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Brussels Governance Monitor

Culture: Kanal saved, but FWB cuts EUR 12.9M, La Centrale closed, FAME cancelled

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Kanal saved (EUR 60M), but the FWB cuts EUR 12.9M in culture, the City of Brussels reduces its budget by 19.6%, La Centrale is closed and the FAME festival cancelled. 168 cultural actors (RAB/BKO) demand guarantees.

Unblocked mechanisms — awaiting implementation

These mechanisms were frozen during the caretaker government period (June 2024 – February 2026). The government sworn in on 14 February 2026 can now reactivate them.

  • Regional cultural subsidies

    Regional cultural subsidy budgets were frozen: no new funding could be granted. The new government can now unlock these, but the systematic review of discretionary subsidies may reduce their scope.

  • Regional co-funding of festivals

    Regional co-funding agreements for major Brussels festivals could not be renewed or adapted during the caretaker period. Community funding (FWB, Flemish Community) continued throughout. These agreements can now be renegotiated.

  • Community centre budgets

    Allocations to regional cultural and community centres could not be increased or redirected. These budgets can now be adjusted by the new government.

  • New cultural accreditations

    No new regional accreditation could be issued to cultural structures during the caretaker period. On the FWB side, a moratorium on new recognitions remains in force until 2028.

What continues

  • Multi-year community subsidies

    The French (FWB) and Flemish Communities continue to exercise their cultural competences. Multi-year programme contracts are maintained, but without indexation, causing progressive erosion of real funding.

  • Ongoing regional structural funding

    Regional structural subsidies committed before June 2024 continue to be disbursed to beneficiary cultural institutions.

  • Autonomous programming

    Cultural institutions with their own reserves or community funding continue to programme their seasons independently.

Impact indicators

~300

Subsidised cultural institutions in BCR

French Community Commission (COCOF)

~15,000

Cultural jobs in Brussels

IBSA / Statbel

~EUR 120M

Regional cultural budget (2024)

Brussels-Capital Region, 2024 budget

70,000

CCI jobs (cultural and creative industries)

hub.brussels (CCI study 2023)

EUR 13bn

Total CCI turnover Brussels

hub.brussels (CCI study 2023)

~30

Independent bookstores in Brussels

RTBF / SLFB

Coalition Agreement: Announced Commitments

According to concordant press sources, the agreement of 12 February 2026 announces measures for the cultural sector:

  • Kanal saved: EUR 60 million regional contribution for the opening of the contemporary art museum (former Citroen garage, 40,000 m²). Opening scheduled for 28 November 2026 after 9 years of construction. Total project cost: EUR 230 million (regional investment: EUR 185M, 95% disbursed). Annual operating budget: EUR 30 million (degressive, with a requirement to seek own revenue). Centre Pompidou partnership: EUR 12.5M until 2031. First exhibition: "A truly immense journey" (350+ works, Nov 2026 → Jan 2028)
  • Review of discretionary subsidies: all regional subsidy envelopes will be re-examined as part of the EUR 1.2 billion fiscal consolidation effort

Point of attention: the rescue of Kanal (EUR 60M) is a major investment, but the systematic review of discretionary subsidies could affect other regional cultural institutions. The details of the overall cultural arbitration are not yet known.

Converging budgetary pressures (February 2026)

The Brussels cultural sector faces simultaneous cuts at three levels of government:

Federation Wallonia-Brussels

The FWB 2026 budget, adopted in late February, provides for EUR 255 million in total savings, including EUR 12.9 million in cuts to the cultural sector (approximately 4% of a cultural budget of EUR 320M+). Concrete measures:

  • Non-indexation of cultural subsidies in 2026 (estimated saving: EUR 3.8 million)
  • Moratorium on new recognitions and accreditations until 2028 (cultural centres, public libraries, visual arts, continuing education). Estimated non-spending: ~EUR 10M in 2026, ~EUR 15M in 2029
  • Cumulative FWB savings reach EUR 500 million over 4 years (2026-2029)

Source: RTBF, "le budget 2026 de la FWB definitivement adopte", February 2026; FEAS, "commissions culture et budget", February 2026.

City of Brussels

The City of Brussels reduced its cultural budget by 19.6% between 2024 and 2026. Concrete consequences:

  • La Centrale (contemporary art centre, 1,000 m²): permanently closed on 23 February 2026 after 20 years of operation. 6 of 20 employees made redundant. The building is expected to "retain a cultural use" (undefined)
  • FAME Festival (multidisciplinary feminist festival, founded 2021): funding completely withdrawn in February 2026, after 4 months of work on the 2026 edition
  • Reduction in subsidies to the Theatre Royal du Parc and the KVS

Source: RTBF, "La Centrale ferme ses portes", 22 Feb 2026; L'Avenir, "le festival FAME disparait", 19 Feb 2026.

Alarm from the sector

RAB/BKO (Brussels Arts Network, 168 cultural actors) launched a public appeal for financial guarantees for 2026, denouncing an "unbearable uncertainty". Organisations have laid off staff, imposed part-time work or ceased their activities.

The Zinneke Parade 2026 (14th edition, 30 May 2026, theme "Dream") remains in financial uncertainty. The regional subsidy was reduced from EUR 391,000 to EUR 360,000 (35% of total budget). The number of Zinnodes has dropped from 20 to 13 due to insufficient funding. The Brussels Parliament adopted a resolution in December 2025 calling for financial guarantees, but as of 2 March 2026, no confirmation of structural funding has been provided by the new government.

Source: L'Avenir, "Zinneke menacee", Oct 2025; BX1, "le Parlement veut lever l'incertitude", Dec 2025.

Dutch-speaking cultural policy (VGC)

Alongside the French-speaking policies (FWB, COCOF), the VGC (Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie / Flemish Community Commission) manages a structured Dutch-speaking cultural network in Brussels:

  • 22 community centres (gemeenschapscentra, N22 network) — local venues for Dutch-speaking culture, youth and coexistence, spread across the 19 municipalities. The VGC is the governing authority ("inrichtende overheid")
  • 19 local libraries — one per municipality, supported by the VGC in content, management, funding and digital services
  • Muntpunt — central Dutch-speaking cultural institution, located near the Grand-Place
  • 18 municipal services for Dutch-speaking culture

The VGC offers arts subsidies to organisations and individual artists in Brussels: operating subsidies (annual or three-year), project subsidies, trajectory subsidies and debut subsidies (maximum EUR 3,000 for first-time artists). Cultural policy is led by college member Ans Persoons (Vooruit).

The Paspartoe programme (leisure pass) facilitates access to culture for disadvantaged groups, in collaboration with community centres and libraries.

Source: VGC, "Lokaal cultuurbeleid", accessed 1 March 2026.

Inherited context (June 2024 – February 2026)

Regional cultural subsidies, festival co-financing and cultural centre budgets were frozen. Around 300 subsidised institutions and 15,000 cultural jobs affected, with additional FWB cuts (−9.12M EUR).

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