ARTnews Ranks Closure of M HKA Among Top 25 "Defining Art Events of 2025"

3 December 2025 - 9:59 pm – Statement of Support

A notable acknowledgment of the international impact of local cultural policy

Antwerp, December 3, 2025 – The prestigious art magazine ARTnews, yesterday published its Top 25 "Defining Art Events of 2025". Notably, the Flemish government’s decision to dismantle Antwerp’s M HKA ranks twentieth on the list. According to ARTnews, it is rare for a museum to close without clear financial reasons—yet that is exactly what happened this year to M HKA, Belgium’s oldest museum of contemporary art.

A Controversial Restructuring

The Flemish government did not cite budgetary issues as the reason for closure (though the M HKA’s earlier plans for a €130 million new building were rejected). Instead, the decision is part of a major restructuring of the cultural landscape. The M HKA will be transformed into a Kunsthalle-style organization, while its collection of 8,000 works—documenting Antwerp’s pivotal role in 20th-century art—will be transferred to S.M.A.K. in Ghent. The restructuring, expected to be completed by 2028, aims to create three museum clusters to "more evenly distribute" cultural offerings across Flanders.

Widespread Protest

The decision sparked fierce criticism, including from two museum associations and renowned artists such as Luc Tuymans, who urged the government to reverse its decision. Critics highlight the loss of a unique institution and the risks to the preservation of Antwerp’s artistic heritage.

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