In 2021, several train anniversaries were celebrated*: a spectacular opportunity for europalia to dedicate an edition of its festival to an invention that shaped society and appears to be playing a leading role again today.

EUROPALIA TRAINS & TRACKS presented more than 70 different projects — primarily new creations and residencies — spread across art institutions but also in stations and trains, both in Belgium and neighbouring countries. In addition to stations in Brussels, those of Antwerp-Central, Liège-Guillemins, Bruges, Verviers-Central, Leuven, Ronse, Louvain-La-Neuve and Ostend, as well as trains across the country and in Europe, became unexpected settings for concerts, slam poetry, literary encounters, performances and operas.

The starting point of the multidisciplinary programme was the train’s impact on society. We also worked around themes of time and movement, encounters and farewells, concepts that are closely linked to the world of trains and which opened broader perspectives. TRAINS & TRACKS looked at the intriguing past of the train and thus of Europe, questioning and exploring the public space of stations and their myriad of passers-by. To this end, europalia invited artists from various disciplines to engage with a broad public—accidental passers-by, train buffs, commuters, tourists and art lovers. The programme also addressed the future of the train and its growing role in sustainable travel. Young people participated in workshops and debated with policymakers on the question of what they thought Europe’s railways could or should look like in the future.