In Breda ideas are given space to grow. Where creators meet, new worlds are born: both digitally and in real life. Games, music, technology, and art come together here. Sometimes playful, sometimes investigative, but always looking ahead.

During Dutch Game Week (27 November to 4 December) and TURF (27, 28 & 29 November), you can experience this up close. In the Explore Breda Store, over the coming months, you'll get to know highlights from the events, such as the game The Knightling by the Breda-based studio Twirlbound and makers' stories from TURF.

Podium voor Verhalen is the place in Breda where we, together with partners, tell stories of the city. In this edition, you discover how games, music, and collaboration are advancing the city.

BO Diversity is building a society where gender equality is the norm. They focus on gender emancipation, sexuality & intimacy, and sexism, seeking connections between these themes and challenging entrenched norms. Eight years ago, they started on a picnic bench at BUas here in Breda; now they are active across the country.

This exhibition invited the audience to look beyond the norm. Norms are not necessarily bad, but they can also be restrictive. In addition to various works by BO Diversity, the exhibition also featured the new book from COC Breda-Tilburg, 'Five Centuries of Queer Breda', and images from the accompanying exhibition by creator Nielo Schurs. Besides celebrating during Pride, we have also learned something together. 

Student life often appears to be care-free, but for many, the reality is much more complex. Also in Breda, students face a shortage of affordable rooms and financial problems that make the future uncertain. The pressure to perform is high, mental health is under strain, and loneliness is a growing issue.

Not everyone feels seen or welcome in the city: vocational students and others experiencing inequality of opportunity still struggle to find their place. The idea for this exhibition originated with Raimke Groothuizen, a teacher at Avans University of Applied Sciences. In collaboration with Verbeter Breda, Urban Living Lab Breda, Curio, De Rooi Pannen, Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas), and Avans University of Applied Sciences, this initiative was further developed. Through conversations with students, a variety of stories emerged. These stories form the core of (Well)being a student, an exhibition that reveals what it truly means to be a student in a time full of expectations and uncertainties.

BredaPhoto shared their story during this period at the large-scale photography festival. Using this year's theme, 'Journeys', you explored BredaPhoto throughout the years. During this period, you also scored cool merchandise, all locally and sustainably produced. Some products are still available in the store! 

The exhibition 'Through the eyes of...' was the first exhibition to be displayed in the Explore Breda Store. As the saying goes, walls sometimes have ears. But what would the over 150 Bredase Blind Walls see if they had eyes? Do they see the smile of a passing stranger, the familiar face of the neighbour upstairs, or the curious looks of children from the neighbourhood? The murals cannot tell their own stories, but the residents can. We asked various Bredanaars about the stories behind ‘their’ mural. In several videos, it was shared what the murals of Blind Walls Gallery mean for the city of Breda and its residents. Did you miss the exhibition, but are you curious to hear the stories? Then click on the button below.