Brussels' Kanal Museum Opens November 28 Amid Funding Doubts and Leadership Change

Kanal, Brussels' inaugural major museum dedicated to Modern and contemporary art, is set to launch on 28 November in a repurposed Citroën garage, offering 40,000 sq. m of exhibition and public areas. This €230 million initiative, revealed in 2013, has encountered backlash over its collaboration with the Centre Pompidou, which involves borrowing artworks for five years at a cost of €2 million each year. Yves Goldstein, the managing director, will resign on 30 November. Financial support remains precarious, with an additional €60 million loan acquired this year and public funding projected at €28 million in 2026, decreasing to €10 million by 2029. The museum plans to showcase over 300 pieces, with 15% sourced from local collections. Critics express concerns about its partnerships, including the one with Pompidou, while Redzisz anticipates 550,000 visitors annually by 2030.