Raveel achterna: International Contemporary Lace Competition in Bruges 2027

An open invitation to the world

La official call It is open to anyone over 18 years of age living in Belgium or abroad. There is also a specific category for participants aged 8 to 18. Each person may submit only one piece, designed and created by themselves. The entry must not have been previously entered in any other competition, nor exhibited or published.

This international openness makes perfect sense in Bruges. The city maintains a deep connection with lacemaking, but also welcomes visitors, students, and designers from many places. A competition like this allows Flemish lace to engage in dialogue with interpretations from Spain, Italy, Slovenia, or any other corner of the world where hands continue to work with thread.

Materials for finding your own voice

The bases allow for cotton, linen, silk, and other natural or synthetic materials, also in combination. There is no maximum size limit for the artwork. This freedom allows for small pieces, as well as larger-format textile compositions that incorporate color without sacrificing the precision of the lace.

The call for entries speaks of modern and contemporary lace. It doesn't ask for copies of antique designs, but rather for the discovery of a personal way of working with transparencies, rhythms, lines, and volumes. A piece can draw on the tradition of bobbin lace while simultaneously exploring an unexpected palette or a new relationship between the fabric and the space.

A jury that looks beyond the difficulty

The works will be judged by a panel of art and lace specialists. The organizers will consider originality, artistic merit, connection to contemporary lace, and technical perfection. These criteria are complementary: meticulous work also requires a compelling concept to support it.

The main prize will be a €200 voucher for one or more courses organized by the Kantcentrum. The youth category will receive a €50 voucher for the center's shop. In addition, a public choice award, worth €100, will be given during the exhibition. More than a ranking, the event offers each artist an opportunity to receive close attention to their work.

Bruges is filled with lace in August

The participating works will be exhibited during Lace Days 2027, from Friday, August 13th to Sunday, August 15th. The awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday the 15th at 4:00 PM. The public can visit the Bruges Kantcentrum, at Balstraat 16, and observe how the same technique changes when each person interprets it from their own experience.

To participate, you must submit the form by noon on June 30, 2027. The artwork must be received by the organizers by 5:00 p.m. on July 1. Along with the artwork, please include a color photograph, a brief description of the materials and techniques used, and instructions for presentation. It is advisable to read the complete guidelines before submitting your work, as the organizers do not accept pieces that have already been exhibited or published.

A visit to look at slowly

Bruges is best enjoyed on foot, wandering among canals, admiring the stepped facades, and strolling through streets that retain the atmosphere of a city accustomed to welcoming artisans. A visit during Lace Days can combine an exhibition at the museum and lace center, but also the simple pleasure of observing how the city frames the threads. The trip thus becomes a small lesson in patience: first you look, then you ask questions, and finally, you discover how much work can fit into a light surface.

Raveel achterna proposes precisely that: to follow a tradition and take it a step further. Each participant will arrive with their own materials, memories, and methods for working with a design. When these pieces come together in Bruges, lacemaking will cease to be a solitary endeavor and will become an international conversation made of knots, gaps, and a great deal of imagination.