Several thousand people gathered on Wednesday afternoon on the Mont des Arts in Brussels for a national action by the cultural sector against the austerity policies pursued by the Federal Government.
From 2pm onwards, the crowd alternated between speeches, songs, artistic performances and union statements, in an atmosphere that was both combative and festive, to the rhythm of slogans such as ‘Culture = solidarity’ and ‘Stop Arizona’.
Artists, technicians, socio-cultural workers and supportive citizens were present in large numbers.
Several trade unions and cultural federations were behind this mobilisation, denouncing a series of measures that are weakening the entire sector.
The organisers highlighted the loss of pension rights for artists benefiting from the artistic work scheme, the increased flexibility of the labour market and the reduction in funding for major federal institutions, including Bozar.
The savings announced in Flanders, amounting to tens of millions of euros, as well as the first signs of budget cuts in Brussels, were also strongly criticised.
A protest action of the cultural sector, during a general strike to denounce the consequences of federal government measures, on Wednesday 26 November 2025 in Brussels. Credit: Belga / Marius Burgelman
On stage, representatives of the NICC, State of the Arts, the CNE, and several cultural organisations pointed out that precariousness already affects workers in the sector on a massive scale.
Between speeches, musicians and performers took to the stage to illustrate the concerns expressed in the speeches.
The gathering was joined by a ‘Grévibus’ organised by feminist collectives from several sectors, including education, early childhood and culture.
The organisers thus sought to highlight the central but often invisible role of cultural work in society and to draw attention to the social consequences of austerity policies.
This mobilisation was part of a day marked by countless actions across the country.
