On Wednesday 3 September, the celebrations kick off in Molenbeek. With the start of MolenFest, a five-day city festival full of art, music, debate and encounters, the Brussels municipality shows its most creative and connecting side. The festival is not just a cultural event: it is part of the Molenbeek for Brussels 2030 campaign, which aims to declare the neighbourhood as European Capital of Culture. VUB is a partner of MolenFest.
As an Urban Engaged University, VUB actively contributes to the festival and to the broader ambition of making Brussels an inclusive, sustainable and culturally vibrant city. The university is a structural partner of the Brussels2030 project and has been working for years with local organisations in Molenbeek. Through student projects, research and social engagement, VUB contributes to the social and cultural dynamics of the neighbourhood.
Students take part in service learning trajectories, in which they collaborate on local initiatives and artistic co-creations. Researchers provide expertise on themes such as urban transformation, inclusion, sustainability and participation. And through lectures, workshops and installations, VUB stimulates public debate about the future of Brussels.
MolenFest is a laboratory for urban renewal
MolenFest 2025 presents a varied programme with performances by, among others, Serge Aimé Coulibaly, Laure Prouvost, the Sound of Brussels Orchestra and the children’s choir Singing Molenbeek. The festival locations – including La Grande Halle, Vaartkapoen, Lion City and the House of Cultures and Social Cohesion – form the backdrop for a mix of artistic interventions, neighbourhood projects and public conversations.
Behind the festive façade lies a deeper layer: MolenFest is a laboratory for urban renewal. Here, together with VUB, experiments are conducted with new forms of living together, collaborating and co-creating.
Would you like to get a taste already? You can, during the second edition of MolenFest, from 3 to 7 September 2025! For five days, the streets, parks and squares of Molenbeek will transform into a large space for celebration, creation and encounters, driven by the energy of its residents and artists. Dance, music, circus, theatre, film, debates…
There’s something for everyone, in public space and mostly free of charge.
The world needs you
This initiative is part of VUB's public programme, a programme for everyone who believes that scientific knowledge sharing, critical thinking and dialogue are an important first step to create impact in the world.
As an Urban Engaged University, VUB aims to be a driver of change in the world. With our academic edcuational programmes and innovative research, we contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and to making a difference locally and globally.