OPB: Free Cultural Events in Brussels
The OPB (Onthaal en Promotie Brussel) is an organisation promoting cultural activities offered by Dutch-speaking associations in Brussels. It supplies a range of free multi-lingual activities promoting integration between different language groups in Brussels.Brussels Legal spoke with Chantal Brems, Project Manager at the OPB, about its Brussels Open City programme of cultural activities for non-native speakers.
BL: As the OPB is an organisation promoting Dutch-speaking interests in Brussels, why does it organise multi-lingual, multi-cultural activities in Brussels?
CB: The project "Brussels Open City" is intended to acquaint the non-native speakers with the colourful and fascinating melting pot, called Brussels, and with the numerous initiatives that Dutch-speaking cultural associations organise.
Our partners in this project are different musea, guides associations, cultural institutions.
BL: So what are these activities in 2006?
CB: The programme for the first half of is:
Sunday 12/02/2006
14.00 - 15.30: Exhibition: the Trans-Siberian Express
A mythical train that has been criss-crossing Russia since the end of the 19th century. The 7-day journey begins in Moscow. It first travels to the Urals, then through the Siberian taiga and past Lake Baikel, to arrive via the Amur River in Vladivostok. The visitor takes the Trans-Siberian Railway, the ‘Rossia', for a real journey and disembarks in the most fascinating cities between Moscow and Vladivostok. This 9,289 km journey will not only be illustrated by objects never shown before, but also by music, literature and pictures.
16.00 - 18.00: 'Russian vestiges' walk
We trace Russian vestiges in Brussels, from the statue of Peter the Great in the Royal park, the Academiënpaleis (where William of Orange stayed with his Russian wife Anna Pavlovna) to the Spoormakersstraat, which was known as the street of the Russian writers.
Sunday 23 April: Heritage Day
10:00 - 13:00: Theme walk 'O! The chlorine. A dip in a Brussels pool.'
'A healthy spirit in a clean body. The Greeks knew it and the Romans even more so. In the thermae, the Romans had the dirt sweat out of them, were massaged and pampered, chatted and made love. In short, they left the rat race behind! Water was also not the only plaything in our 'stoven.' Until these bathhouses dried up out of anxiety for syphilis and Christian virtuousness. For the church, water was holy water. A good Christian stinks, and if not, there was always the Inquisition. Only a doctor's prescription would allow you to enter a bath, and then preferably with your shirt on. Delousing, disinfecting, a scrub with Sunlight,! in Les Bains-Douches with the sound and the smell of the tiled 'piscines'.
13:00 - 14:00: Exhibition 'Jump in'
Brussels has an unrivalled wealth of swimming pools. From the most magnificent art deco to the deepest swimming pool in Europe, from stylish baths to breathtaking slides, this interactive exhibition guarantees a playful exploration of the water of Brussels.
Saturday 10 June: Bruegel 06
9:30 - 13:00: From Bruegel to Marollen
This walk brings you in the Marollen, the Brussels neighbourhood at the foot of the Palace of Justice where Pieter Bruegel lived and worked for a time during the 16th century. 400 years later, a visit will take you to the Marollen neighbourhood past Bruegel's atelier in the Hoogstraat and his memorial stone in the Kapellekerk, but the stories from the neighbourhood in the meantime have taken on a social significance; through the kleine Marol and Sint-Pieter Hospital, the Cité Hellemans and the Flea Market, the Krakeel and Miniemen neighbourhoods, the Brigittinen and the Kapellekerk.
14:00 - 17:00: Double exhibition: Bruegel Imaginary and Bruegel Imprinted
Bruegel Imaginary presents true sized high quality reproductions of all the paintings of Bruegel. An imaginary museum emerges that provides a complete picture of Bruegel's artistic oeuvre. Bruegel drew a lot and many of these drawings have been preserved. They often depict different subjects than his paintings. Bruegel Imprinted brings together all Breugel's prints.
Tuesday 11 July: The Gulden Ontsporing
17:30 - 20:00: A walk past the various activities
Faithful to tradition we are offering non-native speaking residents of Brussels - on the occasion of The Gulden Ontsporing, the feast of the Flemish Community in Brussels - a walk with as theme Dutch language in the city and the presence of Flemish Cultural organisations. We will stop at the street theatre and enjoy the many musical offerings at numerous locations in the city centre.
20:00 - 23:30: Spectacle on the Market Square
The Gulden Ontsporing is festively concluded with a concert on the Market Square, with the best of the Belgian musicians ensuring fantastic ambiance!
BL: And all these activities are free?
CB: All the activities are free, but you have to book at least one week in advance.
BL: How can someone interested in OPB's events find out more information?
CB: Either send an email to Chantal.brems@opbrussel.be or telephone 02 227.18.18 to get more information.
To obtain the the Brussels Open City brochure (with more details about starting place, guides, associations) either telephone 0800 13 700 or write to:
OPB/Chantal Brems
Prinsenstraat 8
1000 Brussel
Author: Brussels Legal
Date: 29 January
Source: Brussels Legal/Archive/Social & Interests
