Twenty years of Playground

Two decades of experimentation and exhibition

Playground dates back to 2007, when it emerged from STUK as a barometer for artists and projects operating at the crossroads of visual and performing arts – where the disciplines intersect a ‘live’ way. STUK and M have collaborated on Playground ever since, and the annual festival is now celebrating its 20th edition. Playground explores different forms of ‘live’ performance and examines the presence and role of the human body in relation to art objects. In recent years, the festival has become a fixture on the performance scene. For four days, visitors to STUK and M can be inspired by projects and encounters that challenge traditional notions of what art can mean.

M and STUK’s programme for 2026 is as diverse as ever. Once again, it features emerging talents, new productions and work by artists we’ve long been following and supporting. The programme includes both ongoing installations and short, live interventions in M’s various exhibition spaces. The strength of the line-up lies in the invitation to creators and visitors alike – which range from art students and art professionals to enthusiasts seeking new experiences – to approach things open mindedly and to question established beliefs.

Meanwhile, the Playground festival has garnered a loyal following of artists, art schools and enthusiasts who return year after year. Feiko Beckers – an artist and lecturer in performance and liberal arts at HOGENT – is one of them. A visit to Playground has been a fixture in his calendar for years. Artist Orla Barry participated in Playground in 2008, 2012 and 2019. She is one of the recurring voices that M follows, and her pieces have already featured in several projects at both the museum and STUK. Barry’s visual work is also part of M’s Collection. Here, they each share their perspective on the festival.

© 'Oefeningen in de scenografie’, Jivan van der Ende, 2023

© 'Pierced Mermaid’, Grace Schwindt, 2018

Feiko Beckers - Lecturer at HOGENT, University of Applied Sciences and Arts

Do you remember the first time you visited Playground?

‘It was in 2017, when KASK had established its performance department. It was immediately obvious that a visit to Playground was essential for our students.’

What does attending a large part of the programme mean for you as a teacher and for your students?

‘A visit to Playground always reminds me just how incredibly versatile the performance medium is and how many different forms it can take. My students sometimes find it confusing. They think they will discover a definition of performance at Playground, but instead they encounter a multitude of different practices that all fall under this umbrella term. I hope that, after visiting Playground, my students will be aware of the scope and freedom they have when creating performances.’

Do you have a special memory of one of the Playground events?

‘Last November, we had a discussion with Zhana Ivanova about her performance “Imaginary Magnitudes”. I noticed the students becoming increasingly restless during the conversation. Not because they’d had enough, but because they were keen to get moving. As Zhana spoke about how she works with performers, the students felt inspired to participate in her performance themselves. The discussion was as inspiring as it was energising.’

As a visitor, how have you seen Playground evolve over the years?

‘During my first visits to Playground, the festival was presented as a nexus for the performing and visual arts. Over the years, those two extremes have become increasingly blurred for me. They have been replaced by practices that are no longer distinctly visual or theatrical, but are, in fact, essentially performance. The notion of performance as a combination of theatre and visual art is, to my mind, increasingly outdated. In recent years, the performances I have seen at Playground have only reinforced that feeling.’

Playground offers schools a tailor-made programme, such as talks with artists or curators. What added value do these encounters bring to your students?

‘Meeting artists is invaluable for students. Not only do they learn more about the meaning and background of a work, but also about how it arose. It is vital for emerging artists to hear how an

artwork came into being, both conceptually and practically. We prefer to speak with young makers. I think it is crucial for students to hear the experiences of creators who are still close to them in terms of age and experience.’

‘Falling Reversely’, Isaac Chong Wai, 2025

Orla Barry - Artist

Do you remember how you first discovered Playground?

‘In 2005, I collaborated with curator Eva Wittocx on my solo exhibition “Portable Stones” at S.M.A.K. in Ghent. The video works and sound installations that I exhibited at the museum provided an opportunity to discuss the potential for live or narrative elements in my work. In 2008, when Eva was working as programme director at STUK, she invited me to Playground. There, during a residency, I was given the time, space and resources to explore that avenue. Performance has been an essential part of my oeuvre ever since.’

What do regular visits to Playground mean to you, both as a visitor and as an artist?

‘Thanks to Playground’s support over the years, I’ve been able to develop my interest and skills in the field of performance within an interdisciplinary and supportive environment. It has also helped me build up a network of international partners. Thanks to Playground, my work also came to the attention of other curators. As a result, my first production was shown at Tate Modern in London. I went on to present later performances in Dublin, Paris, Amsterdam and various other venues.’

How has Playground influenced your work?

‘It was thanks to Playground that I took my first steps towards performance art. My participation in various editions of the festival led to a development in both the form and content of my body of work, resulting in a series of pieces, from “The Scavengers’ Daughters” and “MOUNTAIN” to “Breaking Rainbows” and “Spin Spin Scheherazade”. Initially, the performances were based on a written, often fictional narrative set within a visual scenography. Gradually, the focus shifted towards a more collective way of working, in which performers were given an active role in the creative process. Chance and unpredictability were incorporated more explicitly into the performances. In terms of content, my work also became increasingly autobiographical. The boundaries between fiction and reality became a key area of exploration. I also have Playground to thank for my meeting with the dancer Einat Tuchman. Her expertise in movement, stage presence and performativity profoundly influenced the work “MOUNTAIN”. We have been working together for more than fifteen years now.’

Do you have any tips or suggestions for the festival?

‘It is exceptionally rare for performance art to be supported and showcased in this way, so please don’t stop! It’s remarkable to see how artists have returned with new work over the past twenty editions of Playground, allowing us to follow the next steps in their artistic journey. It is precisely this mix of new voices and experimental projects, alongside a commitment to established artists, that makes it so powerful.’

‘Spin, spin, Scheherazade’, Orla Barry, 2019

Playground festival

19.11 - 22.11.26

This year, M is presenting new productions and existing interventions tailored specifically to the museum, featuring work by Mirte Bogaert & Ive Stevenheydens, Evelien Cammaert, Kexin Hao, Hedwig Houben, Tarik Kiswanson, Izidora | LETHE, Nefeli Papadimouli and Ula Sickle. STUK is the place to go for performances by Tilhenn Klapper, Diane Mahín and Ferre Marnef, plus a workshop by Nick Steur.

More information