Guy VAN HANDENHOVE (BEL)

He began as General Buyer at Free Record Shop, where he oversaw purchasing operations and developed in-depth expertise in music markets and trends. He then joined EMI Edition Belgique, serving as Managing and Artistic Director for 17 years. In this strategic role, he led editorial development, supported songwriters and artists, and supervised the production and negotiation of music projects. He continued his career as an artist manager for five years before moving into cultural programming.

For the past 2.5 years, he has been Music Programmer at the Centre Culturel René Magritte (CCRM) in Lessines, where he curates a demanding and eclectic program aligned with current live music dynamics. The CCRM is a key cultural institution in the region, offering a multidisciplinary program (music, theatre, comedy, talks) and featuring a 450-seat main hall as well as a more intimate 200-seat venue. The centre is also associated with the Roots & Roses festival, a well-established event dedicated to roots, rock and Americana music.

Thanks to his cross-sector experience—industry, publishing, management and programming—Guy Van Handenhove brings a comprehensive vision of the artistic, economic and territorial challenges facing the music sector.

Active since 1992, the non-profit Court-Circuit – Pôle Musiques Actuelles is a federation of music venues, concert organizers, and festivals working towards the recognition, structuring, and professionalization of the pop music sector in Wallonia and Brussels. It also develops tools and initiatives that foster connections, exchanges, and opportunities between its members and musicians seeking to perform on professional and emerging stages.