Triennial Bruges

Every three years the Triennial Bruges brings contemporary art and architecture to the historic city centre of Bruges: a unique setting and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since 2015 it has built further on the series of triennials that were put together in 1968, 1971, and 1974 and brought visual arts into the public domain. In each edition, the artistic team invites national and international artists and architects to submit new temporary installations around a theme related to the city. In 2015, the theme was the then highly topical question ‘What if the more than 5 million tourists who visit Bruges every year were to actually move here?’

In 2018 the Triennial took a step further with 'Liquid City', an investigation into what the future would bring for a city like Bruges and its society. How flexible, fluid or resilient can a historic city like Bruges be in a time when the world is changing rapidly and everything is fluid and fleeting?
In 2021 Triennial Bruges presented a multi-voiced discourse, between dream and reality, delusion and fact.

Although Bruges may seem to be a dream destination, poverty, loneliness, pollution, and anxiety are constantly lurking in this seemingly picture-perfect world. The Triennial 2021 went beyond the visible and offered a glimpse beneath the bark of the fragile city.

The Triennial offers visitors a summer-long exploration, following a unique and inviting trail with a social aspect.

The Triennial Bruges is a collaboration between Brugge Plus, Musea Brugge, Kenniscentrum vzw, and Cultuurcentrum Brugge, and is commissioned by the City of Bruges.
Fourth edition in 2024.