Open Call

Draad

We cling to structure and efficiency, but simultaneously we prefer to throw those rules overboard. We allow ourselves to be guided by digital gadgets in our daily lives, but in the meantime we embrace products that are pure and traditional. We schedule our days down to the minute, while dreaming of slowing down. Doesn't this sound absurd? 
And what if the absurd is not a contradiction, but rather the playing field? What if it can surprise rather than alienate?

In this new edition of ‘Draad’, Kunstwerkt and Texture invite visual artists to play with these contrasts in these absurd times. To embrace the bizarre when everything becomes more complex, faster and stranger. Together, through 14 October 2025, we seek visual work with a twist in textiles. In this project, we also encourage to think beyond the boundaries of textiles. A carpet of pixels, an embroidered phrase, a sculpture of discarded textiles: it's all possible. The selected works can be seen during the exhibition of the same name, which will take place from 24 January to 29 March 2026 at Texture in Kortrijk.

Deadline
14 October 2025
Organizer
Kunstwerkt & Texture
Participate

After a successful first edition in 2024, Kunstwerkt and Texture are organizing a second edition of 'Draad'. With this project we aim at visual artists who are at the beginning of their artistic journey and are looking for that special show opportunity that will give them a boost. For ‘Draad’ we work together with Sadrie Alves (visual artist), Suzanne Landrieu (artist and inspirer of art space 4n20 in Kortrijk) and Sofie Hermans (textile designer and teacher at Kunstacademie Maasmechelen and Kunstacademie Maastricht) who help to shape the project. In the regulations, they each gave their vision of the theme of absurdism. Not as a guideline, but as an inspiration and push to think for yourself what the theme means to you. Together we want to celebrate the artistic versatility and freedom of textiles. In addition to the show opportunity in early 2026, additional activities to support the selected artists are planned.

Who can participate? 

  • 'Draad' is open to anyone aged 18 and older.
  • With this project, Kunstwerkt and Texture are targeting visual artists who are at the beginning of their artistic journey and looking for that special show opportunity that will give them a boost. Recent graduate or lifelong autodidact: we want to see your work.
  • Artists represented by a gallery cannot participate
  • The focus is on artists who use textile as an artistic medium or otherwise use or represent it in their work.
     

What's possible, and what's not? 

  • With ‘Draad’ we want to be able to exhibit a wide range of textile creations. For this, all types of works are allowed, but they must contain at least an element and/or reference to textile in order to be selected by the jury.
  • A series or a sequence (a work consisting of several parts) is allowed. Please state this clearly in the description.
  • There are no minimum or maximum dimensions. However, the work must be able to be brought into the exhibition hall via a staircase or elevator (maximum width 90 cm, height 210 cm and depth 200 cm).
  • Submission as a collective is possible
  • Your work is ready for display. If your work requires a specific setup, please mention this on the registration form.
  • Kunstwerkt and Texture do not provide a production budget for selected works.
  • Your work is not older than 3 years.


Selection procedure

Online registration is followed by one round of selection, during which the digital entries will be judged by the jury members: Sadrie Alves, Suzanne Landrieu and Sofie Hermans.

Participants will be personally informed about the final selection no later than 3 November 2025. As much as we would like to, it is unfortunately not possible to provide personal feedback on all submissions within this project.

We provide a fee of €240 excl VAT for each selected participant. With this we want to cover the transportation and presentation costs involved in participating in this project.

Get to know more