Belgium/ 8.4 Amateur arts, cultural associations and community centres  

8.4.1 Amateur arts

Flemish Community

A new Amateur Arts Decree was introduced on 22 December 2000 and it ensured the necessary growth and improvement of quality in the sector.

Amateur arts activities are supported by umbrella organisations or federations that bring together local groups. These federations are active in the following fields: music (vocal, instrumental, folk and jazz, choir, pop music), theatre, dance, visual arts, creative writing, and photography (film and video).

In 2005, financial assistance was provided to 6 334 amateur arts groups (up from 3 919 in the year 2000). Approximately 150 000 people participate in amateur arts.

The "Forum voor Amateurkunsten" is the support centre for amateur arts which undertakes supporting activities for the cultural sector on the one side, and on the other side acts as an intermediary between the cultural sector and the government.

French Community

Federations (15)

Amateur arts activities are essentially supported by umbrella organisations or federations that bring together local groups either at the community or provincial levels. These federations are mainly in the following fields: music (musical societies such as brass bands, military bands and choirs), folklore (folklore dance groups), theatre and photography, cinema and video.

The federations regroup a very significant number of local associations that develop their artistic practice and contribute to local cultural life.

Centres for expression and creativity (180)

The centres for expression and creativity are local associations that develop artistic practices for and by amateurs. They focus on projects that are rooted in the social environment and which are strongly linked to the social and cultural preoccupations of the participants. These projects are generally supervised by artists and are presented to the public.

We are currently witnessing the emergence of new types of organisations (networks) and new artistic practices developed by non-professional people or groups, for instance: writing workshops, urban cultural practices.

A significant example of the development of an urban animation project supervised by artists and involving the creative participation of citizens is the « Zinneke Parade ». This project is a biennial event presenting a parade involving over 1 000 participants to an audience of more than 200 000 persons.

German-speaking Community

Around 200 amateur arts associations are active in the areas of music, singing, theatre and dance. Several creative workshops are also held. Approximately 50 clubs are devoted to maintaining traditions, mainly in the form of carnival celebrations.