It was a Tuesday morning. An hour when the exhibition halls are silent and all eyes are focused. That day, the Palais des Beaux-Arts was buzzing with a different kind of energy: a swarm of children with brightly-coloured rucksacks took over the premises. We often talk about the elegance of Bozar’s walls and its architecture. But above all, a house is meant to be lived in. And on certain days, it resounds with the hesitant singing of a class rehearsing Cantania, a symphony orchestra that is no longer just a picture in a textbook but fills them with vibrations, a teenager from Le Petit Château asylum centre discovering a piece of artwork that speaks to him of his exile, and so on. These moments exist thanks to foundations that believe that art is not a privilege but a right. 

Education and participation at the heart of our mission

With the foundations, Bozar becomes a space for dialogue where we learn to look at the world differently, together. Thanks to their support, Bozar is able to welcome more than 25,000 young people each year on rich and varied educational projects. Take Cantania, for example. This choral project brings together hundreds of children from all over Belgium in a concert hall. Everyone sings, whatever their social background, level of education or accent. Or School Days, which are designed for vulnerable audiences or school groups, who are our guests of honour. 

Support that’s essential for culture to be accessible

This work would not be possible without the generosity and trust of our partners. Thanks to the support of the Candriam Institute for Sustainable Development, the Federal Holding and Investment Company (SFPIM), the Fondation privée Futur 21, the Fondation Jean-François Peterbroeck, the Société Royale de Philanthropie, the Fonds Le Compas and the Fondation Les Pen’s, both managed by the King Baudouin Foundation, Stichting van Well van der Snoek, as well as foundations that wish to remain anonymous, Bozar can open its doors to an ever wider and more diverse audience.

A partnership based on shared values

These collaborations are much more than sponsorship: they are the fruit of a shared vision of culture as a tool for emancipation, social cohesion and inclusion. They enable us to forge lasting links with schools, associations and neighbourhoods, and turn each visit into a moment of dialogue and discovery. That’s what an ‘arts centre’ is all about. Not a palace on a hill, but a home where everyone can find their place, be moved and take part. 

Thank you to all the foundations that make this possible.