The Wallonia Heritage Agency (AWaP) is a government department in the Wallonia Region in the southern part of Belgium. The Agency’s remit includes studying and preserving heritage, restoring properties and finding new uses for them, and showcasing and promoting listed heritage in Wallonia. Created in 1999 as the “Wallonia Heritage Institute”, it is now being merged with the Heritage Department to create a new government agency.
The Agency has a public mission to protect and conserve heritage (buildings, sites, archaeological remains, excavations…). It also develops knowledge (helping the owners of private and public listed monuments to restore their properties and, in some cases, to plan for a change of use for the building). It pursues a heritage awareness policy, manages two Heritage Skills Centres and oversees the development of regional monuments. It also organises Heritage Open Days every year in September to promote various aspects of Wallonia.
Most of the listed buildings for which the Agency is responsible are in need of major investment to pay for their restoration or preservation. The Agency tries to secure different sources of funding as well as government grants to enable it to save and promote heritage.
The Agency has a team of art historians, archaeologists, architects, lawyers, technicians and office and communications staff.
Wallonia Heritage Agency
Rue des Brigades d’Irlande, 1
B 5100 Jambes
Belgium
www.awap.be
www.walloniaheritage.com