Leuven, European Capital of Culture, is looking for a Dream Team of 30

The road to Leuven becoming European Capital of Culture has reached a new milestone with a successful second major meeting. The event not only brought together the cultural field in Leuven, but also representatives from other sectors and the region of East Brabant. Enthusiasm is growing and the road to a shared future full of radical connections is taking shape. To strengthen Leuven's candidacy, a call was launched for a Dream Team 2030.

That was the invitation that the three intendants of Leuven European Capital of Culture 2030 - Sarah Bekambo, Lore Baeyens and Stijn Devillé - launched on February 17 during an initial networking event with the Leuven cultural sector. More than 180 interested parties from the arts, heritage, associations and policy were inspired by their story. Over the past few months, various meetings have taken place with networks, organizations and sectors from Leuven as well as the East Brabant region. This has resulted in a great deal of valuable input.

Leuven European Capital of Culture 2030 brings together a diversity of people and organizations.

The second major meeting that took place yesterday brought more than 200 people together on the square in front of OPEK. Not only the cultural sector was present, but also the networks Leuven 2030, Samen Onderwijs Maken (SOM), Leuven Mindgate and numerous other players from various sectors. In addition, a large number of changemakers from the wider region of East Brabant joined in. They enthusiastically declared that they would accept the intendants' invitation to collaborate. Opportunities to meet are essential to break out of our bubbles and connect with each other.

KU Leuven also indicated that it wanted to support the Leuven European Capital of Culture 2030 project. Rector Luc Sels: “As a platform for debate, dialogue and knowledge exchange, we as a university want more than ever to make radical new connections with wider society and other actors. Leuven European Capital of Culture 2030 is a unique lever for the university to fully embrace its role in society and to work together within a broad coalition on the major social challenges of today and tomorrow. In 2025, we will celebrate the 600th anniversary of KU Leuven. The choices we make in this regard must contribute to the long-term ambition of making Leuven the cultural capital of Europe in 2030.”

Bert Cornillie, alderman for culture, emphasizes the role of culture and imagination in shaping a new perspective for the future: “As a driving force of the imagination, cultural experiences offer us different perspectives and possible worlds, which stimulates reflection and wonder, and contributes to a hopeful vision of the future. In this way, we are laying the foundation for social change in times of despair and sensory overload. In Leuven, we are not resting on our laurels: the ambition to become the European Capital of Culture in 2030 also challenges us to question ourselves and to improve where necessary.” ​

Intendants launch appeal for the Dream Team 2030

​The team of administrators called for action yesterday and asked those present to nominate 30 inspiring bridge builders for the Dream Team 2030, which will further strengthen Leuven's candidacy. The administrators are looking for 30 people who dare to dream the future with them and who want to help shape and realize these dreams. The dream team consists of individuals with a heart for Leuven and East Brabant who come from different domains or backgrounds, regardless of their age, gender, origin or place of residence. Not only Leuven residents, but also enthusiastic ambassadors from the region are part of it.

The members of the dream team are a source of inspiration for those around them, they want to tackle and change things and they have a creative, adventurous and critical mind. They will inspire people and help shape the process and the bid book, the official application for Leuven to become European Capital of Culture 2030, which may have to be submitted in the fall of 2024.

Nominations were open until August 25, 2023.