This is Antwerp organized D.A.T.E. for the past four years, to showcase Antwerp's creative scene to the world. During this project, around 12 artists, photographers, designers, bloggers,... were invited to a week-long creative boot camp in Antwerp, every year. Away from the beaten track and thanks to the input of the local creative scene, these internationals discovered the city. Think of visits to art galleries, studio's, start-ups, workshops, bike rides, meetings with local creatives, brainstorms with local entrepreneurs and more.

The past editions of D.A.T.E. brought a total of 55 creatives and writers to Antwerp. Straight outta places like Tokyo, New York, Barcelona, London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Kiev, Los Angeles, Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris, Athens, Rotterdam, Milan, Rome, Budapest, Tel Aviv and more.

From May 20 to May 24, we organize D.A.T.E. for the fifth year in a row. For this birthday edition, 12 creatives from previous editions got invited back. For an ultimate D.A.T.E., during which we'll delve deeper into the local scene and show the best Antwerp has to offer to the world.

• Dennis De Groot (NL)
• Robin Cox (NL)
• Shirin Mirachor (NL)
• Nabil Nadifi (FR)
• Tom May (UK) 
• Alessandre Genualdo (UK/IT)
• José Antonio Roda (ES) 
• Björn Lapakko (US/EE) 
• Réka Pasztor Turak (HU)
• Luca Ponticelli (UK/IT)
• Pawel Nolbert (PL)

Since it's not the first time these internationals visit Antwerp, they'll experience the city more intense than ever before. They'll be split up in four teams that'll each explore one specific theme in depth: graphic design, art, tech & innovation and urban culture. Each team will put together its own schedule, in collaboration with a local creative:

Pieter Boels: Graphic design

Jelle Spruyt: Art

Jonathan Stuyven: Tech & Innovation

David Tricot: Urban culture

After discovering the city within their own team, all internationals and locals will get back to creative hub Onder Stroom - the D.A.T.E. HQ - each night. There they'll work on a limited edition art book, with the This is Antwerp locals and under the supervision of art director Bert Depuydt, This is Antwerp's graphic designer An Eisendrath and This is Antwerp's editor-in-chief Jasper Kuylen.

This collector's item will contain all their Antwerp experiences, impressions, stories, encounters,... in a unique way. Resulting into an extraordinary representation of Antwerp as a creative city.

You can follow all D.A.T.E. adventures right here, on our Facebook page and in our Instagram stories.

Oh, and stay tuned: we're planning to celebrate the fifth year of D.A.T.E. together with you. You can already save the date: May 24, 2019. It's gonna be BIG.