WELCOME 2026/27 | 1 Sept. at IKOB, Eupen (B)

To mark the launch of the new Borderland Residencies cycle, over 22 international artists from 16 residencies joined residency hosts, curators, and cultural innovators at IKOB in Eupen on Tuesday, 1 September 2026. Over the next three months, an engaging series of curated field trips will take participants into a remarkable European crossroads—a landscape shaped by three peripheries, where major economic and societal developments meet bold artistic visions.

IKOB offered an inspiring backdrop for the gathering. Enveloped by contemporary art, the launch featured dynamic presentations where resideny institutions and incoming artists shared captivating glimpses into their upcoming projects. To open the proceedings, Director Frank-Thorsten Moll guided the group through the compelling current exhibitions—Barbara & Michael Leisgen: Pink Depression and Céline Vahsen: SHIFTINGS. The tactile, evocative works of Belgian artist Céline Vahsen, currently artist-in-residence at Odapark, occupy an intriguing, highly idiosyncratic realm between textile, object, and image.

Following these inspiring insights, Jörg Vomberg, Head of the Cultural Department at the Ministry of the German-Speaking Community, led participants on an impromptu walk through Eupen’s historic streets. The day culminated in a warm gathering at a local restaurant, providing a relaxed setting for meaningful conversation and lasting connections.

The momentum continued into the following day with a deep dive into the historical heart of Eupen. Catherine Weisshaupt, Director of the Eupen City Museum, offered a fascinating look into the intricate origins of the region, exploring its cross-border relationships and its unwavering spirit in shaping an identity within a pluralistic history.

Excursions by Borderland Residencies are designed to unravel the nuanced interplay between a site’s unique heritage and its modern artistic pulse. To experience this firsthand, Benjamin Fleig led the group to the city’s industrial periphery, where historic factory halls—once central to Eupen’s textile era—have been thoughtfully reclaimed as creative sanctuaries. Here, international artists across disciplines breathe new life into heritage architecture. Together the group visited the atmospheric studio of Boogie Hegel, who lovingly transformed the former administrative wing of a historic textile factory into a thriving space where life and art seamlessly intersect.

This marks the start of an inspiring new cycle of Borderland Residencies, which will take our participants deep into the heart of the periphery over the coming months to engage with topics that define this region and hold profound global resonance. We eagerly look forward to this ongoing exchange and to the exciting journey that lies ahead.

12:00 – 13:30
WELCOME to IKOB
guided tour with Frank-Thorsten Moll, director of IKOB
lunch

13:30 – ca. 17:30
WHO IS WHO
presentation of artists and residencies
– with some coffee-cake breaks

17:30 – 18:00
OUTLOOK
BR programme overview 2026-27

19:00
DINNER

• Ludwigforum Aachen
• Aufenthaltsstipendium der Stadt Duisburg
• Weltkunstzimmer Düsseldorf
• A271 Ateliers Höherweg e.V. Düsseldorf
• IKOB Eupen
• Museum Goch
• Greylight Projects, Heerlen
• Projektraum Kranenburg
• Internationales Atelierstipendium Mönchengladbach
• Kunststipendium der Stadt Moers
• Insel Hombroich – Raketenstation, Neuss
• Odapark, center for contemporary art, Venray
• Peters-Messer-Stipendium der Stadt Viersen
• Evertsoord, Venlo
• Buitenplaats Kasteel Wijlre
• QAIR, Willich