De Singel art centre is set to host a new festival, ‘Digitize Me!’, from 22 to 27 April.
The Antwerp-based centre aims to explore the future of art, focusing on the potential impact of technologies like AI and VR on performing arts. Next year, De Singel intends to open its own ‘Art&Tech Lab’.
The ‘Digitize Me!’ programme includes innovative performances, discussions, and installations. Belgian computer scientist Pattie Maes (MIT) will join a panel discussion on AI and democracy, alongside researcher and data scientist Paola Verhaert.
Director Celine Daemen will present a VR experience exploring the transience of reality, immersing visitors in a dreamscape where they follow their own 3D reflection. The ZeMu! Ensemble will blend film, theatre, lasers, and music in an “expanded cinema experience”.
Additionally, ‘Quanta’, a theatre production, will combine quantum physics and human relationships. ‘Hands Made’ by artist in residence Begüm Erciyas will use audience members’ hands in a performance about the future of touch in a world increasingly influenced by technology.
In 2026, De Singel will open the ‘Art&Tech Lab’, a research space where artists and technology experts will collaborate to explore new forms of artistic expression. Visitors will not only experience art but also investigate the impact of digital technologies on creativity and sensory perception.
