil socio-cultural organisations, initiatives and the people who are committed to them.

Demos is a team of nomadic knowledge workers. They follow social developments that shape the culture, youth work and the sports sector, and work towards equality and participation. Demos stands for culture, youth work and sports that drive social change and build a more open, inclusive and democratic society.

Pulse believes that culture can be an engine for the transition to a socially just and sustainable society. It connects some 1000 organisations and individuals from the culture, youth and media sector who are experimenting with sustainable alternatives to our current social model.

Cultuurconnect focuses on digital innovation in art and culture, ensuring their relevance into the future. It bridges the gap between local cultural centres, libraries, governments, technology players and artistic initiatives.

Support of knowledge and innovation: edith.leblanc@cultuurconnect.be

Support of digital infrastructure: evi.gillard@cultuurconnect.be

There are amateur umbrella organisations for those who do not work professionally in the arts, but are still looking for support and connections. You’ll find them here.

publiq specialises in communications on the varied and public offering of leisure activities. Connecting and putting people and activities in touch, by way of stepping stones where needed – that is our mission. How? We facilitate partners. To enable them to help shape, and to enable all members of the public to enjoy their leisure time.

FARO is happy to help with almost all aspects of cultural heritage operations

Music and the performing arts contribute to the rich culture that has been a hallmark of Flanders and Brussels both historically and today. CEMPER — Centre for Music and Performing Arts Heritage in Flanders, Belgium — aims to preserve and pass on the traces of that culture. To give it a future. We do this because we’re convinced that this heritage is valuable: it shapes the memory of music and the performing arts and contributes to the artistic and cultural diversity of today’s society.

The Centre for Art Archives Flanders is a hub for the distributed care of art archives and legacies. The organisation works autonomously at M HKA and focusses on the conservation, sustainable public access and effective field development of visual art archives under public and private management.

• We safeguard the past in digital form, exactly as it’s captured in images, sounds and newspapers.
• We support organisations with collection management.
• We make this content accessible and usable.
• We gather expertise about digital archive operations, and actively share it with the wider community.

The Flanders Architecture Institute is the meeting place for architectural culture in Flanders and Brussels. We are there for everyone who wants to create, share, or experience architecture. We aim to collect, research, support, develop and share the ideas and work of designers. In this way, we aim to contribute to a well-designed environment for everyone.

Archiefpunt collects as much information as possible about private archives and collections in Flanders and Brussels in one place. Their website provides information about the location of archives and collections (Archive Bank) and tips on good archive management (Knowledge Base)

oKo is the advocacy, employers’ federation and network organisation of more than 240 professional arts organisations in Flanders and Brussels.

De Acteursgilde is a Flemish advocacy group for professional actors.

Engagement Arts fights against sexism, sexual misconduct, and abuse of power in the arts. They offer support and advice to individuals and groups, give workshops and lectures, and facilitate a peer-to-peer network in the cultural sector.

As an employee (permanent or temporary) or artist with artist status, you can also join trade unions. There are three: ACV-Puls, ABVV (see ACOD Cultuur) and ACLVB (here or here).

NICC is an artist-run, non-profit vzw, creating space for interaction between visual artists, institutions and society. NICC operates with specific attention to the socio-economic position of visual artists, and does so within local, regional and international registers.

SOTA is an open platform to reimagine the conditions that shape the art world today.

SOTA operates through the collaborative intelligence of independent artists and artworkers, but is open to all individuals and organisations that want to co-create a more  fair and diverse cultural scene in Belgium.

De Scenaristengilde is the professional and advocacy group for all screenwriters in Flanders. We defend the rights of screenwriters, organise workshops, lectures, debates and events where screenwriters can meet each other. We also act as a spokesperson in negotiations with authors’ associations.

The ‘Composers Archipelago Flanders’, in Dutch abbreviated to ComAV, is an interest group of Flemish composers. It was founded on 30 March 2003 during the first general meeting in Bornem. The founders were composers, active in different branches of the composers’ profession.

STEPP is the support centre for the production, design and technical forces of the broad cultural sector. We unite, support and represent technical and production staff from the broad cultural sector.

Sabam is the Belgian association of authors, composers and publishers. It manages royalties for audiovisual works, literature, music, performing and visual arts.

Sabam for Culture supports you by encouraging the creation, use and internationalisation of your work, with a focus on developing your talents and professionalising your career.

Sofam manages copyrights for audiovisual artists. They provide (legal) information to their members and organise workshops for professional artists.

Sofam also has a small artistic operation, so that all members – through partnerships, prizes and grants – collectively support the art scene in Belgium.

PlayRight is the company responsible for the collective management of the neighbouring rights of performing artists in Belgium.

SIMIM is the Belgian company for the collective management of neighboring rights of music producers.

On behalf of and for authors, the SACD (Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques) defends their rights and their liberties. It provides authors with support and assists them throughout their careers.

Copying sheet music and lyrics is only possible with the owner’s consent, more specifically the copyright owner(s) or “the rightholders”.

Copies made without consent are liable to criminal and civil action. This is known as “piracy” or “counterfeiting”, in the same way as fake designer clothing or watches.