On 1 January 2015, the VTi (Institute for the Performing Arts in Flanders) became Flanders Arts Institute, together with 2 partner organisations (BAM and Music Centre Flanders).

Focal point for the performing arts
In its role as a focal point for the performing arts, VTi is an open house with a solid link to both practices as well as decision-making. As an interface organisation between professional practices, policy, education and an interested public, VTi stimulates dialogue on performing artists and their work, on culture policy and performance, on evolutions and trends in the world of the performing arts, on international and intercultural works and on the place of art in modern society.

To that end, VTi performs at present three core functions that continuously mesh with one another: research, documenting and interaction. It is VTi’s aim to offer relevant information in a broad repertory of flexible, usable resources. By presenting facts and circulating expertise it aims to contribute to the on-going development of the sector and, being able to call on its in-depth knowledge of the past, build a future-oriented social climate for artistic creation.

As a documentation and research centre, VTi is committed to the performing arts in Flanders. In fact, its creation in 1987 is all downs to a unique combination of the skills of creative artists, organizers and critics, all of whom are convinced of the need for on-going reflection concerning performing arts’ practices. Still today VTi supplies contexts, and is ever rewriting the story of the performing arts. Throughout its broad range of activities VTi endeavours to be innovative and to remain open for dialogue.

• Documentation centre for the performing arts: VTi feels itself responsible for the intensive documentation of performing arts’ practices. The field and the context are studied, artistic and policy procedures are registered, classified and made accessible via an extensive performing arts’ data base, the library and the website.


• Forum for expertise and vision development in a varied and international Flanders: applied research is an important component in VTi’s activities since it transforms the information in the data base and collections allowing it to be further applied in practice. Via descriptive and analytical fieldwork, research becomes part and parcel of present practices. The performing arts are thus not simply an object of research but also play an active role in the forming of opinions.


• Critical interface between creative artists, the public and policy: VTi is an open area where expertise meets and is circulated. It boosts debates and wishes to inform and sensitize in an active manner. On websites, in publications, via the library or during meetings, research and insights are fed back to the sector. Reflexive dialogue, workability and a glance at the broader context are the priorities.


• Junction in a cross-sector network that transgresses sectors: VTi develops all these functions in a growing partnership with a wide variety of organisations, both within and without the performing arts. Since its inception, VTi has been a central player in an ever-growing network, both in Flanders as well as internationally. Collaboration is in the DNA make-up of VTi, which has grown from the merging of a number of networks within the performing arts. To increase contact with the world outside the (performing) arts, there has been a noticeable evolution in collaboration with more and more diverse players: foreign partners, different art disciplines and social sectors.