International Music Council elects Paul Dujardin as new President
Brisbane, 25 November 2013. – Mr. Paul Dujardin (Belgium) was today elected President of the International Music Council for a renewable mandate of two years. Mr. Dujardin replaces Mr. Frans de Ruiter from The Netherlands, who had served as president of the organisation since October 2009.
Mr. Dujardin is CEO and artistic director of the Centre for Fine Arts (BOZAR) in Brussels a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary arts center dedicated music, visual art, photography, film, theatre, dance, literature and architecture. He has helped to found and run a number of arts organisations, including the Euphonia Foundation for Music (which supports young creative talent), the Jubilate festival, the Culture et Democratie non-profit association, the Ictus Ensemble, the Jeune Philharmonie/Jonge Filharmonie youth orchestra, the Trento Foundation, the Mont des Arts/Kunstberg non-profit association, and the Queen Elisabeth Foundation.
Moreover, he is or has been an advisor to or board member of Musiques Présentes, the Flemish Music Council, the Friends of the Royal Brussels Conservatory (Dutch-language section), the Brussels Youth Orchestra, the Belgian Wagner Association, the European Yehudi Menuhin Foundation, the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition of Belgium, and Venezia Viva.
Paul Dujardin represents the Centre for Fine Arts Brussels in various platforms, such as the European Festivals Association (EFA), the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO), the International Society of Performing Arts (ISPA), the Réseau Européen de Musique Ancienne (R.E.M.A.) and ASEMUS – Asia-Europe Museum Network.
From 1992 to 2002 Paul Dujardin was the CEO of the Société Philharmonique de Bruxelles, prior to which he was, among others, in charge of the annual festival “Ars Musica” dedicated to contemporary music.
He dedicates his special interest to creating dialogue between the arts and the political spheres. He has succeeded in developing BOZAR as an Agora, a platform to initiate debate between citizens, the arts, decision-makers and other sectors.
As President of the International Music Council, Mr. Dujardin will lead a 12-member Executive Board made up of representatives from Africa, the Americas, the Arab World, Asia and Europe.
The International Music Council is the world’s leading membership-based professional organisation dedicated to the promotion of the value of music in the lives of all peoples. The mission of IMC is to develop sustainable music sectors worldwide, to create awareness about the value of music, to be the voice for music, to make music matter throughout the fabric of society and to uphold basic music rights in all countries. The IMC brings together local, national, regional and international music organisations and networks in 150 countries across the world. It is recognized by UNESCO as NGO official partner (associate status).