Jester

Jester (de hofnar) is an institution for contemporary art, in Genk, Belgium. It was created from the merger of FLACC and CIAP, both successful organisations in Flemish Limburg with national and international programme and reach. Jester is structurally supported by the Flemish Community and City of Genk. During 2023, it will get three new buildings. Until then, Jester works from two locations: the workshop building in Casino Modern and the presentation space in the Energy Building on C-mine. Jester also has a flat where artists can stay.

From 2024, Jester will be located in the heart of an area under development (on the C-mine site in Genk) - a focal point where various global transformation processes and their economic, ecological and demographic consequences, manifest and become tangible. Through its stimulating and generous presence, Jester makes an important contribution to the creation of a vibrant cultural oasis on site, with a national and international reach.

The combination of living (residency), working (various workshops) and public making (from exhibition, film screening, performance, lecture, to test set-up, online and offline), offers the opportunity to create an ever-changing constellation of distinct projects, in which development and presentation are central, over a number of years.

A dedicated community plays an important role in the development, circulation and evolution of the Jester stories. All kinds of audiences, from local to international, physical or online, and from professionals in the arts field to lovers of the venue, are given a place within the programme. Jester is a membership organisation. It prides itself on its membership work and sees members as an important part in the bigger story. Members support the organisation and contribute through volunteering and, more recently, through their own projects.

Jester Residency
In addition to its own programming, Jester has room for artists who want to temporarily move in with us to work on a research or production. Through an open call, artists are selected who can come for a very limited fee. From the Jester team, we provide support for their project.

Jester workshops
It is also possible to use the workshops and the flat for a fee. This paid work period is fully funded by the artist themselves and focuses on producing work in the workshops.