What languages do you see around you in Antwerp? Show us what you see on the street and you might get to enjoy some culture at our expense!

There are 180 nationalities in Antwerp. Some people recognise their mother tongue in a shop name, on a restaurant menu or on a tourist map. Other languages, however, are barely visible on the streets of Antwerp.

The written language in public spaces forms the linguistic landscape. We are investigating what that landscape looks like in the university's city in the Meertalig Antwerp project. And you can participate! Take photos of the languages you see in the city and perhaps you will win a gift voucher for De Studio (including De Cinema), De Roma, Trix or De Groene Waterman.

The Language on the Streets of Antwerp competition is being organised from 20 February to 21 March 2026 by the University of Antwerp's Faculty of Arts. The competition is open to everyone, with or without a link to UAntwerp.

How to participate?

STEP 1: Take photos of signs in the streets of Antwerp

You can participate in the Collector or Digger category:

• If you are a Collector, take as many photos as possible of signs in a language other than Dutch in Antwerp. Whoever submits the most photos wins!
• If you are a Digger, one photo is enough to win. Take a photo of a text in a foreign language that you know. Translate the text and tell us by email a. what it is about and b. how you think it fits into the Antwerp context (max. 100 words).

STEP 2: Upload your photos to Lingscape

• Download the Lingscape app. Choose a username in the settings and log in to the project using the password MeerAnt.
• Upload the photos to the app: pin them to the exact location and indicate which language(s) you see.

STEP 3: Email your details for the competition

Send an email to Emmanuelle Labeau (emmanuelle.labeau@uantwerpen.be) with the subject line “Mother Language Day competition” and the following information:

• Your name
• Your username on Lingscape
• Your study programme or school (if applicable)
• If you are participating in the Digger category: the explanation for your photo

Participants' personal details will only be used for the organisation of the competition. These details will not be shared with third parties.

What can you win?

The competition rewards the three best Collectors and the three best Diggers. You can participate in both categories (and therefore upload multiple photos or explain one photo), but you can only win one prize.

Selection of the winners:

• The top 3 in the Collector category will be ranked based on the number of photos submitted. If the winner is undecided because participants have submitted an equal number of photos, the participant who has captured the biggest variety of languages will win.
• The top 3 in the Digger category will be selected based on how well the participants can convince the jury with their arguments about how the photographed text fits into the Antwerp context. These are the basic requirements: 1. Has the assignment been completed in full (translation and explanation)? 2. Does the explanation provide arguments to link the photographed text to the Antwerp context? 3. Is the explanation written with attention to spelling and grammar?

Prize ceremony

The prizes will be announced on 25 March 2026 during C'est la fête, our celebration of French language and culture. Register here! (Dutch webpage)​

There is a podium in each category (Collector / Digger):

• 1st prize: gift voucher worth €50
• 2nd prize: gift voucher worth €30
• 3rd prize: gift voucher worth €20

The winner chooses a gift voucher for one of these organisations: De Studio, De Roma, Trix or De Groene Waterman. The gift voucher cannot be converted into cash.

Winners who are not present at the award ceremony at C'est la fête will be notified by email. The prize can be claimed up to two months after the award ceremony, until 25 May 2026. After this date, a new winner will be selected.