The National Lottery: a driving force behind classical music

For many years, the National Lottery has been a structural partner of the Belgian National Orchestra. Together, they share an important mission: to make classical music accessible to a wide audience while strengthening Belgium’s international reputation as a leading cultural nation. Thanks to this long-term partnership, the Belgian National Orchestra has the means to achieve artistic excellence, nurture new talent, and bring to life ambitious projects that showcase Belgium on the world stage.

What does culture mean to the National Lottery?

Every year, the Belgian National Lottery reinvests 100% of its profits back into society. A significant share goes directly to culture: from major museums and art houses to contemporary festivals, the support of young talent and, of course… the Belgian National Orchestra.

What many don’t know is that the Lottery itself is part of cultural heritage – intangible heritage, to be precise. In 1441, the very first “modern” lottery on the European mainland was held on Bruges’ Market Square. The aim? To fund public works without raising new taxes. Citizens bought tickets, giving them a chance to win prizes but also official posts or privileges. This early model of participatory financing was an immediate success and was soon adopted by other European cities.

The word “lottery” – derived from the Bruges term lotinghe, itself coming from lot (chance, fate, destiny) – quickly grew into a global concept. Over the centuries, lotteries took many forms, but their social dimension always remained. With the creation of the Belgian National Lottery in 1934, this age-old system became sustainable and transparent. Since then, 100% of its profits have been returned to society every year, supporting hundreds of projects in sport, science, solidarity and, naturally, culture.

How does the National Lottery see the role of (classical) music in society?

The National Lottery has long been a structural partner of leading classical music institutions such as Flagey, Bozar, the Queen Elisabeth Competition, the Festivals of Flanders and the Festivals of Wallonia.

But our support goes further. We also invest in festivals like Klassiek in’t Groen and the Stroom Festival, as well as in social impact projects led by Concertgebouw Brugge and the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel. This broad range of partnerships reflects our conviction that culture must be present wherever our players are: wide-reaching and accessible.

That’s why we also support other genres, from jazz and folk to electronic music. The same applies to our sponsorship policy. With Win For Life, we are present at nearly every major music festival, and through Lotto we support young Belgian talent in both sport and music.

The National Lottery supports countless projects in Belgium. What makes this partnership special? What impact do you aim for?

The National Lottery and the Belgian National Orchestra share a unique DNA. In Belgium, cultural policy is largely organised at the regional level, but both of us continue to operate at the federal level. This gives our partnership a special character. It is also why we partner with institutions such as La Monnaie and Bozar – in a role similar to our involvement in sport.

We see the Belgian National Orchestra as a cultural flagship for the entire country, much like our partnerships with the Olympic team or the Red Devils. The orchestra represents not only artistic excellence, but also national prestige – something we can all be proud of.

We are especially proud that our structural support helps strengthen the BNO’s international profile. A foreign tour – such as the one to Korea – enhances not just the reputation of the orchestra, but also that of Belgium as a cultural nation. Our support remains local, but its impact reaches far beyond our borders.