4 Design Conferences to attend in Belgium 🇧🇪

Belgium is known for its chocolate, 'ugly houses', Tintin, and beer In the past decade, Belgium became the country to go to if you want to know what is next in any creative field.

From multi-day festivals exploring the intersection of art, science, and technology to one-day conferences on design and innovation, there is no shortage of exciting events in Belgium. Whether you are a designer, developer, or someone who loves creativity, there is something for everyone to discover. In this post, we highlight some of the most exciting design events in Belgium and help you find the perfect conference to attend.

KIKK Festival — Namur

KIKK Festival

KIKK Festivalis a multi-track festival at the intersection of art, science
and technology to explore the economic and artistic implications of new technologies.
The festival runs for 4 days, with a conference and pro meetings on 26 and 27 October. Two days of workshops and master classes on 28 and 29 October, and four days of exhibitions from 26 to 29 October.
📅 October 26-29, 2023
📍 Namur
🎓 Good for creators of all kinds…
🎟️ kikk.be
🎧 Related interview: Curator Marie du Chastel on curating and transforming KIKK Festival into a platform for creativity

SmashingConf — Antwerp

smashingconf antwerp

The brand new conference on design & UX by Smashing Magazine. The event is for designers and UI engineers who love the web. With a focus on design systems, usability, product design, and complex UI challenges, SmashingConf Antwerp at the Bourla will boost your design skills the smashing way.
📅 October October 9–11, 2023
📍 Antwerp
🎓 Good for digital designers and developers
🎟️ smashingconf.com

And& — Leuven

and& leuven
and& Photo: and&

Biennial and& focus in 2023 on start-ups & scale-ups at the intersection of health, high-tech, and creativity, curated for the curious. and& champions a well-selected collage of thinkers, inventors, entrepreneurs, citizens, and artists of all backgrounds. What to expect? No less than three vibrant days full of inspiration. A festive opening night at the Depot and two conference days at the M-Museum with national and international speakers, pitches, dinners, breakfast sessions, and much more.
📅 October May 2-4, 2023
📍 Leuven
🎓 Good for all kinds of creatives working in the start-up scene
🎟️ andleuven.com

Bump Festival — Kortrijk

Bump Festival

One-day creative conference focus on design, motion graphics, creative coding, and technological innovation. Bump is organized by the students at Devine, a bachalor Digital Design & Development part of The Royal Academy of Fine Arts and the Royal Conservatory.
📅 June 23, 2023
📍 Kortrijk
🎓 Good for digital creators of all kinds…
🎟️ bump-festival.be

To be announced

  • Fig. Festival International de Graphisme,
  • Integrated Conference
  • Antwerp Poster Festival

Besides these four major design conferences, there are numerous smaller events. Local organizations like Creative Network, Creative Belgium, and Flanders DC organize multiple events yearly in several cities across Belgium. Chapters of Creative Mornings in Brussels, Ghent, and Liege, organize events frequently as well.

Conclusion

As you can see, Belgium is a treasure trove of creativity and innovation, with events that are inclusive, community-focused, and designed to spark interaction and inspiration. Whether you attend a multi-day festival or a smaller meetup, you are sure to connect with like-minded people who share your passion for design and innovation. So mark your calendar and get ready for an unforgettable experience that will expand your skills and fuel your creativity. We hope you have found this guide useful and that it has inspired you to attend one of the many exciting design events in Belgium. And if we missed any events, please let us know - we'd love to hear from you!

All works and screenshots are property of their respective owners.

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