Horst Arts & Music Festival

Dedicated to developing talent, cities and spaces, Belgium’s Horst Arts & Music Festival is one of Europe’s best illustrations of how music and architecture can come together to form a truly distinctive community-driven event.

Chosen for: Innovation.

Founded in 2014, Horst celebrates and encourages the intersections of different art forms, and there’s a huge emphasis on listening spaces and site-specific interactions. This makes sense, given the two distinct locations that the festival has called home. Previously held on the grounds of a medieval castle, since 2019 Horst has taken place amongst the slightly dystopian, post-industrial surrounds of Asiat Park, a former military barracks on the outskirts of Brussels. This year, the event is ramping things up even more with a completely redesigned arts programme. Showcasing specific in-situ commissions, the aim is to create works that have a wider impact beyond the festival weekend.

In 2023, the theme of the programme is centred around “those who make a city into an actual city: inhabitants, temporary visitors and communities who are often barred by city councils, project developers and urbanists”. Forward-thinking stage design has always been a key component of the event, and this year it will again be utilised to strong effect, aiming to amplify Asiat’s connective potential.

The music offering is equally inspiring and thoughtful, with the festival bringing together a line-up of in-demand international electronic artists. Alongside names like Shanti Celeste, Mama Snake and Jane Fitz, there’s a strong focus on homegrown talent. An ongoing collaboration with Brussels radio station Kiosk Radio, who will curate a stage line-up, is just one of the many ways that Horst demonstrates its commitment to empowering Belgium’s local scenes.

Horst Arts & Music Festival takes place at Asiat Park in Vilvoorde, Belgium, on 5-7 May 2023.