Sophie Detremmerie

Sophie Detremmerie served as the Managing Director of Flanders Festival Brussels / Klarafestival for over 12 years, until 2019. Following this, she took on the role of organising the World Choir Games 2021 in Flanders, part of the Flemish Government's top events initiative. After successfully completing this major project in 2021, she went on to establish STROOM, a new festival set in the National Park of the Scheldt Valley, focused on climate change and sustainability. STROOM offers a platform for artists to voice their perspectives within a unique synergy of nature, culture, heritage, and tourism. The festival is. now ambassador on sustainable organisation for the festival world. 

Sophie holds degrees in Communication Sciences, Cultural Management, and Management for the Non-Profit and Social Sector from universities in Leuven and Antwerp, Belgium. With a broad expertise in the business and organisational aspects of festival management, she places particular emphasis on building strategic partnerships across both the private and public sectors.

She has closely observed the evolution of the sponsorship landscape, particularly the shift towards cultural sponsorship, which now plays an integral role in the marketing strategies of brands. 

In addition to her professional achievements, Sophie has published articles on Marketing and Classical Orchestras for the Flemish Management Association and is frequently quoted in the media. She is also a guest lecturer in Cultural Management at the Bruges Business School. Sophie currently serves as Vice-President of the European Festivals Association (EFA) and is a board member of The Festival Academy. Through these roles, she has gained a comprehensive and insightful perspective on the cultural sector at large.