Skip to content
TBK_0447-Enhanced-NR (1)

The Team

Various Voices Brussels 2026 asbl

Various Voices is a not-for-profit socio-cultural event. The non-profit association (ASBL) organising the event was formed in 2022 to set the festival apart from other Sing Out Brussels! projects.

Simon Paco

Actor, performer and costum designer, Simon Paco is the artistic director of the festival. They have previously directed several productions: Antigone(s), Sunset Boulevard, The Initiator, My Fair Lady, Elisabeth, A German Life. As a queer person themself, they were looking for an opportunity to be actively involved in an LGBTQIA+ project and responded enthusiastically to our proposal to collaborate!

Emily Allison

Jazz singer, composer and arranger, Emily is the festival’s Musical Director. She co-created ensembles LIFT (2014 album), Songs of Old (2020 album), Treehouse Days, and sings as part of Parisian vocal group EXEKO. She has conducted Sing Out Brussels! since its creation.

Marina Belotti

Marina is a committed feminist actively involved in supporting LGBTQI+ rights. As a co-founder of Sing Out Brussels!, she has been part of large-scale arts and culture projects since 2018. With 20 years of professional experience in project management, Marina will be managing coordination with local, national and European authorities and taking care of our budget.

Christophe Cordier

Sing Out Brussels! co-founder Christophe has many years of experience managing choirs, organising events and raising funds. He has been actively involved in the Brussels LGBTQI+ community for 20 years and has built an extensive network in the Brussels area, as well as gaining experience coordinating large projects.

Julie Loriaux

Previously a member of the Legato Board, Julie brings her architect’s eye to the development of the festival, in particular when selecting venues. A co-founder of Sing Out Brussels!, she is also well-known in Brussels for “Cuir as Folk” nights where she performs as a drag king, so she will also be our link to the nightlife scene!

Julie Janssens

Julie has sung with Sing Out Brussels! since 2019 and has regularly produced audiovisual content for the choir. As a queer artist and activist, Julie strives to deconstruct gender stereotypes and to build a more inclusive world. Julie’s talent for logistics and professional experience will be assets as part of the team organising the festival.

Elli Tessier

Elli first attended Various Voices in Bologna, and that inspired him to get involved in organising the Brussels festival. As a trans person, Elli wants to build an inclusive festival where all the letters in the LGBTQI+ acronym have their place.

Walid Aissaoui

As an experienced tourist guide, Walid will make sure you don’t miss Brussels’ most surprising spots. He sings as a member of Sing Out Brussels! and creates choreography for the choir’s performances. His knowledge of the Brussels tourism sector and limitless creativity will be great assets to the team.

Damien Wauters

Damien has already taken part in three editions of Various Voices (Dublin, Munich and Bologna). He has followed the development of the Brussels project from the outset. As a young retiree, he would like to devote his free time to organising this wonderful human and musical adventure.

Damien Safie

Damien is a graphic designer and also teaches at ERG (Ecole supérieure des arts). He has been a member of Sing Out Brussels! since the beginning and creates visual materials for the choir. His contribution to the festival is its graphic identity, which was created in collaboration with his company Kidnap Your Designer.

Josephine Landgraf

Josephine’s background is in marketing and project management. Her organisational prowess and team spirit have proved invaluable in her role on the Board that runs Sing Out Brussels! She is joining the Various Voices team with the aim of making the festival more inclusive and sustainable.

Thomas Vilquin

As a lecturer at ULB’s La Cambre-Horta Architecture Faculty, Thomas’ focus is on sustainability. He brings this valuable experience to the team organising the festival. In his spare time, Thomas is a screenwriter and worked on Belgian queer webseries ‘La théorie du Y’.

Play Video

Sing out brussels!

Sing Out Brussels! (The Fabulous Queer Choir) will be hosting the Brussels edition of Various Voices, the European LGBTQI+ choir festival held every four years, with each edition organised by a different choir in a different city.

The candidate cities for Various Voices 2026, Brussels and Barcelona, submitted bid packs and application videos, and following a vote in 2021, Legato’s Board and member choirs selected Sing Out Brussels! as host.

Founded in 2018, Sing Out Brussels! is a community choir that respects each and every member’s identity. Our core values of kindness, freedom, transparency and solidarity are the foundation for all we do.

TBK_9515-Enhanced-NR (1)
thumbnail_IMG_5750

Our LGBTQI+ identity is deeply important to us. It feeds into how we recruit diverse singers, the way we choose our repertoire and the themes of our shows, how we make the choir a safer space through continuous reflection and improvement, who we decide to collaborate with, our presence at LGBTQI+ events in Brussels and the LGBTQI+ causes we support. Our membership accurately reflects Brussels’ international identity, with members coming from more than 20 countries and speaking 15 different languages.

Play Video

Legato

Bringing together more than 120 choirs and over 4000 singers from 20+ countries, Legato, the European Federation of LGBTQI+ Choirs, supports and oversees the organisation of the festival.

The first edition of the festival took place in Cologne in 1985 with four choirs from four countries taking part, while the most recent edition brought 110 choirs and 3500 singers to Bologna from 19 different countries.

Though Various Voices has grown, it has held on to its core identity: a festival that brings us together, touches our hearts, and promotes strong values. Scroll down for the best bits video from the 2018 festival in Munich.

Play Video

visit.brussels

Brussels’ tourist office has been developing a bespoke LGBTQI+ tourism strategy and has lent its support to Various Voices Brussels 2026. Our bid was drawn up in collaboration with its Convention Bureau.

Play Video