Artist Workspace Memorandum 2025-2030

A broad coalition of artist-run workspaces have drafted a letter addressed to Brussels’ elected officials and administrative bodies: the Artist Workspace Memorandum 2025–2030. It calls for policy for artist’ and art workers’ workspaces—studio collectives, dance studios, film labs, shared workshops, and so on. Such policy is virtually non-existent today. Press conference at LaVallee, Brussels
24/06/2025, 10-13h

After a long period of preparation (since November 2023) initiated by the Core Team of the Brussels Artist-Run Network and an important brainstorm meeting at Level Five in January 2025, there have been working sessions at SB34, MAX and Meyboom Artist-Run Spaces. Since, several working groups (writing, research, FR contacts, NL contacts, near future: follow-up for meetings with politicians and administrations) have been working on the document. It is sent out in June, in French and Dutch translation.

Download the final versions here, in 3 languages:

Why this matters
The economic and cultural value of space for the presentation of art is widely recognised, but that of working space is often overlooked. Since ‘space’ implies ‘real estate’, the value of the artist’s workspace is all too easily merely understood in financial terms. We believe that its true value is cultural and social and therefore it should not be left to the free market alone.

How this came together
Since November 2023, we’ve been working on this memorandum, initiated by the BARN Core Team of the Brussels Artist-Run Network. After an intensive brainstorm in January 2025 at Level Five, we had follow-up work sessions at SB34, MAX, and Meyboom Artist-Run Spaces. Several working groups then took the project forward—focusing on writing, research, Dutch- and French-speaking outreach, and soon, follow-up with politicians and administrations.

The result is a memorandum in three languages (Dutch, French, and English). In parallel, we are developing a more detailed Policy Support Document that expands on the memorandum with data, research, case studies, examples (both good and bad), and field-based insights. A preliminary list of supporters can be found here: https://cloud.brusselsartistrun.net/s/HsMi6ejP3dbXQTe

Are you connected to a workspace that’s not supporting yet, and you want to? Or you know one that you think may be interested? Let us know!

 

24 June: Press conference at LaVallée

With:

Date & time: Tuesday 24 June, 10-13h

Location: LaVallee
Rue Adolphe Lavalléestraat 39
1080 Brussels

Language of the press conference: for practical reasons, we will speak in English. Dutch and French live-interpretations and explanations can always be arranged. The Memorandum will appear in Dutch, French and English.