Since 2016, The Crystal Ship has transformed Ostend into one of Europe’s leading open-air street art galleries. Each year, internationally acclaimed artists create large-scale murals and smaller interventions inspired by the city’s people, heritage and coastal landscape, turning streets and neighborhoods into a living canvas.
With works spread across the city, the festival brings art into everyday public spaces and encourages year-round exploration and community connection. Set against the backdrop of a vibrant seaside city, The Crystal Ship has become a defining cultural event that reimagines Ostend through contemporary urban art.
Ostend’s open-air museum is a must-see for street art lovers. Each year, The Crystal Ship invites international artists to transform the city’s walls into large-scale murals, turning a wide-open urban landscape into a vibrant creative playground.
There are three extensive walking routes through the city to help you explore all this new artwork: Belle Époque, Center, and Oosteroever. Fancy going a little further? Then a themed cycling route around Ostend might be just the thing.
