13 | 12 | 2025 > 18 | 01 | 2026
Pop-up expo ‘The Hat - Hats off!’
Discover a selection of the finest cartoons from the 25th edition of the Euro-kartoenale ‘The Hat – Hats off!’ at De Panne .
House of the cartoon, home of the cartoonist
Welcome to the fascinating world of cartoons, visit our exhibitions or try your luck in a cartoon competition.
Best Wishes
Winterbreak : we are closed from the 22nd of December 2025 till the 22nd of January 2026
A new year is like an unwritten page, waiting to be filled with lines of humor and colors of imagination.
May 2026 be a year in which every drawing ignites conversation and every smile builds a bridge between hearts.
In uncertain times, may humor remain our compass — playful and rebellious.
Together, let us create a year of hope, wit, and joy.
The ECC Team
Agenda
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24 | 01 | 2026 > 24 | 01 | 2026
Opening ceremony exhibitions PHIL UMDENSTOCK EN KUSTO
On the 24th of January we open two brand new exhibitions in the ECC.
Only on invitation
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25 | 01 | 2026 > 30 | 03 | 2026
Peace despite war
Oleksy KutsovskyLees meerIn Peace Despite the War, Ukrainian cartoonist Oleksy Kutsovsky (KUSTO) shows how everyday life continues, even in times of war. His drawings speak of daily routines, hope, and resilience.
KUSTO, born in Kyiv in 1971, has been working as a cartoonist since 1998 and has grown into an internationally acclaimed artist. His work has appeared in newspapers and magazines around the world and has received numerous awards. In 2024 he won the Bronze Hat in Knokke-Heist, and in 2025 he received the ECC Prize at the Euro‑Kartoenale Kruishoutem.
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25 | 01 | 2026 > 30 | 03 | 2026
50 Years with a Smile
Phil UmbdenstockLees meer“Can we still laugh about everything?” asks cartoonist Phil Umbdenstock. It is a question he has been asking himself for fifty years, each time he draws a cartoon. The French cartoonist celebrates fifty years of drawing with a personal exhibition at the ECC, titled: “50 Years with a Smile!”
The show brings together around one hundred humorous drawings, carefully selected from his oeuvre. And yet, it is not a retrospective. Come and discover the cartoonist with that touch of rock’n’roll, often described by reviewers as the artist who delivers an “uppercut.”
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01 | 02 | 2026 > 01 | 02 | 2026
Pancakes in the ECC
Lees meerWe have a tradition to eat pancakes - normally at the 2nd of February. But in the ECC we do it one day before.
NEWS
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10.01.2026
Every year cartoonists are sending the best wishes in beautiful cards. Cartoon Gallery showplay's them in an online exhibition. Just enjoy
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23.12.2025
Dutch Tjeerd Royaards wins the European Cartoon Awards for editorial cartoons
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15.12.2025
Check the results from the ZeGeBOOM cartoon contest Zagreb 2025
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13.12.2025
Discover the winning cartoons of the Brain Sneezing cartoon festival
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26.11.2025
Visit the pop-up exhibition with a selection of the Euro-kartoenale "The Hat - Hats off!' in De Panne from the 13th December till the 18th of January. More information
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06.09.2025
The Flemish Heritage Day 2026 will carry the theme “Haha Humor.” FARO drew inspiration from the European Cartoon Center. Be sure to check out their Instagram page for a series of reels featuring the cartoon center in the spotlight. And don’t forget to visit the inspiration blog about our cartoon walk (in Dutch)
In the spotlight
BRASSERIE
The cartoon café of the European Cartoon Center was named BRASSERie as a tribute to the Flemish cartoonist BRASSER. Incorporated into the café’s lighting are ten works by BRASSER themed around food and drinks.
Lees meer
Euro-kartoenale
The rules for the next edition of the Euro-kartoenale will be available in the Summer of 2026. In the meanwhile you can practice your skills by participating in some of the other contests.
Practical information
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Opening hours
Every Sunday from 10-12 and 14-17 you can visit the ECC as an individual with free entrance
Winterbreak: the European Cartoon Center is closed between the 22nd of December till the 22nd of January.
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Fee
As we want to promote cartoons as an art form to the general public and find it important that everyone has the possibility to see cartoons, you can visit the ECC on Sunday by the 'Pay what you wish'-principal. You decide what your visit to the exhibition is worth and according your own budget. This way of working is only possible because the European Cartoon Center is a non-profit organization that operates 100% on volunteers.
Keep in mind that your voluntary contribution makes it possible to make cartoon art accessible to all.
For groups there are different paid formulas:
- Formula A: 5 euro per person (with a minimum of 50 euro) admission and introduction
- Formula B: 8 euro per person (with a minimum of 80 euro) admission, introduction and a free drink of your choice
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Groups and Schools
Looking for an original group activity? During your visit, you will gain insight in our mission and how the ECC is working. Of course we will also give an introduction to our exhibitions, where visual language steal the show. A visit lasts approximately 2 hours and is available every day for groups of 10 or more.
The cartoon center is also a unique experience for schools. The program is tailored to the age of your class group.
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How to get here
Kruishoutem is located between Ghent and Kortrijk, just about 30 minutes from the French border. On the E17, take exit 6 and drive towards the center of Kruishoutem. You can park at the back of the European Cartoon Center or in the center of the town. Alongside the town hall runs a path that brings you to the René D’huyvetterstraat (a 5-minute walk).
The most accessible train stations are located in Oudenaarde, Deinze, and Waregem. With the public bus of ‘De Lijn’, you can also reach Kruishoutem by bus from these stations on Sundays. Get off at the Nieuw Plein bus stop. From there, it's a 5-minute walk to the ECC
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Winterbreak
The cartoon Center is closed from the 22nd of December 2025 till the 22 of January 2026
