Open Call Ithaka 2027
For Ithaka, the annual arts festival organized by LOKO, is looking for promising young talent
for its 35th edition. Ithaka serves as a springboard for emerging artists, providing a platform
to develop a new project, exhibit it to a broad audience, and launch a career in the arts.
Theme 2027: Nostalgia
This year’s theme delves into the universal, complex and powerful emotion of nostalgia. The concept aims to explore the intimate ways of seeing or feeling a memory through the lens of nostalgia as well as what craving a broader return to the past means to our society. When the term, from the Greek nostos (meaning “homecoming”) was first coined in 1688 it was as a medical diagnosis, and was treated as a disease for two centuries. Over the years, the connotation has shifted to become a universally recognised way of longing for a
memory. Nostalgia is this sort of sad pleasure, this bittersweet feeling of remembering. It influences our choices, from the food we crave to the music and movement we hold dear because it reminds us of a past we can’t return to in any other way.
Thematic Angles
Ithaka is a festival rooted in the Leuven student context. To stimulate the dialogue between art and the diverse academic backgrounds of our audience, we are looking for artworks that approach the theme of “Nostalgia” from broad, intellectual perspectives. We encourage submissions that align with (but are not limited to) the following directions:
- The physical world of nostalgia
How does nostalgia feel in our body? How does it look, sound, smell? How can we express it
not only through language but through physical spaces and feelings? Would we experience
the world differently if the filter of nostalgia fell away? - Nostalgia at work
How do industries utilize nostalgia to lure people in? Rebranding and repackaging the past
as something for us to buy into. How can our memory be converted to a product? - Comparative nostalgia
Why do we believe it will never again be as good as it was? Does our past have to be more
admirable than our present, than our future? What is it we truly feel nostalgic about? - Nostalgia as escapism
Why do we willingly escape our present? What are we escaping from? Which memory
brings us the most comfort? What danger does our attraction to our memories represent?
What do we offer?
- A platform to exhibit your work to a broad audience.
- Curatorial and production support to help realize your concept.
- A production budget for your project.
- Promotion and visibility through the channels of LOKO and its cultural partners.
Who are we looking for?
- Young, emerging artists (students, recent graduates, self-taught artists).
- Creators from all disciplines (visual arts, installation, performance, audio-visual arts,
digital arts, etc.). - Artists with a clear vision on audience interaction and the ambition to help shape a layered and accessible festival experience.
How to apply?
Artists can apply by filling out the online application form before the deadline of Sunday, December 6th, 2026, at 23:59 Central European Time (CET). After an initial selection based on the submitted proposals, candidates will be invited for an interview in December 2026.
We look forward to receiving your proposal.
Sincerely,
The Ithaka Team | LOKO Culture
