In a festival landscape increasingly dominated by the same international names, the Horst Festival in Vilvoorde – just outside of Brussels – is highlighting the Belgian music scene.
With the "Come hear what's here" campaign, Horst is giving a leading role to the Belgian scene. Nearly half of the artists in the festival's entire programme come from Belgium – not as a secondary component, but as the "beating heart" of the festival.
"We put on the programme what we believe in, what deserves to be heard, not necessarily what you already know," the festival's programmers said.
While it has never been easier to access what we already know, Horst chooses to take the opposite approach. The festival wants to position itself as "a curious ear", closely attuned to the local music scene: from small studios and independent radio stations to the clubs where movements emerge even before going mainstream.
Horst carries this message far and wide, reaching beyond its borders. With "Come hear what's here," the Belgian music and arts platform is conducting a so-called "guerrilla marketing campaign" also beyond the country borders, reaching even the streets of London and Amsterdam.
Dark Skies at Horst festival. Credit: Illias Teirlinck
From the opening to the closing acts, each Belgian artist occupies a spot on one of the nine stages, with a clear purpose.
"The logic is very simple: local artists are on the Belgian dancefloor scene every weekend. They have a better feel than anyone for what's happening right now," said Alix Goris and Simon Nowak, who are in charge of Music Programming.
Names like AliA, Mika Oki, Lefto Early Bird, DTM Funk, and Mankiyan more or less form the familiar backbone of Horst, but this year the festival is also programming a record number of newcomers like ONEY, Elisethere & STDJ, Ako, and Nefeli.
"Added to this are internationally influential artists like Altinbas, ShunGu, Ben Kamal, Clara D, and Lola Haro, who find here the central place they deserve," they added.
On its site at the Asiat Park in Vilvoorde, revellers can find annual Workshops, where artists and architects collaborate over several weeks to construct the physical space of the festival.
This vision naturally extends to the festival experience: Horst prioritises direct, physical experience; the focus remains on the music, the space, and the dancers.
Horst Festival 2026 will take place at Asiat Park, Vilvoorde, from 14 to 16 May 2026. More info and tickets can be found here. Resale tickets are now available on Ticketswap.
