about hetpaleis

Karolina Maruszak

Located in the heart of Antwerp, hetpaleis is the largest performing arts centre for children and young people in Benelux. hetpaleis creates and presents performing arts productions for a young audience, deliberately staging them in its main theatre. It creates high-quality, contemporary productions that are accessible to a wide and diverse audience, and encourages and guides artists as they develop the craftsmanship of creating performances for a young audience. Interaction with a young, diverse, urban audience is at the heart of everything hetpaleis does.

hetpaleis is the premier home for the children of today and the adults of tomorrow; as spectators, as discussion partners, as participants and as young artists.


In a nutshell:

  • hetpaleis creates around four new productions each year for the main theatre.
  • hetpaleis stages an average of 250 performances in its own theatre each year for around 50,000 spectators; for the shows we take on the road, we present an average of 100 performances each year for over 20,000 spectators.
  • hetpaleis does extensive educational work with schools, both in its own theatre and on location.
  • hetpaleis has a residency programme where artists can experiment in their work for a young audience.
  • Each year, around 55 permanent staff, hundreds of freelance staff and artists, more than 50 attendants (in the bar, in the childcare centre and on audience hosting duties) work at hetpaleis
  • More then 20 children and youngsters are involved in a participatory long-term involvement in the policy and organization as a hetpaleis-ambassador.