A tribute to wonder. That is what Caroline Pauwels, former Rector of the VUB and curator of TAZ#2021, sadly left us with in 2022. Not only through her book of the same name, but also through her warm personality and her curious, remarkable way of looking at the world. With the Caroline Pauwels Fellowship for Wonder, we want to keep her legacy alive. The VUB, KVS, TAZ and deAuteurs are joining forces to give artists and scientists the space to meet, exchange ideas and explore new connections.
The laureates of this second edition? Actress, writer and theatre-maker Britt Bakker and Eveline Peeters, who is part of the Microbiology Research Group (MICR) at the VUB.
From the jury report:
“The 2026 Caroline Pauwels Fellowship for Wonder is awarded to Britt Bakker for the originality and strong research focus of her project. In collaboration with Eveline Peeters of the Microbiology Research Group (MICR) at the VUB, she explores how insights from microbiology can give rise to new artistic forms, bringing performance, visual art and experimentation together. The jury strongly believes in the potential of this cross-disciplinary exchange, as well as in Bakker’s personal fascination and her ability to further develop her own artistic language. The fellowship provides her with the necessary time, freedom and resources to pursue this research in the depth it requires, without production pressure or a predetermined end result.”
Last year, the first Caroline Pauwels Fellowship for Wonder was awarded to KVS Face Martha Balthazar and Leon Adriaensen, a physicist and climate scientist. Their collaboration resulted in the performance Aha, which premiered successfully at TAZ#2026 this summer and will also be presented at KVS during this theatre season.
Read the full article HERE
Following the success of the first edition, the fellowship has been given a renewed format for its second edition. The budget has increased, with an even stronger focus on development, research and collaboration between artist and scientist. No rush to produce an outcome, but space to explore. No predetermined endpoint, but a process in which ideas can collide, shift and grow.
Caroline Pauwels firmly believed in the power of wonder. For her, creativity was impossible without curiosity. Through this fellowship, we encourage artists and scientists to come together and forge new connections between art and science.
Bakker and Peeters will receive a financial contribution of €20,000, provided by deAuteurs and the VUB. They will also have access to residency facilities and dramaturgical support from KVS, as well as practical, logistical, technical and administrative support from TAZ.
We warmly congratulate Britt and Eveline and look forward with curiosity and wonder to TAZ#2027, where their creation will premiere.
For more information about the Caroline Pauwels Fellowship for Wonder, click HERE.
