"Designing Futures" is an international leadership program for leaders in the cultural and creative industries. It is an international leadership program specifically developed for professionals and emerging leaders in the cultural and creative industries.
Born from a dynamic partnership between Flanders and South Africa and anchored in the UNITWIN UNESCO Chair for Cultural Entrepreneurship and Cultural Policy, this program brings together twenty talented cultural professionals—ten from Flanders and ten from South Africa—for six transformative labs.
Over twelve months, you’ll engage in five interactive online modules and one intensive, seven-day residential lab in South Africa. Together, you’ll tackle real-world challenges—digital transformation, sustainable finance, equitable partnerships and inclusive governance—through personal reflection, organizational strategy and systemic design thinking.
Guided by leading academics and sector practitioners, you’ll test ideas, share dilemmas and co-create innovative solutions.
By graduation, you’ll not only earn a prestigious certificate but also sharpen your leadership identity, forge an international peer network and walk away with practical frameworks to embed lasting impact in your organization. Join us in redefining leadership for today’s complex cultural landscape—where local roots and global horizons converge.
Discover our program on Cultural Leadership
The Labs
The foundation of the program consists of 6 labs (hybrid), referred to as labs (laboratories) because they serve not only as knowledge acquisition but also as platforms for sharing and creating knowledge. Structure to unfold over a 12-month period, five of these labs are conducted online, with one lab adopting a hybrid format, taking place in South Africa at the University of Witwatersrand.
Lab 1: The Cultural Ecosystem: Global and Local Challenges
- October 16 & 17
- Schedule: Morning - Theoretical session / Afternoon - Practical exercises
Lab 2: Cultural Leadership - Inside Out and Outside In
- December 8-13
- In-person at the University of Witwatersrand
Lab 3: Organisational Culture & Organisational Structure
- February 5 & 6
Lab 4: Business Modelling, Entrepreneurship, Creative Placemaking
- April 23 & 24
Lab 5: Collaboration Models and Political Skills
- May 21 & 22
Lab 6: Inclusion, Participation and Digitalisation
- June 25 & 26
Learning Tracks
Besides the 6 learning labs that are the basis of the program, there are three learning tracks that are developed throughout the program. These tracks serve as the cornerstone of our program, guiding participants on a transformative journey of leadership development and innovation. Each track plays a vital role in shaping the skills and capabilities of our participants, ultimately equipping them to excel as leaders in the cultural and creative sectors.
- Reflection
- Interventure
- Cultural Connections
Program Management
- Prof dr. Annick Schramme - University of Antwerp
- Dr. Caryn Abrahams - University of Witwatersrand
- Avril Joffe - University of Witwatersrand
- Leonie Delaey - University of Antwerp
