The European Commission will hold the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Festival in Brussels for the second time between 9–⁠13 April, with a Hungarian project featured among the nominees for one of the NEB Prizes. The event will take place at the Parc du Cinquantenaire and the Arts & History Museum. The festival this year revolves around three main pillars: the Forum, the Fair, and the Fest as emphasized in a statement this Monday.

The programmes, featuring high-ranking international speakers and guests, will include interactive lectures, workshops, exhibitions, and artistic presentations. The fourth edition of the New European Bauhaus Prizes Ceremony will reward twenty winners with a total of €390,000. Among the nominees for Category B of the award is the Hungarian project titled Cooperative Ownership for Communities. The Hungarian project aims to

create a multifunctional space by ‘retrofitting’ a four-story building in one of Budapest’s old industrial areas.

According to the project’s description, they plan to build ‘an inclusive and accessible space for all. Collective ownership enables the provision of affordable housing for vulnerable groups (women after facing trauma, young people), and creating space for cooperatives and locals, while also decommodifying the building.’

In collaboration with the Belgian Presidency of the European Union Council, the European Commission is organizing the New European Bauhaus Festival for the second time. The NEB is highlighted as a platform that links the European Green Deal with our everyday lives and living spaces. ‘The festival serves as a bridge between the New European Bauhaus movement, EU high-level representatives, policymakers, arts, architecture, design, sustainability, innovation, and the broader public,’ the statement reads.

The Forum will feature lectures, panel discussions, and debates exploring various aspects of the NEB values with the participation of prominent speakers in the fields of science and technology, culture and education, regional and local development, and international perspectives. Architects, artists, scientists, and climate activists will engage in dialogue presenting different perspectives on science, technology, culture, education, and global development. The lectures will also be broadcast online, allowing worldwide access.

The Fair segment will showcase exhibitions by over seventy innovators. They will present projects

seeking solutions to the increasingly urgent need for a more sustainable and just future.

Visitors can learn about innovative solutions to pressing social and environmental issues through demonstrations and interactive experiences.

The Fest will bring together culture, art, and entertainment, focusing on creativity, innovation, and diversity. Audiences can enjoy dance, theatre, and music performances by artists from around the world and gain insight into the world of scientific experiments and value-creating recycling workshops.

This year’s New European Bauhaus Festival includes the prestigious New European Bauhaus Prizes 2024 Ceremony. The awards will be presented in four categories: reconnection with nature; regaining a sense of belonging; prioritising the places and people that need it the most; shaping a circular industrial ecosystem and supporting life-cycle thinking. In the final stage of the competition, fifty finalists will compete, including applicants representing realized projects and innovative ideas.

For the first time, projects from Ukraine have been included alongside those from EU member states and Western Balkan countries. A Special Recognition to Ukraine’s Reconstruction and Recovery Effort will be given to projects and ideas that align with the values of the New European Bauhaus and actively contribute to Ukraine’s reconstruction,

recognizing and supporting Ukraine’s efforts and commitment to better reconstruction.

This year’s awards also pay particular attention to regions facing intensive socio-economic problems and where the transition to carbon neutrality poses the greatest challenge.

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Sources: Hungarian Conservative/europa.eu