BRUSSELS.- During the Council of Ministers of 15 October, the government decided to appoint Sophie Lauwers as the new General Director of Bozar. Her mandate will last 6 years and starts on 1 November.

Sophie Lauwers (°1966, Halle) has been Director of Exhibitions at Bozar since 2011, and was previously exhibition coordinator since 2002. With her exhibition policy she always looks for synergies between classical and contemporary art, but also between the visual arts and other disciplines. She has an eye for the super-diverse creativity in a city like Brussels. In a spirit of renewal and continuity she will be able to continue the development and mission of Bozar, together with the entire management committee.

Sophie Lauwers: “The reactions to my appointment as Director-General of the Centre for Fine Arts are heart-warming. The past twenty years have been an incredible journey in this house, and this marks the start of a new chapter. I will not write the story of the future alone, but together with a close-knit team and the large community that makes our house come alive every day. I would like to thank everyone who cares about Bozar for their trust and congratulations: the board of directors, especially chairwoman Isabelle Mazzara, the executive committee, minister Sophie Wilmès, Etienne Davignon, Paul Dujardin, our partners, patrons and the many artists involved. In a rapidly changing world, the need for beauty, reflection and imagination is greater than ever!”

This appointment is the result of an extremely rigorous process led by the Board of Directors. From eighteen candidates Sophie Lauwers was selected and proposed to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Federal Cultural Institutions Sophie Wilmès. This nomination was confirmed on October 15 by the Council of Ministers.

Isabelle Mazzara, on behalf of the Board of Bozar: "Sophie Lauwers has all the qualities needed to fulfil her new mission. Thanks to her current position as director of exhibitions (which she has held since 2011) she knows Bozar very well, which allows her to make a good analysis of the current situation, but also to (re)propose a strong vision for the institution in all its specificity. A vision in which the artistic is central. She will be able to count on the support of the financial director and the other members of the executive committee in carrying out her task. This appointment is also a recognition of the expertise and talent at Bozar."

"I look forward to working with Ms Lauwers, whose qualities are recognised both inside and outside the Centre for Fine Arts," said Sophie Wilmès. "This appointment also marks a renewal of Bozar. There is a new board of directors, new people have joined, there is diversity in the profiles and a good balance between women and men. Bozar can now look to the future and continue to build a high-quality cultural and artistic project. Bozar will continue to develop in order to become an even greater asset to the cultural influence of Belgium and its capital Brussels."