Open call: Contribute to the Brussels2030 Summer Assembly!

What should Brussels look like in 2030? What are the challenges to be met, the dreams to be achieved for it to become European Capital of Culture? And besides, what is a cultural capital?

We invite you to five days of exchange, reflection and cultural events this summer. From Wednesday June 28 to Sunday July 2, 2023.

This Summer Assembly is intended to be an open laboratory where various urban actors (academic, cultural, economic, artistic) can be inspired by each other and initiate collaborative creation processes. The success of these days will depend on the wealth of contributions and active participation.

Would you like to be the co-author of this adventure?
Submit a proposal before March 1, 2023

Submit your application online
Download the application form
Register for the info session 15/02/2023

Photo of young people in discussion during the Brussels 2030 Summer Assembly 2022

A more democratic, green, inclusive and caring Brussels. With culture at its heart. Yes, before us lies the decade of all challenges. How can we cope with climate change? Build new forms of social cohesion? How do the artistic and cultural sector relate to these changes? How can we reimagine the major projects of the region and the city in terms of super-diversity, equality, sustainability, mobility? How can we transform the city for the better? The keywords are change and transition!

With this Summer Assembly, Brussels2030 – led by Jan Goossens and Fatima Zibouh – is inviting civil society, arts, culture, science, and the diversity of actors that make this city to help prepare Brussels to become the European Capital of Culture in 2030, and submit activities that can feed this ambition.

WHEN? The second Brussels2030 Summer Assembly will take place from Wednesday June 28th till Sunday July 2nd 2023.

WHERE? The Summer Assembly will be organized in diverse (inside and outside) locations. Les Halles de Schaerbeek will serve as our home base.

WHO? We intend to offer a space where diverse urban actors can inspire one another and initiate processes of collaborative city-making, beyond disciplinary and sectoral boundaries. Whether you are an engaged citizen, student, artist, part of the many youngsters, working in a Brussels-based organization, public administration or university, and want to start-up your own initiative, you’re very much welcome to submit a proposal!

WHAT? We welcome a diverse range of activities (see draft programme outline below): inspirational talks, artistic interventions, co-creation labs, walks, performances, installations, fieldtrips, visits exploring an inspirational place, thematic or practice… You can propose an activity that is programmed only once or book a recurrent timeslot – spanning the entire week. Need inspiration? Have a look at the Brussels2030 Summer Assembly 2022 post-report.

 

Financial Support  

A contribution of maximum 500 euro per activity/day or 500 euro per activity/performer can be foreseen by the organizing committee, covering staff costs, materials used during the proposed activity, transport related expenditures, design of the activity.

 

Planning 

Proposals for contributions can be sent from February 1st until February 28th 2023 through this APPLICATION FORM (click on the link to open). Notifications will follow on by mid-March 2023.

We would like to create links and continuity between particular contributions through thematic tracks/trajectories and want therefore to involve the contributors in the cocreation of the program. In case your contribution is accepted, you will be asked to participate to (at least) one of the following half-days of co-creation:

Tuesday 28th of March 9:00–13:00
Monday 22nd of May 13:00–17:00
Please block these dates to secure your availability for at least one of the proposed timeslots!

 

Evaluation 

Criteria that will guide the selection process are: contributing to discussing/addressing transversal challenges in Brussels, imagining proposals that can suit a Cultural Capital’s project and programme, delivering an essential building block to the Summer Assembly, initiating further collaborations and initiatives after the summer, empowering participants to further contribute to the urban project. The selection process will pay attention to the inclusive, multicultural and/or transgenerational dimensions of the proposed projects.

 

DRAFT PROGRAMME OUTLINE
BLUE BOXES = parallel sessions GREEN BOXES = plenary moments

Screenshot of the draft week schedule of the Brussels 2030 Summer Assembly

The Brussels2030 Summer Assembly is organized by Brussels2030 in close collaboration with​ Réseau des Arts Bruxelles-Brussels Kunsten Overleg, VUB, ULB, weKONEKT.brussels, Brussels Academy, Brussels Studies Institute, Les Halles de Schaerbeek, Maison Des Arts, De Kriekelaar.​

For any questions regarding proposed formats and/or topics, you can contact Laura Loute from Brussels2030: laura.loute@brussels2030.be.

Please feel free to share this save the date and call for contributions!

Would you like to be the co-author of this adventure?
Submit a proposal before March 1, 2023

Submit your application online
Download the application form
Register for the info session on 15/02/2023