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EUROPALIA 2023

EUROPALIA 2023 - This autumn, Europalia dedicates an arts festival to Georgia! The starting point for this edition is the country’s fascinating culture and the art scene of its bustling capital, Tbilisi, alongside that of lesser-known cities and regions. Starting 4 October 2023, visitors can enjoy a rich programme of exhibitions, performances, concerts, film, dance and theatre productions and literature across Belgium. Europalia, as a major international art festival, was founded in 1969, initially the goal of the festival was to bring the art and culture of European countries to Belgium, the heart of Europe. Europalia is an immensely important festival from a cultural point of view, as it promotes intercultural and intergenerational exchanges, as well as research, reflection and creativity. Festival is held once every two years to celebrate the cultural heritage of one of the invited countries. The festival’s opening exhibition was, The Avant-Garde in Georgia (1900-1936) at Bozar (Brussels). In the 1910s and 1920s, an artistic scene blossomed in Georgia, centered on taverns and cafes opened and decorated by artists from different backgrounds. These artists blended Georgian traditions with elements from the East and West in a unique art that fell into oblivion due to the repression and censorship of the Soviet regime. The exhibition brings together paintings, drawings, film, photography, poetry and costume and theater designs from this artistic laboratory and gives a voice to these artists, many of whom were persecuted during the Soviet era. Duration of the exhibition: 04.10.2023 – 14.01.2024 Music credits: Anthem of the European Union, Revaz Lagidze “Kuri ugde Sakartvelos” Host of the exhibition: BOZAR, Brussels