English:DeSingel (Q163052)

DE SINGEL is an arts center in Antwerp. It presents itself as an innovative, dynamic, and multifaceted arts center with international standing for music, theater, dance, and architecture. In a unique building and on a diverse arts site, DE SINGEL connects communities with artists and art practices from around the world. Building on a significant artistic heritage, DE SINGEL invites a broad audience to experience music, theater, dance, and architecture in all their diversity and to discover new, contemporary perspectives.

Thanks to its infrastructure, unparalleled operational capacity, and versatile artistic expertise, DE SINGEL is the only arts institution to simultaneously program concerts, theater, dance performances, and exhibitions on a scale unique in Flanders.

DE SINGEL distinguishes a top-down and a bottom-up approach to its participatory approach. Each season, the center collaborates with artists to create three participatory productions within the disciplines of theater, dance, and music. The participating artist initiates and assembles the group of participants. On the other hand, the "creative communities programmer" approaches various communities, often with unheard voices, asking them to come in and develop activities, regardless of formats, disciplines, or artistic output. In doing so, the programmer withdraws from the curation process and gives the communities space, taking a listening and facilitating role. DE SINGEL rarely uses liaisons, but instead speaks directly to the communities.