Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels

Exterior of the Centre for Fine Arts building (BOZAR) in Brussels

The Centre for Fine Arts (French: Palais des Beaux-Arts, Dutch: Paleis voor Schone Kunsten) is a cultural venue in Brussels, Belgium. Often referred to as "BOZAR" (a homophone of "Beaux-arts") or "PSK", the building was completed in 1929 at the instigation of Henry Le Bœuf (1874–1935) and includes exhibition and conference rooms, a cinema and a concert hall, which serves as home to the National Orchestra of Belgium.

History

Following the First World War, the Belgian Parliament initially denied funding for the plans by Belgian Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta[1] (1861–1947). With the founding of the Société du Palais des Beaux-Arts in 1922, the project was revived with several restrictions: the city supplied a very irregular area on the slope between the higher and the lower part of the city; the main facade had to house shopping facilities; and the height of the building was restricted so as not to compromise the King's view of Brussels' skyline from the Royal Palace.

Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels

It took more than a decade to complete the complex, which contains a large concert hall, a recital room, a chamber music room, lecture rooms, and a vast gallery for temporary exhibitions. He managed to put together this array of different functions on a rather small building plot with restricted conditions using more than 8 building levels with a large part situated underground.

Since 2002, the Belgian federal intuition has chosen the brand name BOZAR, which has eight artistic departments: BOZAR Expo, BOZAR Music, BOZAR Cinema, BOZAR Dance, BOZAR Theatre, BOZAR Literature, BOZAR Studios and BOZAR Architecture. BOZAR is home to the National Orchestra of Belgium, the Société Philharmonique/Philharmonische Vereniging, which invites the world's major orchestras and performers to appear at Le Boeuf Hall. The finals of the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition are also held there. Up to 10 exhibitions a year are organised at BOZAR, and have included Jeff Wall, Luc Tuymans, Frida Kahlo, Lucas Cranach, Gilbert and George, Wim Delvoye, Venetian and Flemish Masters, and "It's not only rock'n'roll Baby".

Directors

Facilities

  • Henry Le Bœuf Hall, with seating capacity for 2,200
  • Chamber Music Room, with seating capacity for 476
  • Victor Horta Hall (Great Sculpture Hall)
  • Studio Recital Hall, with seating capacity for 210
  • Salle Terarken, a multi-purpose hall
  • Exhibition rooms

References

  1. ↑ Background on Horta, on bozar.be (in English)
  2. ↑ "Paul Dujardin to remain Head of Bozar". 8 Feb 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-03-30.

Coordinates: 50°50′37″N 4°21′35″E / 50.843712°N 4.359818°E / 50.843712; 4.359818

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