The Brussels Artist-Run Network was founded in 2020 to connect artists, art workers, and artist-run initiatives in Brussels. Operating without a structure of formal membership the network in principle includes all artists and initiatives in Brussels who engage 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. From the start the Brussels Artist-Run telegram group has been a central forum to find out what events are going on, to ask questions and come up with answers, to offer and find workspace, housing, jobs, residencies, to ask the community for help, etc. At the moment it has around 1200 members and continues growing rapidly. A monthly newsletter goes out to 144 independent initiatives and a wealth of individuals.
The ‘BARN Core Team’ facilitates dynamics on this broad network, working for a culture of solidarity and empowerment by focusing on three key areas:
1. Sharing information and resources
We facilitate the exchange of information, resources, and knowledge both locally and internationally. Our initiatives include:
- A monthly newsletter that highlights public moments as well as non-event announcements by the broader network. There is a separate section for news and announcements by the BARN Core Team.
- A rapidly growing, vivid Telegram group forms and supports the community and actualises the agency of the network. It has many subgroups (events, jobs, working space, living space, knowledge sharing, the art workers attest, residencies, subsidies, parenthood, etc).
- An interactive open-source website showcasing news, mapping artist-run initiatives, and sharing research by the BARN core team.
2. Community building
We create time and space for artists to come together, fostering environments of solidarity, trust, and care. Activities include:
- Biking/walking tours visiting two to four different artist-run spaces in a neighbourhood.
- Common Reflection: evenings of cooking together and reflecting on each other’s work.
- Hangouts without specific programme, easy access occasions to hang out and get to know other people.
- International get-togethers with other artist-run networks.
3. Advocacy and Policy Engagement
We explore ways to unite actors so that we can speak with one voice on critical issues. Initiatives include:
-Spaces for Spaces: The Value of Space for Artistic work, a series of thematic conversations with artist interventions. Presently focusing on mapping the value of workspaces from an artistic point of view
-A collective letter to administrations and policy makers to demand policy for artistic workspaces
BARN Core Team
The BARN Core Team is a group of people who want to help making things happen for the wider, amorphous artistic scene – the ‘Brussels Artist-Run Network’. Currently Esth Fantuzzi, Sophie Fitze, Milan Gillard, Észter Nemethi, Mariana Pechackova, and Jesse Van Winden form the BARN Core Team. Please note that this is a bottom-up initiative with only occasional funding for events. If there are mistakes, please bear with us :)
We are always looking for team members! Contact us on contact@brusselsartistrun.net !
Website
Many thanks to Leo Leyens and Johanna Gratzer to create this website – together with the BARN Core Team
Typefaces
Publi Fluor hand-cut by Chrystel Crickx from 1973 to 2000, wildely vectorized by Hammerfonts in 2001, published by Speculoos/Open Source Publishing in 2011, released again by Crickx research group in 2024.
Garamon(d/t) designed in 2016 by Paul Tubert, published in January 2020 by fonderie.download.
Fluxisch-Else designed in 2016 by Paul Tubert, published in January 2020 by fonderie.download.
