Champ d’Action is not really an “ensemble”.

It used to be, but has – over the last few years – transformed itself into a production house that makes all kinds of contemporary art productions. Champ d’Action “doesn’t perform scores”, and doesn’t have a core of musicians. It is a platform where dancers, choreographers, designers etc. work together on multi collaborative performance productions - that always include music, though.

Champ d'Action was founded in 1988 by Antwerp composer Serge Verstockt, who still leads the ensemble today.  It was the first Flemish structural subsidized ensemble that solely focused on contemporary music. The ensemble played an important role in the performance of the Flemish and international contemporary repertoire, and has today transformed itself into more than merely an ensemble, thus maintaining the role as a pioneer in the by now drastically changed music scene.

Productions from Champ d'Action may have an uncompromising element of anarchy and surprise, but all the more has a welcoming impact on the audience. Like for instance a museum concert that started in the morning and lasted the whole day. Some musicians played here, some there, some together, some alone. Music and performance was wowen into the exhibition, ending with all musicians playing a piece together at the end of the day.

In the NewAud project Champ d’Action continued their search for new settings for contemporary music, and they brought with them a strong knowledge of creative processes, or as Serge Verstockt said: “We always start from a creative idea  - and not from a score!”