Folk Festival Gooikoorts Faces Closure as Organizer Loses Flemish Subsidies

The future of the folk festival Gooikoorts is uncertain as its organizer, Muziekmozaïek, will lose all Flemish subsidies from next year.

“

We were prepared for fewer resources, but we are not prepared for absolutely no additional resources. Without them, we simply cannot survive.

Muziekmozaïek, the organization behind the annual folk festival and a traditional music workshop in Gooik, was informed last week that it will receive no funding from the Flemish government's allocation for amateur arts organizations until 2031. This decision comes as a shock to the organization, which has been operating for 45 years and previously received around 800,000 euros annually in Flemish subsidies.

Director Filip Verneert described the situation as "a bolt from the blue" and expressed profound devastation. "We were prepared for fewer resources, but we are not prepared for absolutely no additional resources. Without them, we simply cannot survive," Verneert stated. The timing of the announcement is particularly painful, coming just after the successful conclusion of the Gooikoorts festival weekend, where Verneert had assured attendees of the organization's continued operation.

“

It's really enough to make you cynical. Just before the very last concert at Gooikoorts, I took the floor and said that we would definitely continue. And a day later, you get that phone call, and you have to conclude that it will be over.

Verneert believes the Flemish government followed a negative recommendation from an assessment committee that, in his view, does not fully understand Muziekmozaïek's work. He feels the organization is being disproportionately affected compared to others receiving subsidies. Muziekmozaïek is now hoping for a meeting with the Minister of Culture, Caroline Gennez, to discuss the possibility of at least a transitional period, allowing them to close down their operations in a more orderly and humane manner.

“

I hope the minister is still willing to have discussions in the short term and see if at least some kind of transitional period can be provided, so that we can conclude this in a humane way.