The poet laureate of Belgium and literary exchange between linguistic and cultural communities

In the book Dialogues on Belgium (Leuven University Press, 2020), the former (French-speaking) Poet Laureate of Belgium, Laurence Vielle, and the Flemish postmodern poet Dirk van Bastelaere came to the conclusion that the regions of Flanders and Wallonia are not very familiar with each other’s literature. For example, one of the most important avant-garde figures, the Flemish poet Paul van Ostaijen, is unknown on the other side of the language border.

It was precisely the promotion of literary exchange that led, in 2014, to the creation of the office of the poet laureate of Belgium. Against this backdrop, this essay takes stock of more than ten years since the title was introduced and examines the extent to which the initiative has succeeded in strengthening exchange between literary landscapes in the country.

Language policy and literature

Belgium is a federal state in which the regions enjoy a high degree of cultural autonomy; they are divided into monolingual language areas by the statutory boundary, with the exception of the bilingual Brussels-Capital Region. The multilingual literary landscape consists of relatively independent French-speaking and Dutch-speaking literary spheres. Both, in turn, are also linked to the transnational French-speaking and Dutch-speaking linguistic areas. This results in relatively limited interaction between literary landscapes within Belgium. The impression is therefore that Belgian writers are known primarily within their own language area and that there is no ‘Belgian’ literature that enjoys nationwide recognition. Structural initiatives are needed to change this situation and shift perceptions. In his essay ‘The Literary Sorrow of Belgium’ (The Low Countries, 8 September 2020), referring to Hugo Claus’s seminal Flemish genealogical novel (The Sorrow of Belgium), Professor Yves T’Sjoen (Ghent University) makes a case for an academic approach to literary education that moves away from strictly defined language disciplines and, from a multilingual or transcultural perspective, establishes collaborative partnerships between so-called Germanists and Romanists to study Belgian literature. To this end, in 2023, together with Caroline De Mulder, he initiated a series of lectures on Belgian literature at the universities of Ghent and Namur (for an interview with both of them, see ‘Unseen: a focus on Belgian literature’, The Low Countries, by Tomas Vanheste, 20 March 2023).

The context

The office of the poet laureate of Belgium, established in 2014, did not come out of the blue. It can be regarded as a milestone in a growing rapprochement between the literary spheres since the second decade of the 21st century. Paradoxically, this occurred at a time of heightened tensions between Flanders and Wallonia which culminated in the protracted process of forming a federal government in 2010.

In this multilingual literary landscape, various initiatives act as catalysts. Antwerp forms the epicentre, boasting the Felix Poetry Festival’s Belgian poetry programme, the institution of the city poet, and the figure of Michaël Vandebril, the director of ‘Antwerpen Boekenstad’ and the driving force behind this public office. In 2012, Vandebril compiled a bilingual special issue on ‘Belgian poetry’ for the literary journal Deus ex Machina and published a bilingual conceptual collection of poems titled Het vertrek van Maeterlinck / L’Exil de Maeterlinck (De Bezige Bij Antwerp, 2012).

In an interview with the newspaper De Morgen (28 January 2012), Vandebril stated that, with his Germanic-Romance poems, he did not wish to make a political or community-centred statement but to bring Dutch- and French-speakers in Belgium closer together. In the same breath, he expressed the wish to establish a Belgian poet laureate, alternating between a Dutch-speaking and a French-speaking poet noting this would contribute to greater mutual understanding between the language communities.

To promote his collection in French-speaking Belgium, Vandebril sought contact with literary institutions such as the Maison de la Poésie (Namur), Midis de la Poésie, the Maelström Festival and the publishing house l’Abre à Paroles (now: Abrapalabra). When the (Flemish) Poetry Centre in Ghent, under the leadership of its newly minted director Carl De Strycker, and the Antwerp literary organisation Vonk & Zonen, subsequently launched the title in consultation with Vandebril, they were able to draw on a network and cultural infrastructure on both sides of the language border.

The purpose of the office

In the multilingual Belgian context, the poet laureate of Belgium plays a unifying role bringing the three language communities together. The initiative has both a poetic and a social objective in that it aims, in addition to fostering literary exchange, to contribute to greater mutual understanding and raise awareness of social sensitivities in both language communities. In what follows, I discuss four factors that have contributed most significantly to the visibility and dissemination of Dutch-language and French-language poetry across the language border. German-language poetry is not covered here, as the office has not yet been held by a German-speaking poet. After all, it is no easy task to select a professional poet from such a small language area.

Translation and anthologisation

Belgium’s poet laureate is appointed for a two-year term, is (in principle) selected in turn from one of the three language communities, and writes at least six poems a year on topics of national importance. All poems are made available on the website in the country’s three official languages, in collaboration with a translators’ collective, and included in the anthology published at the end of the term of office. This anthology is not limited to the official languages. For example, Poet Laureate Els Moors also opted for an Arabic translation of her poems.

Furthermore, the poet laureate contributes to the continuity of literary exchange. From the second year of their term, they are accompanied by their successor from a different language community, who is given the specific task of facilitating the promotion of poetry within their own language area. In the past, such collaboration has led, amongst other things, to the ‘Tour of Belgium’, a walking tour undertaken by the French-speaking Poet Laureate Laurence Vielle and her Dutch-speaking successor Els Moors in each other’s regions, which was reflected in two cycles of poems (included in the collections Laurence Vielle, Domo de Poezia. Bouteilles à la mer. Flessenpost. Flaschenpost (2018) and Els Moors, Knalpatronen. Pyrotechnies. Knallkörper (2020)).

Translators aboard

There are projects in place to promote literary exchange, such as ‘Escales poétiques’ (2021), a boat ride featuring Dutch-, French- and German-speaking poets (Yves Namur, Laurence Vielle, Jan Ducheyne, Aurélien Dony, Lisette Lombé and others). This project, organised by Carl Norac, has also brought translators on board, with the aim of promoting a professional translation policy.

Le Tour de Belgique

The poets laureate write tributes to literary giants from other linguistic communities, such as Laurence Vielle’s tribute to Émile Verhaeren (‘En hommage à Émile Verhaeren’) and Carl Norac’s tribute to Paul Snoek (‘Nager avec l’invisible’/’Swimming with the Invisible’).

Secondly, they invite other authors to collaborate on writing. For example, under the auspices of a Versopolis project, eleven Belgian poets worked together on a choral performance of ‘Espoir virulent’, the COVID poem by the former Poet Laureate Carl Norac. Thirdly, national poets initiate translation projects. For example, Els Moors’ climate song ‘The hotter, the better’ was translated into French and Afrikaans, amongst other languages. Els Moors told me that it was an artistic challenge for poets from other countries to translate the untranslatable Belgian Dadaism in the song. For instance, the poem contains an intertextual reference to Paul van Ostaijen (‘the sea isn’t playing along and will be ruined tomorrow / one chimpanzee later and then I am god’).

This brings us to the fourth category: poems with intertextual references to writers in other languages that open a window into their bodies of work. Poems that encourage co-creation or foster a culture of translation generate a multiplier effect and reach a wider and more diverse audience. Laurence Vielle’s ‘Le Tour de Belgique’ occupies a special place here because this cycle of poems also explores the topic of literary exchange and its potential objectives. For example, the poet writes that, in a Flemish nationalist pub, she defended the country’s bilingualism by referring to the work of the French-speaking Ernst Moerman, whom she goes on to describe as the greatest Belgian poet in her book Dialogues on Belgium.

Leverage effect

The institution of the poet laureate acts as a lever for other literary exchange initiatives. In the past, same translators were active both within the Office of the Poet Laureate of Belgium and at the publishing house Éditions Tétras Lyre. These direct contacts have led to numerous translations of Dutch-language poetry into French, through the publishing house’s Collection de Flandre (including collections by Els Moors, Maud Vanhauwaert and Lies Van Gasse). In addition, the Brussels-based literary organisation Midis de la Poésie – itself a partner organisation of the Poet Laureate of Belgium – took the initiative in 2019 to publish a series of classic Flemish poets in French translation (for example, in 2019 Un nageur est un cavalier – Een zwemmer is een ruiter – by Paul Snoek, and in 2021 Les soeurs Loveling – The Loveling Sisters). One can therefore speak of an ecosystem of bilingual literary translations, with the office acting as the linchpin.

Low book circulation as an opportunity

The institution of the poet laureate contributes to the literary exchange between Belgium’s language communities, particularly between Dutch and French, with translation playing a central role. However, it is difficult to measure the extent to which this exchange actually leads to a greater mutual understanding of each other’s poetry, or the audience reach it generates. This circulation of poetry takes place mainly through the publication of collections in a traditional book form, whereas, by contrast, distribution via new media and technologies remains rather limited and is mainly confined to the poet laureate website and social media. Furthermore, the use of new media usually follows the publication of a collection and is less focused on reaching an audience outside of literary circles.

For example, Charles Ducal’s anthology was accompanied by a DVD featuring the documentary Charles Ducal. Poet Laureate (Jess De Gruyter, 2015), whilst Lisette Lombé launched a Spotify podcast (2026) featuring six of her poems and timed the launch to coincide with the publication of her anthology. Both examples illustrate how audio-visual and digital media primarily serve to complement traditional poetry collections, rather than acting as an independent distribution channel. However, the importance of these book publications and their multimedia accessibility for literary relations between the various language communities – including in education – cannot be overstated.

In the Netherlands, the National Poet Anne Vegter (2013–2017) has launched a website called which uses reading tips to make works of modern Dutch-language poetry accessible to any interested reader. In Belgium, a website where you could search for poems by theme, language and language community – and thereby establish connections between literary and social spheres – could contribute to the dual function of the office of the poet laureate.

Notre Canal

Belgium, after all, is a complex federal state in many respects. This complexity stems, amongst other things, from the existence of diverse and sometimes conflicting collective memories within and between the various language communities. This applies, amongst other things, to memories of language struggle, the First World War and the differing views on the country’s economic autonomy. The question of whether the poet laureate of Belgium can, through poetry, contribute to mutual understanding of specific regional sensitivities or even foster a shared Belgian imagination calls for further research.

One example of a project in which the literary and social challenges of the office converge beautifully is Notre Canal (2026), a bilingual film that builds on the national poetry programme of Els Moors. The film paints an intimate, chiaroscuro portrait of Belgium’s historical roots and explores how shared traditions, landscapes and stories can act as the glue binding communities and people together, across linguistic boundaries.

Madame Rima

The institutional organisation of the post of the poet laureate reflects Belgium’s federal state structure. When a Dutch-speaking poet is appointed, co-ordination is handled by the Poetry Centre; when a French-speaking poet is appointed, this role is taken on by the Maison de la Poésie de Namur. As culture falls within the remit of the communities, the project is also funded via the respective federated entities. The Poetry Centre receives ongoing support from Literatuur Vlaanderen, whilst the Maison de la Poésie de Namur relies heavily on the sponsorship of the National Lottery, for which a separate grant application is submitted with each new French-speaking appointment. The lottery funds are mainly used to cover the costs of ‘national’ poems, translations, the organisation of the inauguration and communications relating to the post. Any shortfall is covered from general operating funds or supplemented by project grants. For example, Lisette Lombé was able to secure a one-off grant for multidisciplinary artistic projects from the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles for Madame Rima – a bilingual mobile installation that uses algorithms to generate personalised poems for visitors to libraries, workshops and festivals.

Her podcast Et nos poèmes resteront émeutes received similar support from the Federation as a project that is innovative in nature or contributes to regional marketing. At present, under the French-speaking funding scheme for the Office of the Poet Laureate of Belgium, it is easier to obtain one-off grants for clearly defined projects than to secure structural grants.

The specific goal of the project – promoting literary exchange between the language communities – presents additional institutional challenges. Support for literary translations is, after all, regulated within the separate grant schemes of the communities concerned. Whether a collection can be translated and published in the other national language therefore depends on the available resources and the priorities assigned by the competent authority to literary translation grants. Flanders Literature (Literatuur Vlaanderen) subsidises both translations of French-speaking Belgian poets into Dutch (a project grant for literary translators) and of Flemish poets into French (a translation grant intended for foreign publishers, but through which Flanders Literature also supports Walloon publishers).

Across the language border, however, intra-Community translations have fewer opportunities. At present, two different grant schemes (for example, support for the acquisition of rights and/or the translation of a work of fiction or non-fiction from a foreign language into French) are helping to strengthen publishers’ presence on the international market. In both cases, only French-language publishers based in Brussels or Wallonia are eligible. A third grant scheme currently in preparation is also limited to translations of French-language Belgian literary works into a foreign language. In practical terms, this means, for example, that Poëziecentrum – the poet laureate co-ordinator and also a publishing house based in Flanders – cannot obtain grants from the WBI (Service Culture Wallonie-Bruxelles International) to publish in Wallonia a collection by a Dutch-speaking poet laureate or any other poet writing in Dutch, in a French translation.

However, the importance of such support cannot be overestimated. Elke Brems and Stéphanie Vanasten have found that, over a period of fifty years (1970–2020), there has been an upward trend in the translation of novels, literary essays, comics and graphic novels, children’s books and poetry collections by Flemish authors into French, and explicitly attribute this success to the grant policy of the Flemish Literature Fund (now Flanders Literature) (Elke Brems and Stéphanie Vanasten, ‘Une nouvelle “vague” littéraire flamande en Belgique francophone’, les plats pays, 26 April 2024).

Co-operation agreements

Furthermore, the development of intercultural initiatives requires a grant policy that facilitates co-operation across community boundaries. Such projects often depend on specific co-operation agreements between the Flemish and French Communities. There is currently a programme offering one-off project grants for exchange programmes between partners from the Flemish and French Communities, aimed at forging links, setting up exploratory initiatives and contributing to capacity-building in the field of cultural co-operation. Projects organised by the Office of the Poet Laureate of Belgium, in which literary organisations from both communities organising a joint project – for example, to reach new audiences or target groups – should be eligible for this.

The future

Belgium’s institutional complexity undeniably makes a sustainable literary exchange project challenging. At the same time, the poet laureate of Belgium project demonstrates that a close-knit network of literary organisations, translators and cultural partners has emerged across linguistic boundaries. Consequently, the future of the office, much like Madame Rima’s automatic writing technique, offers the prospect of countless creative combinations.

Steven Van de Putte is a PhD-candidate at Ghent University working on an international comparative study with the working title ‘The National Poet. A Literary-Sociological Study of the Role of the Poet Laureate in Multilingual Contexts’.