New Ad School Kicks off in Belgium

On 24th Jan, Creative Belgium announced the launch of the Creative Belgium School, an initiative by Thomas More and Creative Belgium, spearheaded by Greet Wachters (pictured right) and Isabel Van den Broeck (pictured left) . Both recognized the necessity and felt a strong motivation to develop a distinctive international education program. Today, 21 students embark on their journey to develop a strong portfolio. 

Greet Wachters, teacher in the Communication program at Thomas More Mechelen and Program Coordinator of the Creative Belgium School said, "There is so much creativity among young people. Students dream of a creative job, but they don’t have a portfolio, which still gives you a foot in the door. With this one-year program, we will break that barrier.”

The Creative Belgium School is the result of an intensive collaboration between Thomas More Mechelen and Creative Belgium, the national professional association of Belgian creatives that celebrates and stimulates creativity. 

To ensure that the Creative Belgium School is open to all, both nationally and internationally, all classes will be conducted in English. The enrollment fee is set at €3,500, which is significantly lower than similar programs in other countries. No prior education or experience in the creative sector is necessary; however, a bachelor's or master's degree is required. Most importantly, participants should possess an open mind, ready to embrace provocative and unbiased thinking.

Isabel Van den Broeck, MD at Creative Belgium, stated, “Students will receive instruction exclusively from industry professionals. There are no exams; instead, they will graduate with a robust portfolio showcasing their conceptual and creative thinking. This course perfectly aligns with our mission to identify and cultivate the next generation of creative talent. We have strong support from the industry for this initiative, as there’s a collective interest in ensuring that emerging creative professionals are shaped by the best. I am confident in the positive impact this training will have.”

This initiative could not have launched without the backing of the industry. The school kicked off with nine founding partners VML, Publicis Brussels, Ogilvy Social.Lab Belgium, mortierbrigade, LDV United, Happiness, egghunter, Bridgeneers and Accenture Song.  Partners get a first selection of talents to join the agency for 10 weeks and have early access to the portfolio's at the Portfolio Night in June 2025. They have the unique opportunity to come and review students' creative work in the Open House Atelier. 

Learn more here.