Flanders

Dutch cultural institutions frequently work closely with their Flemish partners.

The common language attributes to this close bond. Cooperation and cultural exchange is especially common between the Netherlands and Flanders when it comes to art forms based on language, such as literature, film and theatre. Geographical proximity and a shared history add to this mutual orientation across almost all sectors.

In 1980 the Netherlands and Flanders signed the Verdrag inzake de Nederlandse Taalunie (Treaty concerning the Dutch Language Union). Cultural collaboration was underpinned in 1985 by the signing a cultural treaty between the Netherlands and Flanders. In 2004 the Flemish and Dutch governments supported the establishment of the Flemish-Dutch cultural centre deBuren, in Brussels. The Flemish government opened a Flemish arts centre in Amsterdam in 1981, called de Brakke Grond.

Flanders and the Netherlands regularly team up, both inside and outside of Europe. 2015 is a special year as this special, cultural relationship is celebrated with a cultural year called BesteBuren (Dear Neighbour). This programme is especially relevant in the run up to 2016, when Flanders and the Netherlands are jointly hosting the Frankfurter Buchmesse (the annual Frankfurt Book Fair).

BesteBuren is hosted and organised by DutchCulture with deBuren in Brussels. The year runs from February 2015 to February 2016 and is an opportunity to celebrate Dutch-Flemish creativity and cultural cooperation. BesteBuren includes a series of cultural activities and partnerships across the arts and beyond.

BesteBuren is a growing cultural movement where the emphasis is on participation: everyone is invited to take part and to organise activities themselves. The list of Dutch Flemish cultural activities is growing every day. Find out more on www.besteburen.eu