The Brussels Artist-Run Network (BARN) was founded in 2020 to connect artists, art workers and artist-run initiatives in Brussels. There is no formal membership: in principle, the network includes every artist, art worker and initiative in the city who engages with its resources and events. The Brussels artist-run scene is a rich, wild, diverse and hyperactive universe that isn’t always easy to navigate – even for those who are part of it.

Within this evolving web of connections and information, the BARN Core Team acts as a facilitator. It creates time, space and opportunities for artists, art workers and initiatives to meet, and works towards a culture of solidarity and empowerment.

The BARN Core Team works on four areas:

1. Sharing information and resources

Through a monthly newsletter, a Telegram group, this website and a lot of informal networking.

2. Community building 

Tours of artist-run spaces, hangouts and meetups with artist-run networks in Belgium and abroad.

3. Research 

A living cartography of Brussels’ artist-run initiatives and research on the needs and policies around artists’ workspace.

4. Advocacy

The Artist Workspace Memorandum 2025–2030 and the Spaces for Spaces conversation series.

Read more about our activities, methods and current projects on the research page.