Statues, street names and monuments across Flanders and Brussels were draped with protest signs, black balloons and mourning bands Thursday night as the heritage sector protested against planned cuts of €47 million to heritage and culture.
Small groups went out after nightfall to attach the materials. The protest signs carried QR codes linking to a webpage with a countdown timer.
When the timer expires at 11:00 on Friday, visitors will be redirected to the website of the #LaatHetLichtAan campaign. There they can send an email to the office of Flemish Culture Minister Caroline Gennez and download a campaign poster.
The action was organised by a committee representing several organisations in the sector, which said it wanted to show what is at stake. It argued that heritage connects the past with the present and the future, and includes not only monuments and street names but also stories preserved in museums, libraries and archives.
According to the committee, those collections also give space to the histories of people with roots outside Belgium and of groups that have often had little voice, including anti-poverty organisations and the LGBTQIA+ community. “Without heritage, there is no historical conscience and therefore no democracy,” it said.
The committee warned that the work of heritage organisations is under pressure, despite relying on expertise, co-operation, and trust built up over many years. It said cuts to the people and organisations caring for heritage risk leaving society without a compass for the future.
The overnight protest follows earlier actions in the sector, including open letters, opinion pieces and demonstrations. Since 1 October, many heritage organisations, archives and museums have been flying black flags.
The sector is calling on the Flemish government to reconsider the planned cuts, offer a future to the organisations affected and continue investing in a strong, sustainable culture and heritage sector.
