The 7th edition with 30 installations
For the seventh year in a row, the Bright Festival has shone a spotlight on the capital over four consecutive evenings. This year, no fewer than 30 installations by national and international artists took over the Royal district, the European district and several emblematic locations in the municipality of Schaerbeek. The festival once again offered a fringe programme with night-time museum visits and guided tours. This year’s event turned out to be the largest ever, with a loyal audience of nearly 400,000 visitors.
Since its very first edition, Bright Festival has offered visitors a unique opportunity to (re)discover the capital’s districts in a very different light. This year, no fewer than 30 installations lit up the heart of Brussels. The municipality of Schaerbeek, which joined in this year’s festival, saw several of its iconic locations embellished by light installations created by Belgian and international artists. The 2023 Bright Festival was the biggest ever.
The Sibelga Bright Market, a Sibelga initiative in association with Les Petits Riens/Spullenhulp, was back. Installed at the foot of the Cathedral of Saint Michael and Saint Gudula, it allowed visitors to have their damaged lamps repaired or buy original lamps second-hand.
The many artists in this year’s event, the cultural and tourist partners and the particular attention paid to active mobility are all factors that contributed to the success of Bright Festival. This was a great way to further increase the influence of the Brussels-Capital Region on a national and international level.
In addition to its extensive programme, Bright Festival gave the public the chance to extend their night-time adventures with its fringe programme. Several Brussels museums opened their doors and guided night tours were also on offer.
In terms of sustainability, every effort was made to minimise the festival’s environmental impact. This element was one of the jury’s criteria for selecting the works to be exhibited. An external audit of the entire event was carried out. This study will allow the organisers to further improve the event in the years to come.
Bright Brussels is looking forward to seeing you next year from 15 to 18 February 2024 for a new edition. More information on https://www.visit.brussels/en/visitors.html.
