Thursday, Feb 26, 2026
Day 1: Change never happens alone. We bring together policymakers, practitioners and people with lived experience. After an afternoon of inspiring practice sessions and workshops, we conclude with a message of hope and a personal call for a culture of care by Nobel Peace Prize nominee Izzeldin Abuelaish.
MORNING PROGRAMME
09:00 - 09:30
Doors & coffee
09:30 – 10:00
Opening & welcome with:
- Mohamed Ridouani, Mayor City of Leuven
- Séverine Vermeire, Rector of KU Leuven
- Lien De Keukelaere, Lead Body & Soul
- Karen Verschooren, visual arts curator at STUK
- Darren Abrahams, Master of Ceremony
10:00 – 11:00
Plenary Opening Panel:
Uniting Policy, Practice, and Communities for a Culture of Care
How can culture not only contribute to our systems of care, but transform them? And what if care itself became a cultural practice - something we all help shape and carry? Real change begins when people join forces across policy, practice, and communities. In this session, you’ll step into that shared space, explore bold ideas, and discover how collective action can drive the change we urgently need.
Moderator: Tinne Claes (Belgium), Academic Director Vesalius Museum
Meet the speakers
Tawona Sitholé
Lode Godderis
Jan Vanwezer
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:15
Breakout sessions
These two sessions run at the same time. You can choose one to join:
Option A:
Engaging with Grief through Artistic Expression and Scientific Insight
By Andrew Greenwood and Ehsan Natour.
An interactive presentation and performance on the Five Stages of Grief. Andrew Greenwood and Ehsan Natour bring together art and science to deepen understanding of how people experience loss, and to encourage more empathetic, sensitive engagement in difficult moments.
Option B:
Making Change Happen in Culture & Care
By Anna Kint, Jolle Desloover and Sieg Pauwels.
A panel session on creating meaningful change at the intersection of culture and care. Anna Kint, Jolle Desloover and Sieg Pauwels explore how artistic practices can challenge existing healthcare paradigms, foster connection, and inspire more inclusive and human approaches to care across sectors.
Meet the speakers
Anna Kint © Coconuts
Jolle Desloover © Bas Bogaerts
Andrew Greenwood
Ehsan Natour
12:15 – 13:15
Lunch
AFTERNOON PROGRAMME
13:45 – 15:00
Impact Stories and Workshops
- Breakout Sessions from the Field
- Get inspired by changemakers working at the intersection of culture and care.
- Discover concrete practices from local, Flemish, and European pioneers, and leave with fresh ideas.
- Choose a thematic session featuring powerful impact stories, or join a hands-on workshop to experience culture & care in action.
Themes breakout sessions
- Mental health and well-being of young people
- Older adults & intergenerational practices
- Community-rooted programmes
- Health & Heritage
15:00 – 16:00
Coffee Break
16:00 – 16:30
A Call to Rise Together - Voices of Hope, Courage & Justice
Plenary Closing Keynote by Izzeldin Abuelaish, Distinguished Keynote Speaker of Honor
Palestinian-Canadian physician, author, and peace activist, born in Gaza’s Jabaliya refugee camp. After losing three daughters and a niece in 2009, he has devoted his life to peace, justice, and reconciliation. Author of I Shall Not Hate, founder of a global institute at KU Leuven, and five-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, he uses health as a bridge to peace.
Followed by a conversation with Veronika Skliarova, moderated by Darren Abrahams
Veronika Skliarova is a Ukrainian cultural manager, theatre producer and curator working at the intersection of art and psychosocial care. She directs the NGO ART DOT and founded Art Therapy Force, a leading initiative integrating trauma-informed art practices into Ukraine’s cultural and educational sectors, supporting communities affected by war and displacement.
Closing Performance
16:45 – 17:45
Guided Tours – Artefact Festival 2026
Join a guided tour of Artefact’s exhibition Grind Grind Grind, Release. An Exhibition as a Massage. Exploring the question of how an exhibition can function as a massage, the artists invite you back into your body —where pleasure, tension, longing, and belonging coexist. An open-hearted experience that both unsettles and soothes, leaving space for reflection and renewal.
19:30
Evening programme & dinner
Thursday Evening
After the daytime programme, join us for a shared evening with a dinner at Stelplaats, a vibrant creative hub in Leuven. A moment to connect, share a meal, and continue the conversation.
Friday, Feb 27, 2026
Explore Friday’s morning plenary sessions, then immerse yourself in an afternoon full of inspiring talks and practical workshops.
Thursday in a nutshell
Main location:
STUK (Google Maps)
- 09:00 – Doors & coffee
- 09:30 – Opening & welcome
- 10:00 – Morning sessions: opening remarks and plenary programme with keynotes, panel discussion, and an interactive performance.
- 12:15 – Lunch
- 16:00 – Closing keynote
- 16:45 – Guided Tours Artefact Festival 2026
- 19:30 – Dinner @Stelplaats (Google Maps)