musikaa

made in.by molenbeek

Musikaa is Klarafestival’s annual event in Molenbeek. Together with Bozar, the municipality of Molenbeek and numerous Molenbeek cultural partners, we link up with the inhabitants of Brussels and their environment. We organise one big music festival where get-togethers are central. With those from outside Molenbeek, who wish to get to know this Brussels district better, and between the people of Molenbeek themselves. The goal: a long-lasting and inclusive project that is mutually inspiring.    

Why Molenbeek? Molenbeek is a shining example of a diverse and cosmopolitan community brimming with creative talent. The many successful projects of the cultural partners who put their combined weight behind Musikaa demonstrate this. The community was for a time cast in a poor light, but these numerous creative projects show its resilience. Klarafestival wishes to contribute to this positive image of Sint-Jans-Molenbeek as a neighbourhood, as a community and as part of Brussels.  

Work-in-progress. Musikaa was launched in 2020 by Klarafestival and Bozar, in collaboration with Culture in Molenbeek, Foyer, LaVallée, Vaartkapoen, MetX and House of Cultures and Social Cohesion. Singing Molenbeek, ReMua and Q-O2 have since become project partners. All these players are involved in long-term projects, in which co-creation and interaction are paramount. Partners challenge one another to develop new projects to which Molenbeek artists bring a sparkle, and forge alliances between Molenbeek artists and organisations and (professional) Brussels, Belgian and international artists. The projects originate in ideas from partners and artists and/or open calls for artists. Key concepts are fellowship, inclusion and social relevance. Knowledge partner Demos supports the organisers and participating partners in their learning process. All partners involved thus reflect on themselves, the role and the impact of music on society. The following programmes are now up and running within the Musikaa framework:

• De Vaartkapoen is working on a long-term project with Molenbeek expert and musician Fatoum, on the depth and breadth of the Izran tradition: sung poetry from the Moroccan Rif;

• Halfmoon vzw and MetX vzw are together focusing for the coming years on Chaabi Habibi, in which Laïla Amezian wishes to highlight the role of women artists in the chaabi tradition. The project is divided into various sections, including a professional production, ‘Sheikhs Shikhats & B’Net Chaabi’, but also a participatory section: The Mystery of Chaabi Voices, a research and creative project around this musical tradition;

• Foyer vzw brings together different generations within families through making music. This non-profit organisation focuses on young and old with multicultural backgrounds;

• De Vaartkapoen brings Molenbeek musicians and (word) artists together during a residency with Molenbeek as the inspirational theme;

• Since 2022, the Maison des Cultures et de la Cohésion Sociale (House of Cultures and Social Cohesion) has had close ties with Singing Molenbeek, the children’s project of tenor Zeno Popescu and pianist Julien Libeer that is linked to various Molenbeek schools. Specifically within the Musikaa framework, Zeno Popescu is working on a project that creates a dialogue between the music of Bach (arranged by Julien Libeer) and world music;

• ReMua: 27 children and 10 musicians from ReMua take you on a trip through a variety of artistic influences;

• Q-O2: Molenbeek and non-Molenbeek musicians come together in an improvisation session led by bass player Farida Amadou.

Musikaa festival day. Each year, Vaartkapoen presents partners’ projects during Klarafestival’s Musikaa festival day. Molenbeek artists thus reach both a local and a broader festival public. MUSIKAA is the moment to discover the cultural richness of Molenbeek, both for the residents of Molenbeek and for the Klarafestival public. An invitation to discover without preconceptions a less familiar neighbourhood, but certainly an area full of interesting musicians.    

Musikaa is a collaboration between Klarafestival, Bozar, Cultuur in Molenbeek, Maison des Cultures et de la Cohésion Sociale, Foyer, De Vaartkapoen, LaVallée, MetX, Singing Molenbeek, ReMua, and QO2. The project is supported by knowledge partner Demos.