Sign up now: Frankfurt World Design Capital 2026 inspiration trip

Tuesday – Arrival & Immersive Design

Morning
Travelling to Frankfurt by train (departure at 8:25 in Brussels).

Noon
Arrival at Frankfurt, check in and lunch, offering a first opportunity to connect with fellow participants.

Afternoon
We visit MESO Digital Interiors, a leading studio in immersive and interactive design. Known for creating media installations for museums and public spaces, MESO shows how technology, storytelling, and spatial design come together to create impactful visitor experiences.

We continue with a visit to one of the main World Design Capital (WDC) venues, Danzig am Platz, where we explore showcases focused on new approaches to urban living. The visit concludes with an informal networking moment, bringing us together with the WDC team and regional creative ecosystem over a drink.

Evening
Dinner

Wednesday – Creative Ecosystems & Design for Society

Morning
We explore Offenbach’s creative scene, meeting local designers and discovering its dynamic, cross-disciplinary ecosystem during an Open Studio’s walk.

Noon
Lunch in Offenbach.

Afternoon
At the WDC Hub, located in the Museum Angewandte Kunst Frankfurt, we explore exhibitions such as Design for Democracy, showcasing how design can address social and civic challenges. The WDC 2026 team joins us to present their approach and share insights from their creative programme year.

Evening
We attend an exhibition opening party at Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, exploring artistic perspectives on AI and digital culture, followed by dinner.

Thursday – Heritage, Research & Design Practice

Morning
We visit the Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt, a unique UNESCO site where early modernist architects and designers shaped a “total work of art” in Jugendstil. The exhibition A Step Ahead uses AI and 3D visualisation to reimagine historic shows, offering new ways to experience and reinterpret design heritage.

Noon
Lunch in Darmstadt.

Afternoon
We discover the Designhaus Darmstadt and INTEF – Institut für Neue Technische Form, where design connects with research, industry, and everyday applications.

We return by train to Belgium. (16:34 Frankfurt - 19:35 Brussels)

Practical: 

• 09/06 departure at 08:25 in Brussels and arrival in Frankfurt at 11:27
• 11/06 departure at 16:34 in Frankfurt and arrival in Brussels at 19:35
• We stay at the Ruby Louise Hotel, that combines 19th-century elegance with contemporary urban design, offering a centrally located experience with a vibrant bar and rooftop terrace overlooking the city skyline.
• The trip can be extended on your own initiative to include participation to the “Forward Festival” on June 11 (after the programme) and 12.

Costs

• 650 EUR per person (thanks to the support of Interreg Flanders - Wallonie - France).
• The price includes transport from Brussels to Frankfurt and back, local visits and transport, breakfast, lunch and dinner in Frankfurt, taxes and insurance.
• Not included: travel to and from Brussels.

This ‘Trip of the Future’ is organised as part of Creativ’Up. This Interreg France Wallonie Vlaanderen project aims to strengthen the cultural and creative sector in formulating a response to contemporary societal challenges, by supporting (technological) innovation in the cultural and creative sector through, amongst other things, cross-border inspiration and networking. This trip will bring together creative professionals from Wallonia, Flanders and Northern France.

*Information for participating companies

Participation in the Creativ’Up inspiration trip to Frankfurt is partially reimbursed by the project to the tune of 850 euros (excl. VAT): participating companies therefore do not pay the full cost of participation for the organisation of the programme (visits, business meetings, networking activities, etc.).

Under the European rules applicable to Interreg-funded projects, this reimbursement is considered indirect aid to the company, which falls under the State aid scheme – Article 20a. This scheme allows for support to be provided to companies that benefit from activities offered by the project (workshops, training courses, mentoring, inspirational trips, etc.).

For the trip to Frankfurt organised as part of the Creativ’Up project, the total amount of aid that may be granted to a company in this context is €850 (excl. VAT). Participation in the trip is then valued as an amount corresponding to the indirect support received by the company, in accordance with the obligations of the European programme. You will then receive a certificate. The remaining amount of €650 (excl. VAT) is payable by the company and will be invoiced by Designregio Kortrijk.