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.jpg) | IDEAS Discussion 5-6.30pm Is the world that Europe's decision makers are creating, what younger generations want? Are they listening? Join a discussion between by new Europe-wide coalition of thoughtful young adults (VOYCE) and a network of Europe's policy professionals (Res Publica). |
| CREATIVE expo 6.30-9pm "Connection" is an exhibition about the threads that bind us to one another, to place, to memory, and to the world around us. View our jury's top selection from over 250 submissions to the Opencall. |
| IDEAS Salon 7-8.30pm Melting glaciers. Ticking clocks. Apocalyptic headlines. Catastrophe-driven messaging doesn't spur action. Instead, hear from one of the sharpest minds in environmental geopolitics on why the climate debate has stalled and how a geopolitical conversation can revive it. |
| CREATIVE From 8.30-9.30pm Poetry is as open as the stage, so come with a page of original verse, a rendition of your favourite author's work, a guitar, an improvised spoken word act, an excerpt from a longer work, or anything else you consider poetry. Whatever it is, we want to hear from you! |
| COMMUNITY Dinner From 8pm Join us for a memorable conversation in our cosy members lounge. |
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| COMMUNITY workshop 11am-12.30pm Community is the foundation of belonging, mutual support and collective change. But building and sustaining communities takes more than good intentions. We'll examine what it takes to bring people together and keep them together. Come to this if you're an existing or wannabe organiser, seek renewed energy and/or allies or just love learning from the experience of others No prior experience needed. All are welcome. |
| COMMUNITY meet-up 11am-12.30pm Join our circle of independent thinking & working journalists and media professionals. We all needs muscling up. If you're in the sector, come to meet new colleagues and build your bridges. For journalists, editors & creators |
 | CREATIVE workshop 1-2.30pm Are you curious about the rebellious art of the zine? Hear all about the punk and feminist history of "fanzines", the DIY publications that gave voice to people who were told they didn't have one. Then tap into your creativity, experiment with collage, drawing and words, and discover how a few folded pages can become a powerful way to connect with your community. No prior experience required. Just bring your stories, doodles and opinions. |
| COMMUNITY Discussion 1.30-3pm If AI can write, summarise, analyse, and interpret in seconds, what is critical thinking and original thought in the age of AI - and how do we teach it? Join 3 AI specialists unpacking the issues and connecting the dots between tech, society and democracy. |
| CREATIVE Performance 3.15-4.30pm What happens when a violinist picks up a paintbrush, and composers pick up their pens? Revel in a show like no other, where sound, image and object cross into one. +++ Premiere of an original short piece composed on the day, inspired by objects from the festival audience.+++ |
| IDEAS Salon 5-6.30pm Somewhere beneath the Arctic ice, a communications cable goes dark - severed, deliberately, in the middle of the night. It's one small, chilling image from a much larger story. Award-winning investigative journalist Kenneth R. Rosen traces how a warming Arctic is reshaping supply chains, security, and geopolitics far beyond the polar circle, forcing nations and communities into new, often fraught, forms of contact and discusses how a polar war might affect people, communities and their land. |
| IDEAS Salon 7-8.30pm Why do people turn to the past when the future feels unbearable? And why does that turn so often lean authoritarian? For Critical theorist, ‘pyrotechnic thinker’ and Gen Z influencer, Dr. Louisa Toxværd Munch, the way out is relational, not individual. |
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COMMUNITY Dinner From 8.30pm
LONG TABLE DINNER
Join us for a great conversation at the long table. |
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| COMMUNITY Discussion 11.30am-1pm Fascism is not a closed chapter of the twentieth century. Its themes of national decline, restored greatness, anxious masculinity and the promise of belonging keep returning in new forms. What made these ideas attractive then, and why do they resonate again now? Historian Martina Salvante and critical theorist Dr Louisa Toxværd Munch discuss what history can or cannot tell us about the present, and what it takes to build the critical, informed citizenry that democracy relies on. |
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CREATIVE Live reading 1-1.30pm
WRITING COMPETITION: WINNERS Join us for a heartfelt short gathering as we announce the winner of the Connection Writing Contest and hear their words come to life. From intimate personal stories to bold imaginative takes on what binds us, through fiction, non-fiction and poetry, the finalists’ pieces capture the many ways we reach out, belong, and find each other. |
| RELAX 1.30-2pm Harmonise body and soul through sound, and come recharge your batteries with a truly revitalising gong session. This short but powerful 30 minute gong therapy shot will renew your energy and calm your mind as the resonating sounds of different gongs wash over you. No extra equipment needed. |
| COMMUNITY Live podcast 2-3pm Cutting through the noise of a relentless news cycle, senior journalist James Kanter will chair a cast of skilled Brussels-based journalists and reporters. Sit back for an informative and entertaining live news commentary delivering a curated selection of insightful stories - on the theme of connection. |
| RELAX 3.30-4pm Harmonise body and soul through sound, and come recharge your batteries with a truly revitalising gong session. This short but powerful 30 minute gong therapy shot will renew your energy and calm your mind as the resonating sounds of different gongs wash over you. No extra equipment needed. |
| IDEAS Salon 4-5.30pm "I know we haven't known each other for long, but the connection I feel with you is profound." That's not a person talking but an AI companion, one of millions now fulfilling roles once reserved for friends, lovers, and therapists. Sociologist James Muldoon examines why people are increasingly turning to machines for love and comfort, and what that reveals about the state of human connection today. This talk isn't about technology itself. It's about what we accept as connection when the real thing feels out of reach, and who profits from that. |
| RELAX 5.40-6.10pm Harmonise body and soul through sound, and come recharge your batteries with a truly revitalising gong session. This short but powerful 30 minute gong therapy shot will renew your energy and calm your mind as the resonating sounds of different gongs wash over you. No extra equipment needed. |
| IDEAS Salon 6.15-7.45pm Every human being alive today shares a single point of origin: Africa. It's a scientific fact often stated, but rarely felt - and it's the starting point for an extraordinary retelling of the continent's history. Renowned award-winning journalist, broadcaster & filmmaker Join Zeinab as she reveals why understanding Africa's history is essential to understanding who we all are, and how deeply, ancestrally connected we remain. |
| COMMUNITY Dinner From 8pm Join us for a memorable conversation in our cosy members lounge. |
We consciously price our tickets to make great ideas accessible to all.
Everyone is welcome. If you can't find a rate that suits you, get in touch.
WEEKEND PASS / DAY PASS |
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ARE YOU A BUDDING ARTIST OR WRITER? As a part of our festival, we hold a group art show for emerging artists, and a writing contest for new writers. |
WRITING CONTEST CALL FOR ENTRIES for the Ideas Festival Creative Writing Contest EXTENDED Deadline: 23.59 CET on Wednesday 11th November 2026 |
EMERGING ARTIST EXHIBITION Come to view the selected entries Deadline: Now closed. |
We are seeking sponsors who share our values and worldview to contribute to the costs of an amazing festival. Find out more about our sponsor package | DONATE Your donations help us to create this unforgettable weekend for all concerned, and particularly for making our tickets accessible to everyone. | We can accomplish anything, with the right help. Creating the Ideas Festival requires lots of hands on deck. If you have super skills and can commit to at least 6 hours, then get involved and help us at the festival. |
SUPPORT THE FESTIVAL
At Full Circle, we believe IDEAS, CONVERSATION, DEBATE & RELATIONSHIPS are essential to building COMMUNITY, and supporting constructive ACTION.
We need support of all kinds to make the Ideas Festival happen.
Help us where you can.
SUPPORTED BY
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FULL CIRCLE HOUSE 89 Ch. de Vleurgat, Brussels 1050, Belgium OPENING |
