Space for Education and Participation

A New Space for Education & Participation

We are proud to announce the brand-new Education & Participation Space at Kunstinstituut Melly: a vibrant and flexible environment dedicated to learning, meeting, creativity, and community exchange.

Situated on the ground floor of our building, this space is designed as a visible and active pillar of our institution, ensuring that education, knowledge sharing, and collective learning remain central to our mission. Whether you’re a child, student, artist, educator, or visitor, this is a space for curiosity, care, and connection.

Built with core values of inclusivity, accessibility, flexibility, and ecological awareness, the space features organic forms, natural materials, and a modular layout that easily adapts to different programs and needs. It is a place where ideas grow, people gather, and creativity flourishes.

Here, we host a range of activities, including: CLiP sessions (Collective Learning in Practice), Educational residencies and student collaborations, Children’s workshops and family programs, Masterclasses, public talks, and community initiatives.

Every Saturday, visitors can join us for free workshops inspired by our exhibitions, welcoming all ages and backgrounds to participate in meaningful, creative dialogue.

Holiday Passport 2025: The Water Cycle

To celebrate the launch of our new space, we’re excited to present The Water Cycle, an imaginative art activity for children ages 4–12, developed as part of Holiday Passport 2025.

Running from 19 July to 31 August 2025, this hands-on experience invites children to explore the secrets of water, its role in nature, ecology, and history and to imagine what it feels like to become a cloud, a drop, or a sheet of ice.

Inspired by the work of artist Simnikiwe Buhlungu, participants choose (or discover!) one of three routes: Cloud, Drop, or Ice. Each path begins with inquiry and ends in a creative work of art, culminating in a collaborative installation built from childlike imagination and microscopic exploration.

Children are guided by Melly’s team of experienced art educators and mediators and supported with costumes, storytelling prompts, and creative materials that turn learning into play.

Free walk-in, every Wednesday through Sunday, from 11:00–18:00, with admission granted via the Holiday Passport, including 2 companions per child.