Brussels Sculpture Fest Faces Backlash, Future Uncertain After Artist Payment Disputes
The Brussels Sculpture Festival, a burgeoning international art event held in the Gare Maritime complex, is facing a crisis following accusations of financial mismanagement and communication breakdowns.
The festival, which debuted in February 2023 and hosted its second iteration from January to March 2024, showcased works from 38 international artists.
However, trouble emerged when artists claimed they were not paid for their exhibits or for transportation costs.
“The transport costs of the sculptures to be brought to Brussels would be paid by the Brussels Sculpture Festival vzw," German artist Willie Reiche told Bruzz, a local news outlet. "But the group is now not keeping the promises they made."
According to Reiche and other anonymous artists, repeated attempts to contact organizer Äke Verstraelen proved futile.
"We asked several times for a mediation meeting in Brussels," Reiche said, "but the organizer Äke Verstraelen did not agree. He said he didn’t have the financial resources, and after that we didn’t hear from him for six months."
Adding to the growing frustration, an anonymous artist shared their experience:
"I sent many emails to the organizer, but I didn’t get a response. "I lost 3,000 euros, maybe even more, but I don’t have much proof. He strategically chose not to respond to my emails."
The festival, which received initial funding from the National Lottery with an eye towards a third edition, now faces financial restrictions.
Spokesperson Lis Mispoulier confirmed, "The National Lottery has not yet made any payment. Since no verification documents were provided by the group, the support was not paid."
Facing mounting pressure from artists and partners, the festival finally acknowledged the situation in a September 1 email. They aacknowledged their financial struggles and apologized while claiming to be actively seeking solutions.
However, this belated response has not quelled the anger and distrust among those involved.
The festival’s future remains murky. Location provider Thurn & Taxis stated they would no longer welcome the event at Gare Maritime.
"If the festival is revived, it will definitely have to look for a new location," Jean Vandamme, Sales and Hospitality Manager at Thurn & Taxis, told The Brussels Times.
With questionable financial practices and poor communication, many fear the Brussels Sculpture Festival, a promising initiative meant to showcase international talent, may be on the brink of collapse. The National Lottery is currently investigating the situation to determine the next steps.
For now, artists and partners are left wondering if they will ever receive the promised payments, while art enthusiasts wait to see if the festival will return for a third edition.
2024-11-30 06:04:00
#Unpaid #invoices #negligent #agency #Sculptura #longer #Thurn #Taxis
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