The Team

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!

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 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.

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.

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 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 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.

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 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 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’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.

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’.