A wonderful merger
A merger of three artistic organizations, a shared dream, and the leap to structural support: BRODER was born from collaboration, trust and belief in the power of wonder. We spoke with Joos Callens (board member) and Koen Boesman (artistic director) about how it started, what they learned, and why it is so important to know your foundation.
Collaborate before you're even together
To be clear: who or what is BRODER?
Joos: BRODER originated from three organizations: TG Vagevuur (which has been around for almost 20 years), Aardvork (a children's music theater company) and Brussels Experimental, the branch of Peter Spaepen, a composer who also had a choir and collaborated on all kinds of productions. All those people have now been brought together in BRODER.
How does that work, jointly submitting such a merger? What if you ultimately do not receive the structural subsidies?
Koen: We prepared the merger without knowing whether it would go ahead. We already knew each other well, so it made sense. But we did follow S&L's advice: first define who you are and what your culture is. What does each bring to the table? What if the subsidies don't come? Then each would continue as before. Making that clear was crucial.
“In the exercises with S&L it became clear what makes BRODER BRODER. That formulation immediately generated a lot of enthusiasm.”
A shared dream
How do you approach that?
Koen: We conducted a vision exercise with S&L to define the foundation of all those organizations. We started fantasizing: what is the most beautiful, ideal organization? And from that we quickly arrived at a common artistic 'why'. We just clicked well. All organizations had a similar culture of “we load the van together” — makers and players together. The answer to the question 'why do you make what you make' was close to everyone's fingertips.
Joos: From a business perspective, I found it more exciting. There were different target groups and ways of working. Was it smart to let go of the project-based approach (and subsidies). We also had to step out of the familiar project logic and evolve towards a structural way of working. Classically in a merger you say: 1+1=3. Here it was 1+1+1 = 23.
Exciting, many unknowns, but did you still dare to take the plunge?
Koen: To me it was somehow obvious. We were already working in each other's direction. Artistically and production-wise there was the same logic and by putting those three organizations together, you can clearly see the foundations and how they reinforce each other. Together they form a logical, artistic story. In the exercises with S&L it became clear what makes BRODER BRODER. That formulation immediately generated a lot of enthusiasm.
From idea to policy
What makes Broder so typically BRODER?
Koen: A BRODER performance feels a bit like reading a Roald Dahl book for the first time. You discover that the limits of fantasy are much further than you thought. That pleasure, that space and wonder is the goal. We like to look for bizarre stories, dive into them and then build a wonderful world around our research. At BRODER we all share the fascination for the bizarre and the belief that the world is full of it. We have no kings or princesses, but colorful forgotten peripheral figures.
As makers, you have a lot of experience with project subsidies. But what is different if you apply for structural subsidies?
Koen: Then you must clearly state what you do, and this must also be visible in your choices. Thanks to the process with S&L, we now have clear core values. Everything is measured against that. That requires a lot of one-off work, but it pays off: there is a solid foundation. We don't have to rethink everything every time. Now we are moving forward and making adjustments where necessary. It is fascinating to measure every project against this and recognize your own logic in it.
Joos: The task is: to forge one whole from the basis of all projects — and maintain that in the future.
Good news with implications
How are you doing with that assignment now that you have structural subsidies?
Joos: Exciting, especially as a director. Suddenly you are a real organization with staff, a rental contract, and so on. S&L has proven to be a good help in this regard, especially on an organizational level. Putting your policy plan into practice.
Koen: They were also a great help on an artistic level, and in clearly formulating it throughout the entire file. It is important to understand the implications of your core artistic values for the rest of your operation. For us, the people (players, makers, musicians, technicians, etc.) are central, so that must also be visible in the budget. We choose people and invest in the care they deserve.
Joos: Maintaining that approach and extending it to business and financial choices is really fascinating. Don't you find that searching, that relationship between your role as a leader and as a maker? Artistic versus organizational?
Koen: Certainly. We come from a project-based logic. Now we have five people on the payroll. You are suddenly an employer and maker. It's a constant battle: those two roles are fighting for the same hours in the day. We are now trying to organize this in blocks.
External help as leverage
What are the moments when you think: this is going over our heads?
Koen: As a maker you are not a determining factor in the cultural landscape. What can you expect from the political discourse in the coming years? What is the long-term agenda of cultural centers? Do you respond to that, or do you stubbornly continue to do your own thing? Understanding and relating to the entire system is no small feat. We are also small, and sometimes wear three hats at once: technician, director, HR manager and strategist. That works to a certain extent, but there are limits.
Is it worth repeating the use of external (thinking) work?
Koen: Certainly. Sometimes it is better to rely on external expertise instead of figuring out, making, paying for everything yourself... Collaborating or consulting an expert costs money, but it also saves you time and searching. The way Juliska from S&L read us as an outsider made it absolutely worth the investment. Sometimes you just get lost in your own words, and she led us to super clear conclusions.
Joos: I thought the fact that S&L accepted us as a customer was in itself a vote of confidence. They wouldn't do it if they didn't believe in it. So even though I sometimes felt it was a bit too daring — two Tintins with too much swagger and a low chance of success — they had confidence in it. And that was contagious.
Koen: I was mainly afraid that it would be superficial post-it stuff.
And, were there post-its?
Koen: Yes. (laughs) But they really helped us a lot.
“The way Juliska from S&L read us as an outsider made it absolutely worth the investment.”
NB. As a director of TG Vagevuur, Joos Callens was involved in the merger in the role of customer. He now works as a consultant at S&L and provides strategic and business advice to organizations in art, culture, youth and broader civil society.
Does this case appeal to you?
We'd be happy to listen to the specific needs of your organization. We'll come as a pair to listen to your request and make an initial proposal. Based on the feedback and further co-creation, we'll provide a final proposal.
