festivals & city projects
Our young audiences are more than just spectators. In fact, we believe the world would be a better place if children could help shape it. That is why we develop festivals and city projects that give children opportunities to practise and take part in that process.
A1000
city project - October 2024
On 3 October 2024, A1000 took place, a large-scale student parliament where young people, after an intensive preparatory process, engaged directly in debate with each other and with key figures from Antwerp’s political leadership. In this way, they formulated concrete recommendations for the new city government.
Volt FESTIVAL
festival - April 2025
Volt FESTIVAL is a unique performing arts festival created by the theatre houses hetpaleis, BRONKS, and KOPERGIETERY, in which children and young people take on all roles: performer, maker, reporter, programmer, and audience. The programme consists entirely of performances they have created, performed, and experienced.
For the very first edition of Volt, Antwerp and hetpaleis formed the festival’s vibrant hub. In 2026, Brussels and BRONKS will take over, after which the festival will move on to KOPERGIETERY in Ghent.
community project hetdoek
city project - January 2023 until February 2024
On 28 January 2023, in the company of both well-known and lesser-known Antwerp residents, the first stitch of hetdoek was made. It marked the starting point of a true city-wide project.
The large studio of hetpaleis was transformed into a meeting atelier. At two large embroidery tables, visitors could leave a stitched trace using one of 52 different thread colours. Everyone was welcome. Primary and secondary school classes, NT2 education groups, youth organisations, reception and care centres, families, friends, couples, and passers-by… people from more than sixty different countries, the youngest two years old and the oldest ninety-four, all leaned over the new theatre curtain with needle and thread.
Just as we had dreamed beforehand, encounters, conversations, and friendships emerged—and last but not least, a beautiful new theatre curtain came into being, with coloured traces that reflect the city’s diversity like no other.
In this way, hetdoek slowly grew into a work full of spontaneous, often wordless encounters. The result is an overwhelming, monumental textile artwork, created by society itself.
partner for several theatre festivals
hetpaleis wouldn’t be hetpaleis if we didn’t remain a loyal partner to a number of established theatre festivals.
- Each season, we are part of the programme of the Love At First Sight Festival and BRUIST, where we co-curate performances for a young audience.
- For het TheaterFestival and the Theatre Schools Festival, we serve as a regular venue partner.