Fostering equality and young people involvement through cultural activities

The Participation Decree (Participatiedecreet)

In 2008 the Participation Decree (Participatiedecreet) came into force. This decree aimed to support, enrich and strengthen participation in culture, youth and sport policy. The Participation Decree was a combination of structural and project support, initiatives aimed at broadening audience participation, and measures for specific groups of events, both existing and new, as well as subsidies for public and private initiatives. 

All of these measures were based on two central pillars:

• The decree aimed to be a lever for more community building and more opportunities for the general public to experience culture, youth work, and sports.
• The decree aimed to support disadvantaged groups through a number of specific actions and the development of innovative projects that focus on these groups. 

Unlike most other decrees, the Decree did not regulate a specific sector or a targeted and delineated form of support but it supported what was developed within sectors of culture, youth work and sports and stimulated ideas and enables new methods or collaborations. Based on this participation decree, The Flemish Government subsidized annual participatory projects that help group groups on their way to the cultural, youth or sports offer or valorises initiatives based on groups of people. Some examples of projects that received grants:

• Urban Words Youth radio: program for young people from disadvantaged groups linked to Urban Words (Urban Woorden). The project aims at young people with a migration background or in poverty with an interest in urban arts, radio (or media), public debate or the activities of Urban Words. Young people receive training, feedback sessions, and create programs and debates about self-chosen themes.
• Bric a Brac (a project of Rest for the Wicked): With BRIC A BRAC, Rest for the Wicked wants to set up a process on vulnerability, failure and resilience. The project starts from the experience and expertise of people in poverty and young people with a diverse ethnic-cultural background to draw a number of lessons for artistic and cultural projects . This is used to initiate new participatory trajectories that thematize the interaction between art / culture professionals on the one hand and their target group on the other. 
• JoCult Light (project of De Wissel, MFC Combo, Artforum and Barranja): Project to give disadvantaged groups in youth care (12 - 21 years) opportunities to participate in culture. Based on the first successful experiments, the organisers work with the young people towards a sustainable broad platform for youth care and the cultural sector. 

Based on the participation decree, the Flemish Government currently also subsidizes two transversal participation institutions. Both are non-profit associations that work on increasing and broadening participation and renewing and deepening the participation of disadvantaged groups:

• Publiq aims to stimulate and facilitate participation through communication, marketing and information services. The association focuses mainly on the public-oriented active exploitation of a cross-sectoral database on leisure activities - with an emphasis on the sectors of culture, youth work and sport. In addition, publiq is commissioned to roll out the Flemish leisure pass (UiTPAS) across Flanders. People in poverty receive discreetly a social rate on UiTPAS activities (for more information, see section 8.4).

Dēmos is a non-partisan public research and advocacy organization which focuses on social and policy developments in culture, youth work and sports. They focus mainly on groups and practices that are under-represented and underexposed in our society. 

In the context of a reorientation of the participation policy, various subsidy lines from the Participation Decree are being transferred to other legislative frameworks. This gives rise to a cancellation of the Participation Decree (the Flemish Government gave its final approval to the draft decree that regulates these adjustments on 12 January 2024). The participation institution's assignments for the renewal and deepening of the participation of disadvantaged groups (today awarded to Demos) will be transferred to publiq.

Combating discrimination and poverty through cultural activities

Experimental projects focus on new developments and needs that live in the youth sector and more generally in youth. They are innovative in terms of methodology or content, for example startups of youth work through new methods or attracting new audiences.

In 2024, 21 experimental projects were subsidized. These projects focus on new developments and needs that live in youth. They are innovative in terms of methodology or content Most of these projects focus on children and young people with disabilities or living in a vulnerable situation. Several make use of creative methods and cultural activities. Some examples:

• Nour (project Youth Co-Creative Space): Youth Co-Creative Space is a project that focuses on young people in vulnerable situations between the ages of 14 and 21, with the aim of experimenting with their talents, interests and skills in a safe youthful climate. Nour wants to stimulate their creative and digital artistic skills in an accessible way. 
• STORMKOP (project VL(o)OT): VL(o)OT started as a vegetable garden operation during the corona crisis and offered solidarity to OKAN young people in Antwerp. The initiative resulted in various experiments, such as summer internships and cultural internships. The goal is to expand the project in 2024 with a giveaway shop, youth restaurant and café, workshop and participation of young people in the artistic program. 
• Muzass: During the inclusive holiday camps of Muzass, children and young people with and without disabilities can meet each other during various musical and creative activities. Participants discover non-verbal means to express themselves when words fail.
• Scum Studios (project Through a different lens): This project offers young newcomers workshops in photography, storytelling and self-expression, aimed at both artistic and personal growth. Throughout the project, the young people work towards an exhibition where they can share their own story in images. Furthermore, the young people will work intensively together in part of the project with students from higher education photography. The project lays a foundation for expansion to other disciplines with a view to a sustainable, positive impact on integration, social cohesion and development of young refugees.
• FAMEUS (project GEN-ZIE): With GEN-ZIE, Fameus, together with a steering group of 20 young people, organizes an inclusive art project where young people can develop and demonstrate their artistic practices in a safe environment. We work together with a broad network of partners within culture, education and welfare. GEN-ZIE focuses on the development of the artistic, organizational and social skills of young people in vulnerable situations.