Supported projects

AMSTERDAM/BRUSSELS - The Dutch Language Union is unique in the world; nowhere else do two countries cooperate so closely in a policy area. They have been doing so since 1980, when the Netherlands and Belgium concluded the Language Union Treaty. In it they solemnly declared their joint commitment to spread the Dutch language throughout the world.

BRUSSELS - An immense art theft occured during World War II. The Nazis dragged art from occupied countries to Germany and set up ambitious collections. For Belgium, that story has not yet been told. How could paintings of Memling, Van der Weyden, Brueghel, Jordaens and Cranach so easily leave the country? The Nazis emptied homes, stole art, forced owners to sell and spent millions of Reichsmarks on the art market.

BRUSSELS - Joy and intimacy between family members and friends was an obvious thing before the corona crisis, but became a scarce commodity during it. Journalist Arkasha Keysers and photographer Aurélie Geurts captured the coming together of family and friends as soon as it was allowed again.

MADRID - In 2010, VRT correspondent Sven Tuytens moved from Brussels to Madrid. Based on his experiences, he tries to lay bare a piece of Spain's soul.

ANTWERPEN - The corona virus has been raging through Europe for weeks. The cultural sector is locked up and the creators at home, for the time being without any perspective. Seven artists manage to draw resilience from stagnation and show that they can quickly switch to an alternative frame of mind like no other.
During the lockdowns, a fundamental question becomes increasingly clear: what choices does society make in a crisis situation and what place does culture have in it?

YEREVAN - Kubra was born and raised in Belgium. However, her family is Turkish, at least, that's what they thought, because she was brought up as a Belgian Turk: with Turkish customs and the Islamic faith. Internal doubts lead her to have a DNA test taken in 2017 to see if she actually has Turkish roots. The test showed that she is not Turkish but Armenian. After further investigation, it appeared that this was due to the genocide around 1916.

ANTWERP - Thanks to more than 450 volunteers the cultural center called De Roma keeps going. Why do they put their heart and soul into this theater in Borgerhout near Antwerp? Television maker Lies Van der Auwera tried to find the answer. 

GABORONE - In the series "The Flemish story behind heritage in southern Africa", Margot Cassiers investigates what was achieved with the Flemish Community's long-term investment in intangible cultural heritage in southern Africa. "Why should I learn about Aristotle, not about my grandfather?"

BRUSSELS - The 'Black Neighbourhoods' project is a result of the writing residence of the Flemish-Dutch organisation deBuren. While the authors were walking through Paris, they were both attracted to Château Rouge, an African neighbourhood immediately behind Montmartre. The positive sides but also the struggles of the neighborhood with gentrification and crime, reminded them of that other African neighbourhood, much closer to home: Matonge in Brussels. That was the start of a long search for the history, identity and future of black neighbourhoods in Europe.

IRAN - The Iranians are caught between two fires today. On the one hand they suffer the American sanctions, on the other hand there are many domestic issues to overcome. During the "Nowruz" period, we investigated this stifling position with various teams across Iran. The story about Nowruz transcends borders and identities.