The Crystal Ship is calling on experienced street art artists to participate in the 2025 festival, with the theme CHANGE. This is your chance to use the power of art as a symbol of transformation. As an artist, you’ll have the opportunity to transform the city of Ostend with your work that reflects, promotes, or sparks change.
Open call
Make an impact
We look forward to your proposal and hope to welcome you as a participant in The Crystal Ship 2025!
Make the change
The Crystal Ship is calling on experienced street art artists to participate in the 2025 festival, with the theme CHANGE!
Are you a street art artist with experience and want to use the power of art to symbolise or promote change? This is your chance to make an impact!
The Crystal Ship is setting a course for change in 2025. Taking a fresh look at our festival, we want to innovate. New names and artworks bring a new story in which ‘change’ is the common thread. With respect for the festival's DNA, while keeping an open mind towards the future.
Change is not only an internal movement, but also a theme we want to resonate in art. For The Crystal Ship, change is a source of inspiration from which artists can draw to transform walls and public spaces into powerful stories of transformation, growth or hope. In times of social, urban and environmental challenges, change invites us to represent that which is constantly in motion - people, but also the world itself, full of dreams, fault lines and new possibilities. Change can manifest itself not only on a grand scale, as in climate change, social inequality, technology or cultural shifts, but also in the small, personal changes that affect our daily lives.
Each artist gets the chance to tell part of this larger story from his or her own point of view. In this way, the walls become not only eye-catchers, but also places of dialogue and reflection - places that make passers-by stop, literally and figuratively.
The Crystal Ship 2025 is an opportunity to transform the city of Ostend and bring change to life visually. We look forward to your proposal and hope to welcome you as a participant in the festival!
What are we looking for?
Experienced street art artists with a proven portfolio, capable of creating visually impressive works on (large) public walls.
Artists who can interpret the theme CHANGE in their own unique way. This could include:
Societal changes
Personal transformations
Environmental issues
The role of art in the process of change
Creative and innovative works that not only transform physical space but also create interaction with the environment and the public.
What do we offer?
Locations: Various walls and public spaces in Ostend. You may choose one or more walls (only one wall will be assigned per artist).
Materials: The Crystal Ship will provide all necessary materials (paint, cherry pickers, etc.), depending on your project’s requirements.
Fee: A fee of €2,500.00 incl. VAT for the execution of the work.
Visibility: Your work will be part of the open-air exhibition and the permanent collection of The Crystal Ship, receiving extensive exposure through festival marketing, social media, press, and other communication channels.
Networking: The opportunity to collaborate with other talented street artists and engage with the local community.
Hospitality:
Free accommodation in a comfortable hotel in Ostend during the festival.
Meals (lunch and dinner) provided throughout your stay.
Travel reimbursement and access to bicycles and shuttles during the festival.
What do we expect from you?
Experience: A proven track record of working on large-scale public art projects, with a portfolio demonstrating technical skill and creativity.
Concept and execution: You must develop a concept that reflects the theme CHANGE and translate it into a work that impacts both the environment and the public. Along with your application, please submit a brief text explaining your vision of the theme.
Professionalism: We expect a professional work ethic, with the ability to meet deadlines and work within the provided resources. You should also hold a certification to operate a cherry picker.
Festival Dates:
The festival will take place from March 31 to April 12, 2025. During this period, the artworks will be created and presented in Ostend, after which they will become part of The Crystal Ship’s permanent collection.
How to apply
Fill out the form below to apply.
Application deadline: February 16, 2025
Jury and selection
- A jury will determine which artists will be selected to participate in the festival.
- The organization of The Crystal Ship reserves the right to reject artists or select no one, based on the submitted proposals.