Privacytopia Festival

Mission statement

Privacytopia is a project developed by a Belgian NGO (Privacy Salon vzw) affiliated to the Free University of Brussels (VUB).

We have 16 years of experience in event organisation on the topic of privacy and data protection. We run the international Computer, Privacy and Data Protection conference in Brussels (CPDP) and have, since 2013, been organising exhibitions in collaboration with international artists and arts organisations. The fusion of academic and artistic work within the realm of privacy and data protection is a unique and privileged situation. It brings world class researchers from the law, tech and sociological world directly in contact with the practice of artists and curators.

Working on a sustainable formula to bring a positive and critical message to a wide audience lead us to the nomadic art festival concept, working in a new EU city each year. In collaboration with the partners and the board, we investigate where our goals are currently most valuable and where innovative ways of curating and research lead to the best results, considering how political, social, economic, (etc.) landscapes are subject to change.

Advisory Board

Prof. Mette Birkedal Bruun

Center for Privacy Studies/Kopenhagen Uni

Prof. Dr. Maarten Delbeke

History and Theory of Architecture at the Department of Architecture at ETH Zurich

Liv Vaisberg

Liv Vaisberg Office for Art & Design

Jan Kempenaers

Artist

Marleen Wynants

Founder and advisor Crosstalks

Harry Halpin

CEO at Nym Technologies SA

Zeynep Kubat

Art historian, curator and writer

Els Wuyts

Curator Bruges Triennale

Eduard Fosch Villaronga

Assistant Professor at eLaw- Center for Law and Digital Technologie – Universiteit Leiden

Permanent staff

Thierry Vandenbussche

Executive Director, Art and Events Director. As a founding director of Privacytopia, Thierry Vandenbussche has guided the project through the start-up phase, in the midst of pandemic and beyond. He put all his experience in function of conceptualization, building the international network of partner cities and drawing the curatorial concepts.

Bianca Marcu

Co-director of Privacy Salon, Director of CPDP. Bianca Marcu holds a Master’s degree in International Law from Maastricht University, where she specialised in Human Rights Law. As a director of CPDP she brings the academic and tech network to the arts festival. Bianca coordinates legal & governance, hospitality and human resources.

Tabea Wagner

Head of Communication, Marketing and Publications. While finishing a Master of the Erasmus Mundus program “Digital Communication Leadership” at the University Salzburg and VUB, Tabea joined the Privacy Salon team, working on communications and marketing, including digital strategy and copywriting as well as developing the brand identity.

Karin Neukermans

Head of finances. Having built a solid and extensive experience in the field of accounting, in 2016 Karin joined Privacy Salon. She is currently dealing with administrative and financial matters on part-time basis. The rest of the time, Karin is pursuing her dream – the Finca San Vicente Bed & Breakfast in Colombia. Internship collaborations with VUB, UA, IMSISS. Please reach out for inquiries.