Molenbeek 2030 non-profit to dissolve after failed culture bid

The non-profit organization Molenbeek 2030 is set to be dissolved by November 30, following its unsuccessful bid to become a European Capital of Culture for 2030. The Brussels-based candidacy, which lost the title to Leuven in September 2025, aimed to use culture as a tool for social and urban transformation through the concept of ‘Sadaka’, or generosity.

Former project commissioners Fatima Zibouh and Jan Goossens attributed the project's end to a lack of political engagement. Despite attempts to relaunch a scaled-down version of the initiative, the organization will wind down. The Brussels government has allocated €600,000 for 2026, a significant reduction from the €1.8 million provided in 2025, to facilitate the final administrative closure and the completion of a documentary regarding the candidacy process.