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Staycation BXL and Bruxelles en vacances

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Status

ongoing
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City

Brussels Capital Region

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Main actors

Local Government

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Project area

Inner City

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Duration

Ongoing since 2020

Holiday at Home

Staycation BXL and “Bruxelles en vacances” projects invite organisations, associations and community groups to develop and host activities in public spaces during the summer. The projects are intended to be both inclusive and participatory with the idea that the public space should be safe and healthy for everyone. 

For further information about the case study, click here.

Sustainable Development Goals

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Reduce inequality within and among countries
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
City
Brussels Capital Region, Belgium
Size and population development
The population of Brussels Capital Region was recorded as 1,191,604 in 2017. By 2030, the total population is expected to reach 1,309,264 people, corresponding to an increase of approximately 10% over this period.
Population composition
65% (777,465 people) of the Brussels Capital Region are of Belgian nationality. Due to the high number of European institutions and businesses located in Brussels, a large proportion, 23%, of the population are from other EU countries. 12% are from countries other than Belgium and the EU. The average age of the population is 37, in comparison with the European average of 42. Based on the World Migration Report of 2015, after Dubai, Brussels is the city with the highest percentage of residents from foreign origin. About 6 in 10 Brussels residents were born outside Belgium.
Main functions
The Brussels-Capital Region was formed in June 1989 and is part of both the French and Flemish communities of Belgium. It has bilingual status and is one of the three federal regions of Belgium along with Flanders and Wallonia. The Brussels Capital Region is the administrative centre for many international organisations, including the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the World Customs Organization and EUROCONTROL as well as a large number of international corporations.
Main industries / business
From 1995 to 2015, the Brussels Capital Region experienced economic growth of approximately 1.5% per year and accounts for nearly 9% of all exports from Belgium. Despite this, the unemployment rate in the Capital Region was recorded as 17% in 2017. The main industries operating in the Brussels Capital Region include electronics, chemicals, printing, publishing, clothing, telecommunications, aircraft construction, and the food industry. During the 2016-2022 period, the ‘other market services’ industry, including business services, is projected to make the largest contribution to economic growth in the Brussels Capital Region.
Sources for city budget
The National Government of Belgium and taxation revenue from the Brussels Capital Region.
Political structure
The Brussels Parliament is made up of 89 members, elected by universal suffrage every five years by Belgian adults registered in one of the communes of the Brussels-Capital Region. The regional deputies are split into two groups: 72 parliamentarians are elected from a list for French speakers and 17 from a list for Dutch speakers. The Parliament chooses the members of Government of the Brussels-Capital Region and the regional state secretaries from among the elected parliamentarians, who are then replaced by their substitutes on the electoral list. The Government of the Brussels-Capital Region is comprised of a Minister-President, 4 Ministers (2 French speakers and 2 Dutch speakers) and 3 Secretaries of State. The Government is elected every five years by the Brussels Parliament (the Council of the Brussels-Capital Region). The Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region represents the legislative branch of government that prepares, debates and votes on the laws. The members of the Government are responsible for matters defined by the regional competences.
Administrative structure
The policy of the Regional Government is implemented in a number of areas, particularly in economic and territorial matters by the Brussels Regional Public Service and the regional bodies. The Brussels-Capital Region is the competent authority in: Urban development (plans, planning permission, urban renewal, real estate policy, protection of monuments and sites) and housing; Environment, water and nature conservation; Economy (economic expansion, foreign trade) and Employment policy; Transport; Public works; Energy policy; Local authorities and subsidiary authorities; External relations; Scientific research. The Brussels-Capital Region is composed of 19 communes, including the City of Brussels. The communes manage matters relating to the daily life of citizens and the communal territory. They play an essential role in urban governance and are responsible for a range of services in diverse areas including water, energy, waste management and telecommunications.
Website
http://be.brussels/

The health crisis of Covid-19 highlighted the need to better share public space in the city and reserve a significant part of it for active modes, meeting space of leisure with the physical distances. In the summer of 2020, due to the limitation of travelling, Brussels Region launched a campaign to encourage associations to provide activities during the holidays and to use public space as a place to walk, play, meet and exchange about urban issues . 

In 2020 a first call for projects was launched to associations and organisations.

The applications were analysed according to the priorities of the regional mobility plan “Good Move”:

  • more space for living (including play) and meeting
  • more greenery in the city
  • more attention for active modes of transport

Initiatives addressed a wide range of youth, cultural, sports and leisure activities.

The lead agencies for the project are the Flemish Community Commission (FCC) and Brussels Mobility (Brussels Capital region). The FCC is responsible for cultural, educational and personal (welfare and health) matters but only for Flemish institutions.

In 2020, 179 projects were subsided with a budget of 1M € from the FCC and 46 projects with 500.000 € for Brussels Mobility (Brussels Capital Region).

In 2021, 120 projects were subsidised by the FCC with a budget of nearly 500.000 € and 49 projects by Brussel Mobility (Brussels Capital Region) with nearly 600.000 €.

In 2020, a small survey was conducted to evaluate the first edition of the programme. 

Some reflections from this survey are: 

  • Very positive feedback from residents, participants, organizers, etc.
  • Creation of links between neighbours
  • More spontaneous use of public space
  • Great opportunity to start discussions with residents on the improvement of public space and the neighbourhood
  • Identification of residents' needs and wishes in terms of development and the start of a conversation with the authorities
  • Opportunity to experiment with projects and improvements
  • Activities open to all (sometimes with a limited number to contain the spread of COVID-19)
  • Brussels capital region has developed a mobility vision plan, Good Move. The activities in the public spaces were also an opportunity to test some principles of the Good Move plan (Good neighbourhood) such as car free districts, speed limited zones, new and secure public spaces

Bruxelles en vacances is restarting in 2022. Please find the 2022 call here.

  • Uncertain context and complex sanitary conditions linked to COVID-19
  • Cumbersome administrative procedures (municipalities, police authorization)
  • Lack of coordination between the regional subsidy and communal authorizations
  • Heavy workload for volunteers, often lacking information and not experienced in project development
  • Very tight deadlines
  • Long delivery time for materials due to COVID-19
  • Weather conditions
  • Behaviour of motorists (inappropriate speed, unpleasant reactions)
  • Launch the call for projects early in the year in order to be better organised
  • Check back with sponsors before disbursing subsidies
  • Organize an evaluation process between project leaders so that they can exchange contacts, experiences and knowledge, and combine their efforts
  • Create a space for communication between public and field actors, even for this type of one-off initiative
  • Propose a list of artists or itinerant activities that can animate the public space

Evaluation of the project (PDF): Link

2022 Call for projects: Link

Etude de l’ADEME, l’Agence de la transition écologique sur les stratégies d’aménagements urbains temporaires des espaces publics en Europe, en Amérique du Sud et du Nord mis en place face à la crise sanitaire du COVID-19 Link

Categories

Europe Western Europe Children and young people Cultural vibrancy Mobility and transport Inclusion and equity Urban renewal Governance Health and wellbeing Tourism Citizen engagement

External links / documents

Link

2022 Call for projects ›

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Want to know more about this project?

Jade Kawan
Brussels Capital Region, Belgium

Jade Kawan

Individual | Mobilité advisor for Minister Elke Van den Brandt

More Contact

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