The prize, an initiative of Openbaar Kunstbezit Vlaanderen, an art magazine, and financially supported by the international law firm Linklaters, recognises the achievements of museums in Flanders, Brussels and Wallonia. The focus of the prize is on accessibility, and nominees are rated by the extent to which they are innovative, actively involve the audience, and make an effort to attract children and groups with a variety of disabilities. They not only compete for the main jury prize, but also for recognition both from the public and from children. The winner in the last category is the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent.

For Luc Delrue, director of “M”, the double win was particularly satisfying. “I don’t think it will happen again anytime soon,” he said. “It’s wonderful to see that both the public and the professional world support you.” The museum has only been open since September 2009, and the jury highlighted the speed with which it has established itself. Delrue is aware that “M” has been criticized for being too popular in its approach, he said, and the award confirms that the right choices have been made internally and externally. Its public services are central to the way the museum works, and this was duly noted by the jury. Content is not being compromised, Delrue said, but the public role of the museum is that of an equal partner, not of a supporting act.

Speaking of museums in general, Delrue believes that they are increasingly aware of the social role they play. “It’s impossible to stay in your cocoon and wait for the people to come.” He thinks that “M”’s refusal to be like an ivory tower is what sets it apart. The idea that a museum should have a certain profile is still too dominant in institutional thinking, he said. Yet, in a society that is so fragmented, he believes that “the time of the profile is finished.”

The jury of the prize, presided over by the baron Jean-Pierre de Bandt, praised the way in which “M” confronted the past and present with its permanent collection and temporary exhibitions. It also highlighted its close cooperation with amateur artists and other cultural players in the city of Leuven. Delrue sees no contradiction in a programme that includes street art, 19th-century Romanticism and a summer music festival (called “M-idzomer”), which includes performances by the likes of John Cale and Gabriel Rios. For Delrue, it’s all about bringing people into contact with the museum, whether they are music fans, dedicated museum-goers or reluctant visitors looking for a drink.

In Brussels, the prize for best museum went to the Museum of Fine Arts of Elsene, the public prize to the Royal Army and Military History Museum, and the children’s prize to the Brussels Mill and Alimentation Museum, reflecting the mixed museum scene in Belgium.

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