RADIO ETOILE

How much has the world changed since 1977? The demand for a new political 'account' to replace the neo-liberal 'accounting' is growing ever louder. The search for for a star to show us a new way is growing ever more urgent. RADIO ETOILE questions the power of artists and cultural centres in our current circumstances. Can they or should they lead the way? We've invited artists, thinkers, lecturers and journalists to reflect on this question in seven one-hour sessions.

TUESDAY 3/10

18:00 > 19:00
Jan Ritsema & Elke Van Campenhout (mod. Guy Gypens)
On Art Institutions between the State and the Market

What should the arts institution of the future look like? The half-empty house that the nation state has become no longer offers a workable structure for the civic heritage of many arts institutions. The tempest that currently besets turn-of-the-century, neo-liberal capitalism is also putting pressure on the market-orientation of these institutions themselves. What are the options between the state and the market? And what does an arts institution ‘that matters’ actually look like?

19:00 > 20:00
Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker & Charlotte De Somviele (mod. Wannes Gyselinck)
On Intergenerational Aspects of Dance

It started with an extremely talented generation in the 1980s. And today, Brussels has become one of the leading dance capitals of the world. How does the current generation of young dancers experience the conditions that the older generation fought for? What and how do different generations learn from one another?

WEDNESDAY 4/10

18:00 > 19:00
Myriam Sahraoui & Simon Allemeersch (mod. Guy Gypens)
On Participative Artistic Practice

How do you join a debate in a society in which ‘difference’ and ‘being different’ are increasingly explicit realities? Participative artistic practice is a form of artistic research in which artists and citizens explore the best form to enable alternative voices to be expressed and to facilitate this shared conversation. The artistic work serves as an engine for a broader process than only the creation of an end product.

19:00 > 20:00
Luk Lambrecht & Katleen Van Langendonck (mod. Pieter T’Jonck)
Performance Art in the Twilight Zone between the Visual and Performing Arts: a Thorn in the Side or a Crowd-puller?

Theatres invite visual artists. Live art is becoming increasingly prevalent in our museums, galleries, and art biennials. Although this can be a fascinating exercise – unravelling the codes of both the artwork and the audience as an institution – it appears to be falling victim to marketization now that artists are increasingly creating both a museum and a stage version of their work. Was Vito Acconci tight when he said that ‘performance art’ can only be transient? What is the future of this art form, which is fragile by its very nature?

THURSDAY 5/10

17:00 > 18:00
Tim Etchells & Pieter De Buysser (mod. Esther Severi)
On the Power(lessness) of the Word

All we have is words, all we have is worlds.
This sentence hangs above the entrance of Kaaitheater in neon letters. It is a quote and an artwork by Tim Etchells. What is the place of the word, the text, and the story today? Does the word that attempts to convey complexity still have any power against the simplistic and populist word? And can words compete in any case with the power of images?

18:00 > 19:00
Richard Schechner & Michiel Vandevelde (mod. Kristof Van Baarle)
On Revolutionary Theatre

In May 2018, Michiel Vandevelde is creating a new version of the legendary Paradise Now by The Living Theater, with younger people aged between 12 and 18 (together with fABULEUS). Richard Schechner saw the production in 1968. What is the situation today for theatre that aims to unleash a revolution and explores new forms of togetherness? Are the artistic strategies of the 1960s still relevant or useful? What are the similarities and differences between critiques of the system in 1968 and those of the early 21^st century?

FRIDAY 6/10

18:00 > 19:00
Guy Gypens & Lara Staal (mod. Erwin Jans)
On the Re-politicization of the Arts

In RE:THINK , RE:MAKE, and RE:RITE, Kaaitheater wove a political-philosophical leitmotif through three consecutive seasons. As a cultural centre, we organize lectures and productions to question the profound de-politicization of society. Growing numbers of artists resist the mantra ‘There is no alternative!’ and actually explore alternatives through their artistic practice. How does their commitment and engagement effect the autonomy of the arts? And what position should a subsidized arts institution adopt?