WE ARE THE NEXT GENERATION OPEN CALL
WE ARE THE NEXT GENERATION showcases the new generation of Belgian design talent.
The exhibition offers an overview of the strongest student projects from creative (higher) design education, selected by a professional jury.
In 2026, WE ARE THE NEXT GENERATION will take place at two venues:
- from 3 to 11 October during the festive reopening of the Design Museum Gent;
- from 27 October to 8 November at the WONDER Festival in Kortrijk
in a scenography by 22222 (Karel Burssens) and graphic design by Nana Esi (Atelier Brenda, in collaboration with Septian Priyatna).
On this page you can read all the terms and conditions and the return policy. Go straight to the registration form. Deadline 02.07.26!
WE ARE THE NEXT GENERATION
Since 2014, Designregio Kortrijk and its partners have been searching annually for the most promising Belgian design talent in product design, architecture, visual design and game design, through a showcase of the best student projects from creative design education (colleges and universities).
Take a look at WATNG through the years.
In 2025, the exhibition welcomed over 18,000 visitors.
Students can now submit their student projects for consideration using the form at the bottom of this page (deadline: Thursday 2 July 2026).
Two exhibitions in 2026: Ghent & Kortrijk
In 2026, WE ARE THE NEXT GENERATION will take place at two venues:
1. 3 to 11 October 2026 in Ghent
As part of the festive reopening of Design Museum Gent, WE ARE THE NEXT GENERATION will feature as a key exhibition within the programme.
Under the banner of Design Fest Gent, Design Museum Gent will take to the streets during the grand reopening with a multi-day festival that connects design with today’s social and environmental challenges. Throughout the city, visitors will discover workshops, talks, exhibitions and encounters.
Location: Ghent
The Ghent exhibition takes place at Broei, Nieuwland 69. Broei is an open-house venue where organisations working with young people are given space and support to create, experiment and explore.
2. 16 October to 2 November 2026 in Kortrijk
WE ARE THE NEXT GENERATION is once again part of the WONDER Creativity Festival, which from 27 October to 8 November 2026 brings together creative talent from across Belgium in an inspiring journey through Kortrijk, a UNESCO City of Design.
WONDER is a vibrant platform and connector for design, technology, innovation and art. In 2025, 65 exhibitions and installations across 34 venues attracted more than 18,000 visitors. With over 500 designers, creatives, companies and artists, the festival explored how imagination, courage and enthusiasm can contribute to a more human and sustainable vision of the future.
WONDER is organised by Designregio Kortrijk, in collaboration with numerous partners.
Location: Kortrijk
As in previous years, the WATNG exhibition will be held on the ground floor of the Budafabriek, Dam 2a. The exhibition is one of the festival’s main exhibitions.
Design Nation
A limited selection of projects chosen for the exhibition in Ghent or Kortrijk will also be presented at Design Nation on 15 and 16 October 2026. Design Nation is a leading interior design fair at Kortrijk Xpo where design professionals can discover innovations from the world of interior design.
One concept, two exhibitions
Although there are two separate exhibitions, they are based on a single shared concept. The selected projects will be presented as part of a spatial and visual installation, with scenography by 22222 (Karel Burssens) and graphic design by Nana Esi (Atelier Brenda, in collaboration with Septian Priyatna).
The jury will decide which work goes to which location. Your work will therefore be shown in Ghent OR in Kortrijk. The jury will also decide who is eligible for presentation at Design Nation.
Who can participate?
Students from the following programmes at Belgian colleges and universities:
Product design
Industrial product design, textiles, fashion, accessories, furniture design
Architecture
Interior, buildings, public space and landscapes
Visual design
Graphics and illustration, advertising design, web and digital
Game design
View all participants of last edition here or via via @wearethenextgeneration.be.
Conditions
- The student project must have been developed as part of a (creative) design course at a Belgian college or university during the 2025–2026 academic year.
- The projects will be assessed in the second week of July by a jury comprising representatives from Designregio Kortrijk, Design Museum Gent, Flanders District of Creativity, Design Nation and professionals from various design sectors. They will take into account the innovative nature, social relevance, sustainability and exhibitability of the project.
- The project must be delivered to and collected from Ghent or Kortrijk at a specific time by the entrant.
- We expect you to be present at specific times and at the festive opening of Design Fest Gent & WONDER Festival.
For all your questions, contact: lise@designregio-kortrijk.be
Return
- Participation is free!
- Your selected project will be included in one of the main exhibitions at Design Fest Gent or the WONDER festival and will be shown to thousands of visitors.
- The selected projects will be featured in the offline and online communications of WE ARE THE NEXT GENERATION, WONDER Creativity Festival, Design Museum Gent and Designregio Kortrijk.
- During the various festivals, exhibitors are also invited to a wide range of interesting networking and inspirational events.
- The exhibition is coordinated by Designregio Kortrijk, covering everything from scenography, copywriting and signage to photography, communications and press relations.
Timing
You can submit your student project until Thursday 2 July 2026.
The jury, comprising representatives from Designregio Kortrijk, Design Museum Gent, Flanders District of Creativity, Design Nation and professionals from various design sectors, will meet shortly after the deadline to select the projects for exhibition. By mid-July, you will be informed whether or not you have been selected and, if so, the location.
Communication regarding the exhibition will begin in early September. You and your school will receive all communication materials.
Application
In the registration form, we ask for the following:
- your contact details
- details of your school
- project information: a brief description; we’ll be looking at its social relevance, innovative nature, sustainability and whether you’ve collaborated with other parties
- insurance details
- your future plans and those of your project
and a link to:
- files supporting the design process and at least 3 high-resolution photos of the project
3 additional images: 1 photo of your favourite or most frequently used work tool and 2 photos showing your unedited, lived-in environment or the traces of your work; show us something in the making, in use, under strain or in transition, such as your workspace under pressure, a domestic scene during a deadline, or any fragment that reflects your practice.
All images must be submitted in a vertical 4:5 aspect ratio (Instagram standard). Avoid clean, stylised or portfolio-style images; we are looking for something lived-in, used and unfinished. No portraits.
The expo through the years
