About the politics embedded in creative spaces

I feel so grateful for the inspiring connections and experiences that life gifts me with everywhere I go!

Although coming sometimes unexpectedly, I do not believe that events happen by chance. In one way or another, we choose where to invest time, energy and attention. For me, the employment of these priceless resources hugely influences the opportunities and encounters I find along the journey.

I am currently exploring what is like to be a highly qualified professional in a country where I do not speak the local language (yet)! At first, I assure you, it feels quite disempowering and a bit despairing.

But I always find these restless, curious and brave parts of myself that refuse to stay stagnant. I like to explore, challenge myself, learn, and I love to be in relation with others. When building rapport with people is hard, the environment is there — it holds me, speaks to me…

First, nature usually provides me with the comfort to remind me that I belong — no matter where — because I (am) matter. Then, the surroundings give me hints of where to go, what to try, or who to approach. Even in the most difficult times (and maybe because of them), I frequently get to some exciting spots.

I like to believe it comes from a combo of intuition, luck, a sense of opportunity, and networking. This time, I did not even have a clear idea of where I was stepping into, but I am so glad I trusted my guts! The multicultural harbour city of Antwerp has offered me the chance to engage and collaborate with the amazing 2026WOMEN project! [I invite you to visit the project’s website to learn more about our initiative’s inspiration, mission and goals.]

Once again, I see myself offering what I know, and learning from so many incredible, smart, talented, hard-working, strong, and caring women who are also restless. Because we believe in our agency to promote change, we decided to use our voices, bodies, ideas, capacities and skills to raise cross-scalar awareness and pathways to achieve gender equality and women’s rights. This time, also pushing myself a bit more out of my artistic comfort zone, we create songs, melodies, poetry, choreographies, and short scripts inspired by our lived experiences, which fuel our artivism!

In my personal journey, I keep the memories alive of all the encounters with places and people where I embodied the feeling of being in a sanctuary; protected and closer to my inner truth. Among community gardens and artivism collectives, it makes complete sense to me how these (re)creative (agri)cultural spaces are indeed (re)generative ! Yes, we are powerful; yes, we are sensible; yes, we are fierce; yes, we are also gentle.

*One of my motivations to write is to exchange with my readers. Therefore, I would like to dialogue with you. Could you answer two quick questions, please?