M HKA collection will not be moved to Ghent, says Culture minister Gennez

The collection of Antwerp’s Museum of Contemporary Art (M HKA) will not be “loaded onto trucks” and moved to Ghent, Flemish culture minister Caroline Gennez (Vooruit) clarified in parliament on Thursday.

In response to concerns about her recent museum reform, Gennez stated that Ghent’s S.M.A.K. would only be responsible for the Flemish Community’s contemporary art collection in terms of “collection care”, and that M HKA would retain access to all works and continue to exhibit them in Antwerp.

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Gennez stressed that the museum will neither be dismantled nor lose its cultural role. Instead, it will evolve into an international arts centre offering exhibitions, residencies, workshops and educational programmes. “Art that belongs in an Antwerp context will remain there,” she said, dismissing reports of a full transfer as “fake news”. The minister described the reform as a way to make Flanders’ fragmented museum landscape more coherent and visible internationally.

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She dismissed the notion of rivalry between Antwerp and Ghent, stating that the objective is “to bolster the museum sector throughout Flanders, not to incite a territorial dispute between cities”. She added that the reform is meant to ensure better support for artists and improved management of public art collections.

Gennez was sharply questioned by MPs. Also coalition partner CD&V criticised the lack of supporting studies and the perception that parliament had been sidelined. The minister replied that the decision followed years of evaluations and consultations with local authorities. The restructuring is expected to be finalised by 2028.

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