National Design Debate 2026

SHAPING EUROPE

How can Europe redesign itself, from infrastructure to imagination?

Friday, October 23

16:00 - 18:00

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We design with American software, train on global AI models, and communicate through platforms developed outside Europe. While Europe leads the way in regulating technology, an important question remains: are we also leading in shaping our own future?

On Friday October 23, designers, artists, thinkers, and technologists will gather for the National Design Debat 2026: SHAPING EUROPE, live in the Philips Hall of the iconic Evoluon in Eindhoven. The event is organized by NEXT NATURE and WAAG FUTURELAB.

Can Europe develop its own design culture, one that offers a genuine alternative to both American Big Tech and China’s state-driven model?
SHAPING EUROPE is a call to reflect on the role of design in Europe. Not only as an aesthetic discipline, but as a cultural and political force that helps shape our digital future. The question is not only what we design, but also with which values, with which means, and for whom.
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The NATIONAL DESIGN DEBATE is a place for friction and imagination. For everyone who believes that design is more than solving, it is also questioning, provoking, and dreaming.

Join in. Share your thoughts. Make yourself heard. The future starts with a good conversation.

SPEAKERS

Kristel Baele

CHAIR DUTCH COUNCIL FOR CULTURE

Kristel Baele is Chair of the Dutch Council for Culture. Drawing on her background in governance and higher education, she is committed to the future of arts and culture in the Netherlands. She connects cultural policy with broader societal challenges and the role of creativity in a changing world.

Tinkebell

ARTIST

Tinkebell is a Dutch artist known for her outspoken and provocative work. Through her projects, she challenges ideas about ethics, consumerism, animal welfare, and social norms. Her work sparks public debate about the values that shape contemporary society.

Moktar Nabil

CULTURAL ENTREPRENEUR

Moktar Nabil is an experienced cultural entrepreneur with a strong background in both the creative and business sides of the cultural sector. He is Executive Director of the 40Worldwide foundation, founder of Garage Noord and kanaal40, and formerly served as Creative Director of both organizations.

Constant Dullaart

ARTIST

Constant Dullaart is a visual artist whose work explores the influence of the internet, social media, and digital platforms on society. His practice exposes the hidden power structures behind online visibility, data, and algorithms, and has been exhibited internationally.

Roosje Klap

DIRECTOR NOORDERLICHT & DESIGNER

Roosje Klap is a mixed media designer, researcher, and director of Noorderlicht in Groningen, and project manager of THEA, the new art gallery for culture and technology in Groningen. She is known for her experimental, investigative approach within visual culture. She works at the intersection of art, design, and technology.

Urland

THEATER COLLECTIVE

URLAND is a Dutch theatre collective that brings together technology, performance, and digital culture. Their productions explore how artificial intelligence, algorithms, and virtual worlds are reshaping what it means to be human. Combining theatre, film, and digital media, they create bold and immersive experiences.

Marleen Stikker

DIRECTOR WAAG FUTURELAB

Marleen Stikker is Director and co-founder of Waag Futurelab in Amsterdam. She is a pioneer in digital rights, open technology, and social innovation. Through Waag, she advocates for a more democratic, transparent, and equitable technological future.

Koert van Mensvoort

DIRECTOR NEXT NATURE

Koert van Mensvoort is an artist, philosopher, and Director of Next Nature. He explores how technology is evolving into a new form of nature and how humans can learn to live with it. Through his work, he inspires audiences worldwide to rethink the relationship between nature and technology with curiosity and optimism.

Marsha Simon

MODERATOR

Marsha Simon is a journalist, moderator, and strategic advisor specializing in technology, digital transformation, and innovation. She leads conversations at the intersection of technology, politics, and society, and is known for her incisive questions, analytical perspective, and energetic moderation.

Save the Date!

Friday, October 23

16:00 - 18:00
Get tickets