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Vocational training for professions in arts and culture is mainly provided by the institutions for higher education described in 5.3. Several arts organisations provide masterclasses or guidance for young artists in the making, sometimes in collaboration with Schools of Arts. Continuing education — such as workshops or informal learning trajectories — is offered by a range of private and public organisations. Examples of the latter are the centres of expertise (see 7.2.1) and the funds for subsistence security (see 7.2.2).

Higher arts education (and higher education in general) in Flanders has a bachelor-master structure. Bachelor (both professional and academic) and master courses are available in two different fields of study: ‘Music and Performing Arts’ and ‘Audiovisual and Visual Art’ (which also includes courses in product design).[1] These courses are held at Schools of Arts, which form separate (and largely autonomous) structures within university colleges.[2] Schools of Arts collaborate with universities for PhD-programmes and research in the Arts.[3] Beside the Schools of Arts, there are five Higher Institutions for Fine Arts, which offer specialised (mostly postgraduate) courses in the arts. These... read more →

Both culture and education are competences of the Flemish Community, but each resides under a different policy area and government department (see 5.1). Compulsory education is subsumed under the Ministry of Education and Training and is subject to attainment targets, which constitute a binding framework on what to teach. These attainment goals are currently in a process of reform, but in both the old and new versions there is attention for social and cultural diversity and intercultural competences. These are aimed at facilitating the recognition and appreciation of (cultural) diversity and at learning how to live together and cooperate within... read more →

Compulsory education in Flanders is subject to attainment targets, which constitute a binding framework on what to teach. These attainment targets contain artistic and cultural competences, which is also true of some of the development goals in nursery school. Nonetheless, these targets and goals still offer schools a large degree of freedom in organising and implementing the curriculum. As a result, the range and quality of artistic and cultural education within the curriculum can vary among schools. Moreover, teachers and cultural organisations have shown concern about the current reform of the attainment targets and other goals in secondary education.[1] Although... read more →

Both culture and education are competences of the Flemish Community, but each resides under a different policy area and government department. Compulsory education (see 5.2), higher arts education (see 5.3), and part-time education in the arts (see 5.4) are subsumed under the Ministry of Education and Training. Support for independent cultural organisations that offer (both formal and informal) arts and culture education is part of the policy field of Culture. These include the organisations for socio-cultural work for adults, amateur arts organisations, participatory artistic initiatives (see 6.4), educational services of cultural heritage organisations, and local circus schools. Next to Culture... read more →

Access to culture and cultural development in Flanders has been a recurring topic in the policy priorities of subsequent ministers of Culture — though with differing intensity and accents.[1] Whereas, for example, participation of people in poverty is featured in policy documents of the four most recent ministers of Culture (see also 2.6), participation of people with culturally diverse backgrounds lacks mention in documents of the current minister (see also 2.5.1). Likewise, specific attention to participation of people with disabilities has waned in the strategic goals of the last two ministers of Culture (see 2.5.6). On the Flemish level of... read more →

An important source on cultural participation in Flanders is the Participation Survey (‘Participatiesurvey’). Since 2004, this survey is commissioned every five years by the Flemish government (the current survey has met delay and is scheduled for 2021-2022). It is each time carried out according to a similar methodology, which allows for comparison over time. Table 3 presents data on receptive participation in cultural activities by the Flemish population (between ages 15 and 86), in 2004, 2009, and 2014. Table 4 presents data on active participation in artistic hobbies in Flanders in the same period. Table 3: People who participated in... read more →

There are different federations and associations in Flanders and Brussels that represent the voice and interests of artists or (arts) organisations, such as NICC, State of the Arts (SOTA), De Acteursgilde, ArtistsUnited, VAV, De Scenaristengilde, oKo, MuziekOverleg, Sociare, RAB/BKO, or cult!. Some federations and associations active in the field were or still are directly funded by governments (on various levels). In its previous term, the Flemish government has spoken out against this form of support. Former Minister of Culture Sven Gatz stated in his Policy Memorandum (2014-2019) that the government should not intervene in affairs of advocacy.[1] The Belgian labour... read more →

Grants and bursaries supplied by public funding bodies are discussed in 7.2.1. Some of these public funding bodies have support programmes aimed at young or recently graduated talents, such as the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), which, for example, offers wildcards for upcoming directors and screenwriters. The Flemish government yearly awards the Ultimas (the former ‘Vlaamse Cultuurprijzen’), prizes for individuals and organisations with merits in different cultural disciplines (including an Award for General Cultural Merit and the BILL Award for promising young artists). The Flemish Government Architect awards and stimulates (together with Flanders Architecture Institute) innovating research and ideas by architects... read more →

Section 7.2.1 provides an overview of the current public funding for artists, including Flanders Literature (which supports writers, translators and illustrators) and the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF, which offers funding opportunities for individuals working in the audiovisual sector). Aside from these, Flanders does not have government funds specifically oriented towards artists. Belgium has a system of funds for subsistence security (‘fondsen voor bestaanszekerheid’), which, for example, set up additional training, provide guidelines for secure working conditions or manage additional social benefits for employees of companies and organisations. These are organised according to collective labour agreements in officially delineated sectors (see... read more →