Frie Leysen

Why an honorary doctorate? 

In 2007 Frie Leysen receives the honorary doctorate of VUB from Prof. Dr. Els Witte.

Une grande dame

It was her unorthodox, inspiring and daring role in the art world that prompted the university to award her the title of Doctor Honoris Causa. The art historian excelled through her major contribution to the international decoration of deSingel and later the success of the bicultural arts festival project in Brussels.

Leysen fervently pursued her ideal of making Brussels a meeting place of multiple communities. She strove for an open, international cultural climate, without pigeonholing and community fault lines. No one loses their identity by opening themselves up to someone else's, she thought. Au contraire These are social visions that are wholly internalised at VUB.

Frie Leysen wanted to immerse Brussels in a cultural offering worthy of the capital of Europe. She gave Europeans a taste of other cultures, dispelling ignorance and fear of them. She travelled the world and brought the wealth of her experiences to Brussels.

Art speaks a universal language, which is heard, seen and interpreted multidimensionally. It transcends differences and unites vulnerability and strength, repulsion and wonder.

Frie Leysen used art and theatre as a means of integration and understanding. With her quote "Disturbing, not pleasing, should be art's role" she means that art should not by definition please. It must be a reflection of our society: dare to show what is raw as raw; allow what is beautiful to be beautiful.

Theatre is a living art form and even great artists make things that are not great. That is a risk they must dare to take. Art does not adapt to the public, but the public adapts to art.

Talent or aptitude?

The kinship with art and culture is more than a coincidental presence in the Leysen family.

Early loss

After losing her father at a young age, Frie is left behind with her eight brothers and sisters. Her mother will have to raise them alone from now on.

About her career

Art for the public

In 1980, she founds the arts centre ‘Desingel' in Antwerp, in 1994 she helps establish the Brussels ‘Kunstenfestivaldesarts' and many others.

1991. Ark Prize of Het Vrije Woord

2003: Prize of the Flemish Community, for general cultural merit

2019: Effe lifetime achievement award

Cosmopolitan in art

Is it in her blood? The kinship with art and culture is more than a latent one in the Leysen family. Father Bert Leysen was the very first television programme director at the N.I.R. (National Institute for Radio Broadcasting), the current VRT.

Frie learns at a very young age that irreversible is not reversible. Her father dies in a serious traffic accident in 1959, leaving her mother and nine children orphaned. But his inspiring philosophy does not die with him. Johan, Frie’s twin brother, becomes one of Belgium's best-known international actors, Bert was an international television producer, and the late Kris was (then) a BRT producer.

Frie herself goes to Leuven University, where she graduates in 1976 with a degree in antiquities and art history. She works for a few years as a collaborator at the Festival of Flanders, is active at BRT3 and freelances for the Royal Museums of Fine Arts in Brussels and Antwerp.

In 1980, she founds the arts centre deSingel in Antwerp. She is the first director there, and during her eleven years of involvement puts the organisation on the international map forever.

The time for new challenges is coming. Together with Guido Minne, she is the founding force behind the bilingual 'Kunstenfestivaldesarts', which takes place for the first time in 1994. It is fully dedicated to contemporary theatre, performance, dance, film and visual arts and is known far beyond the borders of the Netherlands. Frie will lead the organisation until 2004 and then pass on the torch.

From now on, she will be aiming her artistic sights at international art events. She becomes a curator at 'Young Arab Theatre Funds', an institution that stands on the barricades for contemporary artists within the Arab world. She concentrates on the multidisciplinary festival 'Meeting Points', which in 2007 will delight the art scene in nine Arab cities.

Her record of achievements becomes richer, fuller and broader through her role as curator of the German 'Theater der Welt'(2010), artistic director of the 'Berliner Festspiele'(2012) and theatre director of the 'Wiener Festwochen'(2013-2014). After her premature departure, she writes an open letter giving her unvarnished opinion on the lack of vision and transparency of the festival weeks.

In 2014, she gets behind the figurative wheel of the 'Asian Arts Theatre' in Gwangju, South Korea. She is - again - the first foreign director in the cultural sector. In 2015, she co-curates the 'Ashkal Alwan' festival in Beirut. The opening day provides both inspiration and consternation when the city is shaken by a double bombing.

Since 2012, she has been programming the international tour series 'Get Lost' for the Fonds Podiumkunsten. It allows the Dutch public to embrace theatre makers they would otherwise never meet.