Belgium/ 3.4 International cultural co-operation  

3.4.4 Direct professional co-operation

Flemish community

Numerous organisations within the cultural sector collaborate with partner organisations across the national borders as part of their daily activities. 

Research on the support centres for the arts has revealed that over the last decades, international collaboration has steadily increased. More Flemish artists and organisations find their way outside of Flanders / Belgium, but also more and more foreign artists settle in Flanders and Brussels in order to develop their work. (An example of a publication which maps trends in the international activities of the performing arts organisations:  Ins & Outs. A field analysis of the performing arts in Flanders. 2011. Flemish Theatre Institute).

A number of network organisations facilitate international exchange, for instance the Brussels based IETM, i.e. the international network for contemporary performing arts (http://www.ietm.org) or EFA, the European Festival Association, based in Gent (http://www.efa-aef.eu/).

Several organisations realise part of their international operations supported by financial means from the European culture programmes. In 2011, more than 30 Flemish organisations are engaged in projects of the EU Culture Programme 2007-2013, either as project leader or as participant. (http://www.cjsm.vlaanderen.be/ccp/downloads/best-practice-2009-2010.pdf). Other European support flows from the European Regional Development Fund to regional development programmes. Participation in INTERREG programmes are realised both in the east (with the cities of Hasselt and Genk) and in the west (with the city of Kortrijk) of the Flemish region.

Additional resources:

Mobility trends and case studies

Examples of mobility schemes for artists and cultural professionals in Belgium   

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