The 10th edition of The Crystal Ship becomes a city‑wide celebration in Ostend, BE.
The 10th edition of The Crystal Ship marks a milestone not only for Ostend, but for the entire European street art landscape.
With more than twenty new artists, a brand‑new Summit, an immersive exhibition in Fort Napoleon, and the opening of a permanent new home base called Thuishaven, the festival evolves into a full‑scale urban art celebration. This anniversary edition feels like both a reflection and a leap forward, exactly what you’d expect from a festival that has grown, in just ten years, into one of the largest collection of public artworks in Europe.
Ten years of The Crystal Ship: from 12 murals to a city festival
What began as an ambitious experiment in 2016 has become an international reference point. With the new additions in 2026, the collection surpasses 100 large murals spread across the city.
“More than twenty international and national artists will create new work, bringing the total to more than 100 artworks on Ostend façades.”
Curator Matthias Schoenaerts (Zenith) selected a line‑up that celebrates the essence of street art: the ongoing dialogue between painting, graffiti, and contemporary muralism. Major names such as Alexis Diaz, Loomit, Queen Andrea, Soda, and the Inside Out Project by JR make this one of the most diverse editions to date.
“For me, the artists on the lineup reflect what the tenth edition of TCS stands for: a connecting dialogue between painting, graffiti, and contemporary street art. Painting is most alive on the street. Mural art lives and exists only under the influence of weather, time, and passersby. It changes, breathes, and evolves constantly. Thus, each wall becomes not a fixed image, but a living process: an invitation to look together and remain curious, to continually discover new meaning in what we might otherwise pass by out of habit.” - Matthias Schoenaerts
The line‑up: legends, innovators, and local talent
This anniversary edition brings together a wide range of styles. The full line‑up includes:
Does (NL) - Jaba (BE) - Loomit (DE) - Queen Andrea (US) - Hyun Dekempe (BE) - Larsen Bervoets (BE) - Stefaan Vermuyten (BE) - Patricia Ghijsens x Yorgos Maraziotis (GR) - Alexis Diaz (Puerto Rico) - Defo (BE) - Rutger Termohlen (NL) - Yann L’Outsider (FR) - Zenk One (NL) - Soda (UK) - Astrid Verplancke (BE) - Projeto Ruido (PT) - Mumby (BE) - Adrian Iurco (BE) - Mariana Santos (PT) - Lula Goce (ES)
Inside Out Project by JR: the city as a portrait
On 3 and 4 April, the festival gains a participatory dimension. JR’s mobile photobooth arrives in Ostend, inviting residents and visitors to be photographed.
“Their photo is printed on the spot and becomes part of a collective artwork in the city.”
The result will be a monumental group portrait that marks the road toward The Crystal Ship 2026.
The Crystal Ship Summit: a new chapter
For the first time, the festival hosts a two‑day Summit in De Grote Post:
UBN FOCUS (31 March): a traveling mini‑edition of Us By Night, featuring talks by top creatives in design, photography, music, and visual culture.
Expert Conference (1 April): a collaboration with Street Art Cities, bringing together international experts to discuss artistic freedom, the social impact of street art, and the relationship between art, cities, and tourism.
“This afternoon brings together an international network of professionals from culture, tourism, and street art for knowledge sharing and current issues in the field.”
Speakers include representatives from Yardworks Glasgow, ALL CAPS Rotterdam, Stadscuratorium Amsterdam, Cologne Tourist Board, and more, making this one of the most significant street art conferences of the year.
Subway Art in Fort Napoleon: back to the roots
From 2 April to 30 September, Fort Napoleon hosts Subway Art, an immersive exhibition exploring the origins of graffiti.
“This playful, underground journey returns to the origins of street art, when it was still pure graffiti developing in the shadows of metro tunnels.”
With interactive installations, a subway car full of tags, and a route that turns visitors into makers, this exhibition is a must‑see for both families and aficionados.
“Thuishaven”: a permanent home for Street Art in Ostend
One of the most important structural innovations is Thuishaven, a new permanent base for the festival.
“The building, a mix of exhibition space, shop, and meeting place, opens on 1 April.”
Thuishaven will serve as:
a knowledge hub for mural and street art
a venue for workshops, talks, and networking
a presentation space for young Flemish artists
a long‑term anchor for the festival in the city
This marks a major step for the street art ecosystem in Flanders.
11 April: The Grand Opening Party
The festival culminates in a city‑wide celebration:
routes along all new murals
a go‑cart route
a social run
a roller‑skating tour by De Zwaantjes
a pub crawl
Gallery Night in multiple galleries
a Silent Disco Party in the Langestraat
TCS Plus: traditions, TAZ, and David Shrigley
The 10th edition also brings new collaborations:
TCS x Traditions: more than 200 small interventions inspired by Ostend icons
TCS x TAZ: Sarah Yu Zeebroek creates a participatory artwork
TCS x David Shrigley: a keynote and a city‑wide poster project
A festival that transforms a city
The Crystal Ship is not just a street art festival. It is a long‑term urban transformation that has connected neighborhoods, attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors, and put Ostend firmly on the cultural map.
You can find all spots from the previous editions and all future artworks on the free Street Art Cities app as it already boasts +300 locations thanks to the meticulous documentation of our main hunter Stef.
See you in Ostend….