Cultural Hub in Brussels’ Molenbeek District Closes Permanently

The main reasons behind the definitive closure of the Brass’art cultural café are numerous, explains Sudpresse. The first concerns certain works that the municipality had to carry out. This had even forced the establishment to temporarily close its doors in October 2018.

The second is related to a lawsuit filed by Ridoine Daaili. He was also a candidate to continue occupying the premises. The hitch? Although his project was first in the jury’s evaluation, the former majority (MR-Ecolo-Groen-cdH) awarded the commercial space to the Brass’art team, specifies the same source.

Third reason: the municipality recently demanded a 100,000 euro guarantee from the collective of artists involved in the project. "For us, the costs can be reduced because we have partners. I had estimated a budget of 50,000 euros. With what was left of the team, I went to see the Region and we developed a new financial plan. And it turns out that we would be in deficit for the first three years. The project is no longer financially viable," summarized one of the project leaders.

"Asking for a 100,000 euro guarantee for an associative project? I will ask a current affairs question at the Council this Wednesday. For which other premises has the municipality demanded a 100,000 euro guarantee? The college would like to kill this emblematic project, it could not do it otherwise," lambasted Karim Majoros, the Ecolo group leader on the municipal council, in the opposition, on his Facebook page.