Closer to design: 8 tips in North Brabant!

Want a unique insight into the world of design? North Brabant is somewhere you can really indulge. Enjoy fantastic events, interesting museums and numerous unique locations where you can meet the creators face to face, or even get creative yourself. You cannot get any closer to design! We take a look at eight fantastic design events and locations.

Dutch Design Week

Dutch Design Week
GLOW

GLOW

From 21 to 29 October 2023, Dutch Design Week, the largest design event in Northern Europe, will be taking place in Eindhoven. This is an annual, nine-day event during which more than 2600 designers introduce their work and concepts to more than 350,000 local and international visitors. The event gives visitors the opportunity to admire all manner of aspects of design, with a particular focus on experimentation, innovation and crossovers. Be surprised!

You don’t need to wait until the end of December to admire illuminations in the streets of North Brabant. The lights from GLOW; a free festival of light art in the streets, parks and buildings of Eindhoven will be on from 11 to 18 November. The light artworks will be created by local and international artists. This year’s theme is ‘The Beat’.

These locations will completely immerse you in a world of art, design and creativity: discover four unique design experiences in Brabant!

RetroFuture

RetroFuture
Doloris' Meta Maze

Doloris' Meta Maze
Rietveld Safari

Rietveld Safari

The Blind Walls Gallery is a public street art museum in Breda. Wall paintings by various artists can be found right through the city. Every wall painting is on a ‘blind wall’ and each tells its own story inspired by the (history of) the city. The largest photographic exhibition in Benelux, BredaPhoto, takes place every two year in the centre of Breda. The next edition will take place from September to October 2024.

Step into the wonderful world of Doloris’ Meta Maze in Tilburg, the largest art maze in the world! With more than 40 rooms full of mysterious art objects and hidden passageways, it’s a truly unique experience! As soon as you enter the Meta Maze, your senses will become alert and stimulated. After all those impressions, Doloris’ Rooftop is the place to recover with a snack and a drink, plus a view of Tilburg’s Spoorzone.

One of the greatest Dutch architects of the last century is Gerrit Rietveld. In the 1950s, he designed several unique objects in the green village of Bergeijk: a clock, a shelter, two houses and his only industrial work ‘De Ploeg weaving mill’. You won’t encounter any wild animals on the Rietveld Safari, but you will discover the most beautiful designs by Gerrit Rietveld and Mien Ruys, one of the most important garden architects of the 20th century. This guided tour can be booked from 1 April to 1 October. The Rietveldhuis Tour is also highly recommended if you’d like to discover more about Rietveld’s heritage. The tour departs on the first Friday of every month from Rijksmonument de Ploeg.

Glance over the shoulders of real artists and creators or get creative yourself. Discover TextielLab Tilburg, Het Schoenenkwartier in Waalwijk and Sundaymorning@ekwc in Oisterwijk!

Textile Lab Tilburg

Textile Lab Tilburg
Het Schoenenkwartier
Sundaymorning@EKWC

Sundaymorning@EKWC

The TextielLab is the beating heart of the TextielMuseum in Tilburg. It’s the place where craft, design and art come together. Come and join in and create an innovative product yourself under the guidance of experts, from weaving and knitting to embroidery, tufting and laser cutting. There are a number of traditional and high-tech machines so that you can experiment with different techniques. Or simply watch designers work on their own creations.

Discover the past history and the future of shoes and leather in the Schoenenkwartier (shoe quarter). This museum, knowledge centre and creative lab is located in the west wing of the restored Kropholler complex in Waalwijk, near Tilburg. In the creative labs, craftsmen are paired with young designers who work creatively with old and new techniques. The museum boasts exhibits of hundreds of shoes, as well as other materials and equipment from the shoemaking industry. Revolving exhibitions offer new surprises every time you visit!

Oisterwijk is home to the world’s most famous knowledge and development centre for ceramics – EKWC. International artists, designers and architects live here temporarily to experiment with ceramics 24 hours a day. And you are welcome to visit and watch! The artists’ quarters, the workshop with large kilns and an ongoing exhibition – it’s a unique place to visit, close to Tilburg!