1/10/2009
BrxlBravo
Different venues, Bruxelles
An Art Festival entirely dedicated to contemporary culture in Brussels. It is an open event that takes you along to more than 70 art houses in the capital. BrxlBravo zap from once place to another, from one activity to the next, from once art discipline to another. Zap from baroque to rock, from dance to contemporary art, from big names to young talent, from the extravagant to the introvert, from large crowds to intimate encounters and discover that Brussels is culturally just as prestigious and diverse as other European capitals.
Also during the weekend of 2, 3 & 4 October in Brussels: NUIT BLANCHE
The 8th edition of Nuit Blanche, the nocturnal celebration of the arts,
takes over the public space and the art houses between the
High Court and the Botanical Gardens on Saturday 3 October.
Joining these two events into a partnership within the European Year of
Creativity and Innovation can only emphasise the cultural dynamics and
richness of the European capital.
Brussels is an inspiring, creative city. It is a magnet for dancers,
artists, writers, and makers of theatre and film. Brussels is just one big
art-lab. It’s full of workshops, concert stages, theatres and exhibition
halls. But there are so many and they are so scattered that you don’t
always notice them.
BRXLBRAVO wants to solve this. A hundred or so cultural centres have
compiled this 3rd edition, which is entirely dedicated to contemporary
culture in Brussels. We lead you inside well-known and less well-known
artistic hotspots, but also to hidden areas, alleys and squares, both
inside and outside the inner-city pentagon.
It will prove a superb encounter between Brussels, its inhabitants, the
artists and the audience. The whole city celebrates. Along with family and
friends, you can flitter through the city and zap your way between
concerts, theatre performances, art and dance marathons during three days.
Start with the festive opening-balls on Friday evening, run an alternative
jogging route via parades and workshops before ending the weekend in one
of many Sunday morning brunches and witness the launch of BRXLDomino.
All that is available for a steal... One pass will give you access to all
the weekend’s activities. There’s no better way to start the new cultural
season. Staying at home is good for pets.
BRXLBRAVO is a CityFest, dedicated to the arts. It is an open festival that takes you along to more than 70 art houses in the capi-
tal. Along the way you will find art in public space, on squares, roofs and in metro stations. One single pass (€7) gives access to all
dance performances, theatre pieces, concerts, exhibitions, workshops, ... on the programme. The outdoor activities are free of charge.
BRXLBRAVO, that’s zapping through Brussels’ cultural sector: from once place to another, from one activity to the next, from
once art discipline to another. Zap from baroque to rock, from dance to contemporary art, from big names to young talent, from the
extravagant to the introvert, from actor to audience, from large crowds to intimate encounters and discover that Brussels is culturally
just as prestigious and diverse as other European capitals.
Whereas some activities take place at a well-defined moment, others can be visited continuously, so you can move from one place to
another at your own pace and as you please.You can allow yourself to be led by the suggested walking routes or you can make your
own selection thanks to our interactive website.
A few BRXLBRAVO routes
Friday – Centre
BRXLBRAVO invites everyone to dance at 8pm during “chorékaraoké”, a sensual opening-dance with Delgado Fuchs at the Skate Park
near the Kapellekerk. Afterwards drop in to Les Brigittines for a piece of the marathon project 2Dance4Hours. Brussels’ contemporary
dance scene will be improvising there 24 hours long.Then dance yourself into the night once again during one of the various balls. An
example to whet your appetite:The Inflatable Party by the Beursschouwburg’s artists in residence.
Saturday – Sint-Gillis & Vorst
Dance Company Aquilon presents !Metrowerken! (!Metro Works!), a choreography in the 4 metro stations of Sint-Gillis.The audience
follows the dancers and travels from once station to the next.There is more dance afterwards in Cultural Centre Jacques Franck, where a
Dance Route shows you every last corner of the centre.Then on to Wiels, the contemporary art center in Vorst, where the concept ‘speed
dating’ is given new meaning. In Short Tracks 24 artists get the chance to do their thing in the course of a half hour.
Saturday – Canal
In the former government laboratory at the Zennestraat 17 various art studios will present you with exhibitions and performances, over the
5 floors of the building. From here you can follow a Spider Web Route to artist happenings in public space at the Ninoofse Poort, to artist’s
ateliers in the old BelleVue-brewery, to the digital art centre IMAL and to an abundance of galleries and other contemporary art places in
and around the Dansaertstraat.
Sunday – Centre
On Sunday morning the families start on a full day-programme at the brunch table in the Hoogstraat, in the Marollen. Afterwards they
will head to the oldest and most authentic café in Brussels: Het Goudblommeke van Papier.The kitsch filled interior is protected heritage.
Nothing may be changed anymore. Faro changed it a little anyway and took some photos. Children can search for the 20 differences... and
so discover what patrimonium is.
Then on to BOZAR, where the entire family may paint the wall in the sacred Horta Hall. A fantastic Fresco will thus slowly take form.
After which the entire family can take a breather in TKunstenhuis and enjoy Dag Maan, an animated film about the friendship between a
little boy and the moon.Without words but with live music and soundscape.
Sunday – Centre
Het Beschrijf, Entrez Lire and deBuren begin a 10 hour long marathon at midday, to celebrate Hugo Claus. More and less well-known
names will read aloud their favourite passages from the impressive collected works of one of the greatest writers our country has ever
known.
With &&&&& & &&& by Halory Goerger and Antoine Defoort, the Théâtre National presents a 4 hour long spectacle in which the
audience can enter and leave as it pleases and yet is, involuntarily, a part of the action.
Finally, those who love opera can head to the KVS for the Marollen Opera. Composer Walter Hus worked with people of diverse origin,
background and age who all had one thing in common: a love of singing.The result is an ‘opéra brut’ with living music and voices of flesh
and blood.
A little BRXLBRAVO history
BRXLBRAVO was born out of the desire of countless cultural players to establish a large-scale artistic event together in Brussels,
one which would both get the city moving as well as displaying the cultural wealth it has to offer. The opening weekend of Brussel
2000 “Open! Ouvert!” formed the point of reference for the participants.
From the start, BRXLBRAVO was strongly supported by the Réseau des Arts à Bruxelles and the Brussels Kunstenoverleg, two
umbrella organisations that form the basis for consultation within the cultural sector in Brussels. Collaboration between the various
art houses of the 2 communities formed the point of departure for the project.
BRXLBRAVO is the result of a unique collaboration between 105 partners, art houses and artists, great and small, Dutch and
French speaking, multicultural and international, that build an ArtFest together in every corner of the Brussels Region. They all
present surprising projects to a very wide audience: local and foreign culture lovers, the inhabitants of Brussels, schools, young
people, families, ... They invite the public to zap from one activity to the next, to go discover one area after another, to cross over
from one art discipline to the next. So Brussels is proud to be the only capital with such a festival.
The first two editions of BRXLBRAVO took place in 2005 and 2007 and brought a large audience to tens of locations spread over
the city. Supported by a hundred or so organisations, associations, museums, artists studios, actors, choreographers, dancers, expressive
artists, musicians, video artists and writers, the festival presented an extensive programme that offered artistic quality and that was ac-
cessible for everyone. The first two editions charmed the public: they attracted 25,000 and 35,000 visitors respectively.
3 jours & 1 nuit: BRXLBRAVO et LA NUIT BLANCHE 2009
02.10.09 – 04.10.2009
This year, the 3rd edition of BRXLBRAVO and the 8th edition of NUIT
BLANCHE share the same weekend, from 2 to 4 October.
The 8th edition of Nuit Blanche, the nocturnal celebration of the arts, takes over the public space and the art houses between the
High Court and the Botanical Gardens on Saturday 3 October.
http://www.nuitblanchebrussels.be
For high resolution photos or more information, please contact:
Nancy Galant - nancy@brxlbravo.be - 02 503 27 03
Differents Venues, Brussels
1 pass, 3 days = €7
Free for those under 18 years of age
Aside from a few exceptions, the pass gives access to all BRXLBRAVO activities for the duration of the three days.
The performances in public space are free of charge for everyone.