Artful Cities | StadsSalonsUrbains | Brussels Centre for Urban Studies

            Cities are more than concrete infrastructures designed by architects, urban planners or policy-makers. Artists and creatives have much to contribute to the collective imagination and affective experience of urban life. These intangible yet powerful dimensions can foster attachment and meaning – or provoke alienation and exclusion. Art occupies an ambivalent position in this dynamic: while it can create spaces of encounter, reveal hidden stories, and challenge dominant narratives, it is also increasingly instrumentalised to serve political, economic or branding agendas.
          

This lecture series frames the city as an affective space shaped by imagination, belonging and contestation. Artistic interventions and broader creative practices can empower communities to shape their environments, cultivating a sense of ownership, but they can also obscure inequalities or reinforce dominant logics. We explore the interconnected themes of spatial justice, placemaking and pedagogy, using art and culture as a critical lens to examine the complex interplay between the built environment and its inhabitants.

The series embraces this dual focus: some lectures highlight artistic interventions that reimagine public space, others explore how creative methods can inform urban planning. Drawing on international research, invited scholars will reflect on the challenges and opportunities of fostering more inclusive, just and meaningful urban spaces. Ultimately, the 2025/2026 StadsSalonsUrbains aims to inspire new ways of understanding the connections between arts, culture and the urban fabric.

Dates & Guests

10 October – Maria Lind (Kin Museum of Contemporary Art)
24 October – Cara Courage (Culture, Communities and Place Consultant)
21 November – Kate Oakley (University of Glasgow)
5 December – Catalina Ortiz (University College London)

All lectures take place from 17h30 to 19h30.

Venue

USquare - Main hall
Blvd Général Jacques 210A Generaal Jacqueslaan,
1050 Ixelles/Elsene

We are also streaming and recording all our lectures! Streaming takes place via Twitch, and recordings will be made available on our dedicated Vimeo page.

This series is organised in collaboration with the Brussels Innovation for Learning and Diversity Research center.