Apply for the MAD Ateliers, workspaces for fashion and design professionals!

Are you a designer or creative professional working in the fashion or design sectors and looking for a professional workspace to develop your practice? MAD Brussels offers the MAD Ateliers, dedicated to fashion and design professionals seeking a fully equipped workspace, a stimulating environment, and a strong connection to Brussels' creative ecosystem.

More than just a workspace, the MAD Ateliers are a place for production, exchange, and collaboration, encouraging networking, creative synergies, and new professional opportunities. The studios are also intended to serve as a showcase for their residents: they may be featured during professional visits and meetings with partners, companies, institutions, and commissioners, creating opportunities for collaborations and bespoke projects.

Who are the MAD Ateliers for?

The MAD Ateliers welcome designers, studios, and brands based in the Brussels-Capital Region who have an established professional practice in one or more of the following fields:

Design

• Industrial design and prototype development for companies and design publishers;

• Collectible design and functional art;

• Scenography, set design and spatial design;

• Ceramics and tableware;

• Bespoke textile design.

Fashion

• Fashion, jewellery, and accessories brands producing small-scale collections;

• Practices operating at the intersection of fashion, art direction, and contemporary creation.

Applicants must:

• have an established professional practice;

• hold a valid Belgian VAT number;

• provide a portfolio demonstrating a strong creative practice;

• use the studio as their primary production space.

The MAD Ateliers are intended for professionals who wish to develop their practice within a collaborative environment and make full use of the resources offered by the residency.

What do the MAD Ateliers offer?

Selected residents benefit from:

• A private, furnished studio ranging from 20 m² to 50 m² within a shared workspace located at Rue du Vautour 4, 1000 Brussels (allocated according to availability; minimum one occupant and maximum two occupants per studio);

• Access to shared production and creative facilities tailored to fashion and design practices, including industrial sewing machines, overlock machines, heat presses, table saws, welding stations, a ceramic kiln, metal-bending equipment, a CNC milling machine, and a wide range of fabrication tools;

• A professional environment that encourages exchanges between fashion and design practitioners;

• Access to a local and international network of creative industry professionals;

• Professional visits, meetings with partners, collaboration opportunities, public commissions, and matchmaking initiatives organised by MAD Brussels;

• Access to MAD Brussels' local and international network;

• Access to open calls and professional opportunities shared by MAD Brussels.

The studios are intended to serve as each resident's primary workspace. Regular presence and active use of the facilities are expected throughout the residency.

Studios are allocated for an initial period of two years. Subject to a positive evaluation of the occupancy, engagement with the residency, and the relevance of the project, the residency may be renewed once, for an additional year.

A financial contribution of €10 per m² is required to contribute to the operation of the facilities. This contribution is intentionally kept affordable in order to support professional creative practices.

Selection Criteria

Applications will primarily be assessed on the basis of:

• the quality of the portfolio and previous work;

• the coherence of the applicant's creative universe and the clarity of their artistic direction;

• the relevance of the creative approach;

• the project's development potential during the residency;

• clearly defined short- and medium-term objectives;

• the quality of professional references (clients, commissions, collaborations, stockists, completed projects, etc.);

• the motivation to join a collaborative creative environment;

• the ability to make full use of the resources provided by the MAD Ateliers.

Particular attention will be given to projects demonstrating a strong identity, a clear vision, and the potential to contribute to Brussels' creative ecosystem.

While the economic viability of the project may be taken into consideration, it is not a primary selection criterion.

Selection Process

Applications must include:

• the completed application form;

• a portfolio presenting recent work;

• a motivation letter;

• a short presentation outlining short- and medium-term objectives;

• an overview of professional references, including clients, stockists, commissions, collaborations, and completed projects;

• a business plan and financial plan.

Applications must be submitted through the online application form no later than Sunday 25 October 2026 at 11:59 PM, together with all required documents.

Following an initial review of the applications, shortlisted candidates will be invited to present their project before a jury composed of representatives from MAD Brussels and external professionals from the fashion and design sectors. Presentation juries will take place on 24 November 2026 for design applicants and 26 November 2026 for fashion applicants.

Timeline

• Open call launches: 5 August 2026

• Application deadline: 25 October 2026 (11:59 PM)

• Shortlisting: 5 November 2026

• Presentation jury: 24 & 26 November 2026

• Residency begins: from 1 January 2027

Questions?

For any questions regarding the MAD Ateliers, please contact Clara Goblet at clara.goblet@mad.brussels.
Please note that questions submitted before the end of August will be answered from late August onwards.