WCC-BF

WCC-BF: an association for the creative crafts...

The WCC-BF was founded in 1981, under the auspices of the World Crafts Council, an NGO recognised by UNESCO. Over time and as it grew, the WCC-BF gained the support of public authorities and private institutions, such as the city of Mons, the Province of Hainaut, the French Community in Belgium, the National Lottery and the European Union, with which it formed various partnerships.
Today the WCC-BF represents all fields of the applied arts: ceramics, glass, jewellery, wood, textiles, paper, bookbinding, basketwork, fashion, design, etc.
It brings together over two hundred craftsmen and women, around seventy of whom are "associate members", involved in running the association. All benefit from the services of the association which promotes the applied arts in Belgium and abroad, and contemporary crafts in particular. It also devotes specific attention to young craftsmen finishing their studies or embarking on a professional career.

...premises...
Since 2006, the WCC-BF has occupied premises in the beautifully renovated former Mons slaughterhouse. Built in 1884 by the architect Sury, it comprises three Lombard style buildings: the cattle shed where the WCC-BF has its offices, organises temporary exhibitions, displays the work of its members and arranges legal advice; the Great Hall, with a floor area of 700 m2 which houses large exhibitions, centred particularly on the applied arts. The keys to this space, managed by the city council, are given to the WCC-BF once a year to allow it to use the entire complex as a showcase for the applied arts; and finally, the cold store, converted into an audiovisual space, where conferences, training courses, etc. are regularly held

…. and activities in Belgium and abroad
Since taking up residence, the WCC-BF has organised numerous events, including the European Tour of Applied Arts which has successively welcomed Slovak, Flemish and German artists; the annual Tremplin prize for young craftsmen and women recently graduated from art schools in Wallonia and Brussels; European Triennial Exhibition for Contemporary jewelery at which the work of leading Belgian and European craftsmen from these fields is displayed in the Great Hall; exhibitions giving Carte Blanche to renowned ceramic artists such as Alain Hurlet, Caroline Andrin, Vincent Kempenaers; the Vitrine des Créateurs (Craft Showcase) open to associate members; Objets de Lumière (Objects of Light) at which 11 designers from Wallonia and Brussels exhibited; Design s'exporte (Exporting Design), at which some twenty designers and fashion artists were invited to show works exhibited abroad in 2008, under the patronage of the WBDM agency. Alongside this, the WCC-BF invites professionals from all over Europe to hold training courses, workshops, conferences and debates and film showings.
The WCC-BF is also active outside its own walls. It participated in the 2005 and 2007 Artifact exhibitions in Bruges and was present at the Munich International Craft Fair, for the SCHMUCK exhibition, at the first international applied arts exhibition, Eu-nique, in Karlsruhe and at the prestigious Collect exhibition at Saatchi Gallery, London. It arranges excursions and regularly sends its artists abroad.

Our action plan has a number of aspects:

Information:
publication of a newsletter,
development of specific databases and a documentation centre,
personalised legal advice, specific to applied arts and design.

Education:
Post-academic training, seminars, master classes, conferences, etc.
Workshop visits.

Promotion:
Exhibitions, wide-ranging shows (European triennials: contemporary jewellery and ceramics, etc.).
Presence on the international scene, through participation in professional exhibitions and its network of contacts covering over 80 countries.

Our facilities:
Temporary exhibition space
Showcase for crafts
Documentation centre