Most events organised during the festival will be accessible to the public and many will be free. Various Voices wants to be open to the city and will go out to meet the people of Brussels – and they’ll even be invited to sing with us.
Creativity
Why wait until 2026 to kick off the fun and meet each other? We want to include the choirs and their members in the festival’s creative process, so we can build the main performances together.
Inclusion
We are committed to making sure everyone feels comfortable at the festival. This commitment will be formalised in a charter that will ensure the festival is safe, welcoming and enjoyable for all. It also means thinking about how we use languages, making sure venues are accessible and properly training our teams to ensure an LGBTQI+-friendly welcome.
Sustainability
Various Voices Brussels 2026 supports the Doughnut Model.
Optimised waste management, energy efficient buildings, local suppliers, and offsetting emissions, whether caused by the festival itself or by travel to Brussels, are core elements of the project.
Joy
Various Voices Brussels 2026 will be a happy event with a key focus on the joy of singing, meeting others, interacting and celebrating together.
Openness
The festival will show off the talent of LGBTQI+ choirs, Belgian culture and our European identity, with both humour and heart. We will use singing to fight discrimination and stand up for greater openness towards LGBTQI+ people.
Advocacy
The festival is being organised in the capital of the European Union and will convey a strong message to the nations of Europe: the LGBTQI+ community is under attack. Various Voices Brussels 2026 will question gender norms and identities, shift mentalities and awaken consciences.
Solidarity
We are committed to making the festival affordable by maximising income from sponsors and public-sector subsidies. This will enable us to provide a support programme for choirs from countries that are in economic difficulty or hostile to LGBTQI+ rights.
Diversity
As the EU capital, Brussels is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world with 185 nationalities and 105 languages spoken. The city also benefits from the rich diversity of its LGBTQI+ community, which will be given a welcome further boost for the 5 days of Various Voices in 2026.
