Today’s announcement of the guest artists by the Province of West Flanders, Westtoer and the 10 coastal municipalities marks the official launch of Beaufort27, the ninth edition of the Beaufort Triennial on the Coast. Beaufort27 will take place from 23 March to 7 November 2027. As the curator of this edition, Léo Marin (FR, 1987) is inviting 20 Belgian and international artists to create or exhibit a work that reflects the concept for this edition, ‘A Shared Horizon’.
The ninth edition of the Beaufort Triennial, Beaufort27, builds on the familiar elements: national and international visual artists creating unique artworks that are accessible and open to visitors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. From De Panne to Knokke-Heist, Beaufort27 presents 20 new works of art along the entire 67-kilometre Belgian coastline. The open-air exhibition is free to visit and brings contemporary art to a wide audience of culture lovers, coastal residents and tourists from home and abroad. The artistic creations engage in a dialogue with the natural environment of the coast and give a new meaning to the places in which they are exhibited.
Fotografiju ustupio Triennale Beaufort / Really shiny things that don’t really mean anything
A Shared Horizon – Léo Marin
In each edition, the appointed curator provides a new dimension to the story of the Beaufort Triennial with their own concept. Léo Marin is the first international curator of the Beaufort Triennial and is based in Lyon (FR). With his concept, ‘A Shared Horizon’, he invites everyone to not only see things differently, but also to look ahead together towards a shared future that is already evolving and being prepared on the Belgian coast.
Léo Marin, curator of Beaufort27: “For Beaufort27, I am inviting 20 artists to start by listening: to the coast, its inhabitants and the stories that reside there. The works arise from this encounter and the dialogue with the surroundings. As such, Beaufort27 becomes more than just an art trail: it becomes a shared space where local stories and contemporary issues come together. Art then invites us to reflect on what connects us today and, from the coast, to imagine the horizon we wish to share together tomorrow.”
For curator Léo Marin, the coast is much more than just the backdrop for Beaufort27. It is a vibrant environment where nature, heritage, tourism and everyday life are in constant interaction with each other. The horizon shifts in step with the tides, the seasons and the transformations that shape the coast. Building on this dynamic, Beaufort27 invites the artists and future visitors to reflect on our relationship with this place and on the future we wish to shape together.
20 national and international artists
The artistic selection comprises a mix of 20 artists in total, from both home and abroad.
The following artists are collaborating in Beaufort27:
– Cyrille André (FR) and Willem de Haan (NL) in De Panne
– Katleen Vinck (BE) and Olivier Beer (UK) in Koksijde-Oostduinkerke
– Brognon Rollin (BE/LUX) and Flora Moscovici (FR) in Nieuwpoort
– Eva L’Hoest (BE) and Daniel Nicolaevsky (BRA) in Middelkerke–Westende
– Kendell Geers (ZA/BE) and Ada (KZ/FR) in Ostend
– Joël Andrianomearisoa (MG/FR) and Delphine Reist (CH) in Bredene
– Noémie Sauve (FR) and Stefan Rinck (DE) in De Haan-Wenduine
– Capucine Vever (FR) and Michele Gabriele (IT) in Blankenberge
– Laurent Lacotte (FR) in Zeebrugge, alongside a second work curated and presented in collaboration with the Bruges Triennial 2027
– Elmgreen & Dragset (DK/NO) and Anne Wenzel (DE) in Knokke-Heist
West Flanders: the ultimate hotspot for experiencing art
“The Province of West Flanders recognises the great international appeal that Triennial Beaufort has for our province and for the Coast in particular. After 8 editions and a sculpture park featuring more than 50 works of art, we are convinced that the story is far from over. Through the Triennial by the Sea, we are, time and again, reinforcing our region’s reputation as the premier destination for experiencing contemporary art against a natural and dynamic public backdrop,” said Jurgen Vanlerberghe, Deputy for Tourism and Chair of Westtoer.
As well as showcasing 20 new works of art, spread across the 10 coastal municipalities, there will also be a focus on enhancing the visitor experience during the Beaufort Triennial. Themed walking and cycle routes link the new artworks with the existing ones. In addition, guided group tours of Beaufort27 are available.
During two Inspiration Days, the public can meet the participating artists and take part in workshops and additional activities to view and experience art from a fresh perspective.
Opening on 23 March 2027
Beaufort27 opens on Tuesday 23 March 2027, just before the start of the Flemish Easter holidays, and runs until 7 November 2027. Over 7 months, Beaufort27 invites you to explore it at your own pace.
“All twenty artists are currently hard at work creating their artworks for Beaufort27. When it comes to the materials and the creative process behind their works, we put them in touch with local businesses and organisations wherever possible, in order to help embed the festival in the region in this way too. The expertise and dedication of bronze foundries, quarries, concrete companies, engineering firms and all other possible sources of technical support in our region are crucial to Beaufort27, and also contribute to the appeal of this project. “For artists, it is often a revelation to work with materials that need to be able to withstand marine conditions,” says Mieke Dumont, coordinator of the Beaufort Triennial at Westtoer.
The Beaufort Triennial is part of COPPA
From 2027, the Beaufort Triennial will form part of COPPA, the new platform for contemporary art in public spaces, which was launched on 16 September 2026. Alongside the Beaufort Triennial, the Bruges Triennial, the Kortrijk Triennial and the Watou Arts Festival form part of COPPA (Contemporary Platform for Public Art in Flanders).
COPPA brings together the 4 existing West Flemish arts festivals to form a multifaceted arts scene that visitors will be able to explore from 2027 onwards. COPPA raises the profile of their shared ambition both nationally and internationally. For COPPA27, artist Joris Van de Moortel (BE) is creating a new artwork comprising 4 elements, spread across the Beaufort Triennial, the Bruges Triennial, the Kortrijk Triennial and the Watou Arts Festival. Each creation will have its own place within the festival’s own context, whilst together, the 4 works will form a recognisable and thematically coherent whole.
Further information: www.triennalebeaufort.be/en
Press pack featuring a presentation of the curator and participating artists via: www.triennalebeaufort.be/en/about-us/press-and-media
[izvor informacije Triennale Beaufort]
