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What can you receive?

OPENDOEK offers recognition for important milestones within the leisure‑time theatre sector. Theatre groups in Flanders or Brussels that reach a milestone year (25, 50, 75, 100 or any multiple of 25) can be honoured with a work of art to mark the occasion.

Members who have been active in community theatre for 15, 25 or 50 years can be recognised with the coffee table book Het Bankje (from 15 years) and a pin (silver for 25 years, gold for 50 years). Years of activity may be spread across different groups, even if the person was not an OPENDOEK member at the time. At the moment of the celebration, the person must be affiliated with OPENDOEK.

Gift

Publication ‘Het Bankje’ for individual honours

In the summers of 2020, 2021 and 2022, OPENDOEK organised the podcast project Het Bankje in collaboration with Creatief Schrijven and Kunstwerkt. All dialogues and artworks created for this project are now collected in a coffee table book. This publication is given as a gift to every person who is honoured.

Artwork for group celebrations

The Mechelen based artist Obed Vleugels has created a screen print especially for OPENDOEK, which he prints by hand. He started from a set of keywords we provided, all linked to what a celebration is about. Words like together, creativity, recognition, thanks, passion, and expression. In his screen print work, Obed Vleugels brings very different shapes together in compositions that appear simple at first sight. He often uses fragments of old photos and raster patterns.

Medals and national honours

Department of Culture, Youth and Media

The Flemish and Federal Government award distinctions for cultural contribution. These include medals and national honours. You can find more information on the website of the Department of Culture, Youth and Media. All communication about these honours happens directly with the government, not through OPENDOEK.

(Tip: invite your local authority to present the medal or national honour during your celebration.)

Obtaining the title ‘Royal’ — Associations with more than 50 years of uninterrupted activity

The request for the title Royal must be submitted by letter, on paper, using the association’s letterhead and signed by the chair, including their full name and private address. The letter must also include the following elements:

A copy of the statutes (for a non‑profit) or the internal regulations (for an informal association)
A copy from the Belgian Official Gazette confirming the founding of the association, or proof that the association has existed for 50 years (newspaper clippings, a certificate from the mayor, …)
The address of the association
The address and telephone number of the registered office
First names, surnames and addresses of all members of the executive board
The objectives of the past 50 years
The history of the association (notable events)
An activity report of the past five years
Publications from the past five years
The financial situation, including annual accounts of the past five years
Future projects
The current number of active members and supporters (addresses not required)
Federations or organisations the association is part of, including the name and first name of the chair of that organisation
Any official recognition of the association by public institutions (and the amount of granted subsidies)

Send the letter to:

Koninklijk Paleis
Brederodestraat 16
1000 Brussel

If the request is approved by the Chief of Cabinet, a non‑profit association is not obliged to change its official name. If the association chooses to do so, the statutes must be amended and published in the Belgian Official Gazette. From that moment on, the new name must be used in all official communications.

Celebrations