7 August – 4 September 2026
Who creates culture? Who gets to shape it? And where does culture live?
These questions form the starting point of FOR THE CULTURE, the 2026 edition of SUMMER OF MINO.
Bringing together artists, collectives and community initiatives, the programme unfolds across exhibitions, performances, workshops, conversations and public interventions throughout Antwerp.
Working across photography, collage, installation, painting, performance, comics, film and participatory practices, the participating artists reflect on memory, migration, identity, representation and belonging. Their works reveal culture not as a fixed heritage or singular narrative, but as something continuously negotiated through everyday life, lived experience and collective acts of making.
The exhibition recognises that culture is not only produced within museums or cultural institutions. It is sustained through artistic practices, oral traditions, neighbourhoods, community spaces, rituals and the relationships people build with one another. Extending beyond MINO into cafés, public space and cultural organisations across Antwerp, FOR THE CULTURE unfolds as a network of encounters.
Rather than asking who belongs within culture, FOR THE CULTURE begins from the recognition that culture is already being made—every day, by artists, communities and cultural practitioners who continue to shape it on their own terms.
Selected participants become part of an experimental and collaborative playground where ideas, practices and projects can be tested, shared and developed.
At MINO, we value process as much as outcome. We are not a traditional institution or presentation platform, but a space for experimentation, exchange, trial and error. We welcome work-in-progress, unfinished ideas and practices that are still evolving.
FOR THE CULTURE is built on reciprocity, generosity and collective learning. Participants are invited not only to share their work, but also to contribute to the conversations, exchanges and connections that emerge throughout the programme.
Please note that FOR THE CULTURE welcomes proposals based on existing work, ongoing projects or practices already in development. The programme does not provide artist fees or cover the production costs of creating new work.
> emerging artists and makers (roughly 0–8 years of professional practice)
> applicants between 18 and 35 years old
> visual artists, performers, filmmakers, musicians, designers, writers, chefs, spoken word artists and multidisciplinary practitioners
> curators, programmers, organisers and cultural workers
> community builders, grassroots initiatives and community-based practices
> collectives, informal groups and collaborative projects
> self-taught practitioners as well as makers with formal artistic training
> including both first-time presenters and those with experience sharing their work publicly..
> makers, collectives and initiatives based in or connected to Belgium
Selection process
Applications will be reviewed by the FOR THE CULTURE team together with partners, curators and cultural practitioners.
Following a first selection, a number of applicants may be invited for a conversation to further discuss their proposal and its potential place within the programme.
Applications will be evaluated based on:
> relevance to the themes of FOR THE CULTURE
> artistic quality and originality
> process-based and experimental approach
> connection to community, participation or contemporary culture
> feasibility within the context of the program
> openness to collaboration and exchange
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Program period: 24 July – 23 August 2026
Location: MINO, Minderbroedersrui 55, partner locations and the public space in Antwerp
Application deadline: 21 June 2026
Selected participants will be contacted in June 2026.
Please note! that you have to be available on 25 & 26 June for a live selection round at MINO Art Space. You have to be available 20-23 July for the build up, 24-26 August for the break down .
We aim to keep the application process accessible and flexible. Applications can be submitted in written, visual or audiovisual form.
Please share:
> a short motivation (max. 500 words or a 3-minute video/audio recording)
> a short bio or introduction
> a portfolio, documentation of previous work or relevant references (max. 5 projects/works)
> a short description of what you would like to contribute to FOR THE CULTURE
> links to a website, social media or other online platforms (optional)
We are interested in your ideas, practice and perspective. Your application does not need to be polished or fully developed. We simply ask for enough information to help us understand who you are, what you do, and how you would like to contribute to FOR THE CULTURE.
Send your application to:tatjana@mino-antwerp.be
Subject line: FOR THE CULTURE – OPEN CALL
We look forward to receiving your proposal and building FOR THE CULTURE together.
> 1 in-person coaching session (1:1) on Leadership Assessment (half day)
> 1 in-person group training session on Strategic DE&I Integration (half day)
> 1 in-person coaching session (1:1) on Action Plan Prioritization (half day)
> 1 follow-up ‘refresher’ session after 3 months (half day)
> Inspirational content on the topic (articles, podcasts, video)
