In collaboration with Europalia, creative director Alex Akuete launched The Spirit of Goya in June 2025, a performative research project inviting young performers to engage with the work and values of Francisco Goya. Following a careful selection process, 40 young dancers and performers participated in a four-week creation period.

Through research into Goya’s life and oeuvre, participants explored themes such as representation, community, water and democracy, using movement to reinterpret these values in a contemporary context. The creation process functioned as a performance research laboratory (LAB), offering a safe and supportive environment for artistic experimentation under the guidance of experienced coaches appointed by Alex Akuete.

The outcomes of the research weeks were presented at various locations across Antwerp and Brussels.