La Semaine du Son (The Week of Sound)

La Semaine du Son / De Week van de Klank was created in 2011 and organises events to introduce the public to a better understanding of sound, and to raise awareness among all members of society of the importance of the quality of their sound environment. It is organised for one week in Brussels, followed by events in various locations in Flanders and Wallonia the following week. This bilingual event has become an important meeting point for artists, speakers and both local and international audiences, and offers a space for open, informative, entertaining, and educational reflection in four areas directly linked to culture: cultural creation (sound writing, music, radio, cinema...); sound broadcasting (acoustics of spaces, sounds in the city, noise pollution...); and health (hearing, safe concert levels...).

More than a festival, La Semaine du Son is a cross-sectoral event that awakens our awareness, astonishment, resistance, hopes and expectations in the field of sound. With a view to raising awareness of the benefits and drawbacks of our sound environments, La Semaine du Son's mission is to bring the general public face-to-face with the work of artists, researchers, sound technicians, administrators of our city's auditory environment, and auditory professionals. This in-depth work awakens everyone's concern to improve their sound environment, and develops the public's critical sense of what they hear.

The events - conferences, workshops, lectures, concerts, sound walks, screenings, broadcasts, installations... - are accompanied by an educational and playful aspect. The participatory aspect is one of La Semaine du Son's priorities, geared towards encouraging a wide audience to take part in the events and discover new spaces and creations. Access to all the events are entirely free. The diversity of partnerships and venues in which the Semaine du Son organises its activities has the advantage of increasing the diversity and mix of audiences. Numerous presentations by established and emerging artists are organised in both well-known and under the radar venues, in public and private spheres: concert halls, museums, experimental sound art spaces, and open-air venues.

Each year, a new theme is broached through activities that explore and illuminate it in their own way, creating an extraordinary space for reflection and emotion. During the various events, the public can meet and speak with the artists, discover installations and interactive performances, and take part in workshops and sound walks. It's an opportunity for everyone - infants, children, young people, and adults - to familiarise themselves with a wide range of artistic and sound practices.