The richness of Belgian audio-visual archives on jazz
World Audio-visual Archives Day on 27 October is an opportunity to celebrate and revisit the rich collections made available to us by Belgian institutions. Each of these resources contributes to keeping jazz alive and passing it on to future generations.
SONUMA is the company responsible for preserving the RTBF archives. Founded in 2009, it is dedicated to preserving, restoring and promoting a vast radio and television heritage. All of this heritage is available to the public on its website. Search for the word ‘jazz’ and you'll find programmes and historic concerts by Belgian and international artists.
Het Archief is the Flemish equivalent of SONUMA, managed by the Flemish Institute for Sound and Audiovisual Heritage (VIAA). Het Archief also offers a digital portal accessible to researchers and the public, enabling them to search for audio-visual recordings. A search on the word ‘jazz’ can also be used to find old broadcasts and concerts by Belgian and foreign artists.
Located in the city of Liège, the Maison du Jazz is an institution dedicated to the memory of jazz. It houses unique archives, including recordings, photographs and documents relating to festivals and concerts that can be consulted by the public and researchers. The Maison du Jazz regularly organises conferences and video evenings to showcase this heritage.
Via its website and consultation points in various libraries, PointCulture is a multi-disciplinary cultural space which also makes available audiovisual archives on jazz: recordings, films and archive documents are available for hire.
In Dendermonde, the Jazz Centrum Vlaanderen is another resource for jazz enthusiasts and researchers. The centre offers a collection of documents, recordings and memorabilia that bear witness to the vitality of jazz in Flanders. The centre also organises exhibitions and conferences on jazz in Belgium.