Feed the Culture, a unique Belgian NGO, collects surplus food from supermarkets and restaurants to support struggling artists and cultural workers. Since its launch in June 2020, the organisation has provided weekly food aid at Rogierplein, helping around 140 to 150 creatives every weekend. However, as of 2025-06-03 11:00:00, the future of this vital service is uncertain due to funding issues.
- Collects surplus food for struggling cultural workers
- Supports about 140-150 artists weekly since 2020
- Subsidies cut due to budget constraints, claims vzw
- Minister denies subsidy cancellation, cites application issue
- Vzw hesitates to reapply without funding guarantee
- Urgently needs €30,000 or must cease operations
Subsidies from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation’s cultural budget were unexpectedly cut, leaving Feed the Culture without financial support. The NGO’s coordinator, Duclaud-Lacoste, revealed that the Franstalige minister of Culture, Élisabeth Degryse, confirmed no funds remain due to budget constraints and the absence of a legal basis for the subsidy. Could this decision leave thousands of Brussels artists without essential aid?
With no alternative funding and a complex online application process, Feed the Culture faces a potential shutdown unless €30,000 is urgently secured. What does this mean for the cultural sector’s most vulnerable members who rely on this food support every week?
The situation raises key questions about support for the cultural sector in Belgium. How can artists survive without basic aid? And will government bodies adapt funding frameworks to meet urgent needs? Key points include:
- Feed the Culture is the only NGO dedicated to supporting the cultural sector with food aid.
- Subsidies were cut without prior warning, citing budgetary and legal issues.
- The NGO did not submit a formal online subsidy application due to early indications funds would be unavailable.
- Urgent funding of approximately €30,000 is needed to continue operations and avoid disrupting support for 8,000 artists since 2020.
Looking ahead, it is crucial for policymakers and the community to find swift solutions to sustain Feed the Culture’s work. Will the government reconsider its stance, or will new funding channels emerge? The survival of many Brussels artists depends on immediate action and clear communication from cultural authorities.
