The Usual Rotterdam and The Usual Brussels are looking for artists who want their work to live somewhere real — seen daily by real people, in spaces that were designed to make them feel something.
No theme. No brief. Just your work, in a place built for exactly this.
Who we are.
The Usual is a next-generation, pan-European hotel brand built around a simple belief: that hospitality should bring people together — locals and travellers, guests and neighbours, artists and audiences.
We create spaces that feel alive. Where design, culture, and community come together not as a concept but as an everyday experience. Art plays a key role in expressing who we are and how we make people feel. It complements our interiors and reflects our values, while always maintaining its own distinct voice.
We want our spaces to spark emotion — to surprise, energise, connect and inspire. Art should not blend into the background. It should add character, tell stories, and invite curiosity.
Sustainability is part of how we operate — BREEAM In-Use Outstanding certified, Green Key Gold awarded — but what drives us above all is community. The belief that a hotel should give back to the neighbourhood it sits in, and that the most meaningful things happen when people are in the same room.
What we stand for.
Community over transaction.
We are not looking to fill a wall. We are looking to build something — a programme that connects artists with a daily audience of guests, locals, and people passing through. Art at The Usual is not a backdrop. It is a reason to stop.
Values over aesthetics.
We do not have a house style. What we do have is a set of values — curiosity, care, creativity, sustainability, community — and we look for work that connects with those, however that connection manifests. It does not need to be literal. But it should feel intentional.
Local with meaning.
Rotterdam and Brussels are not interchangeable. Each city has its own creative identity, and we want art in each space to reflect where it is. We actively seek out artists who are rooted in the city they work in — because that specificity is what makes it real.
Authenticity over polish.
We collaborate with people who mean what they make. Whether you are emerging or established, working in paint or pixels, the question we ask is the same: does this work say something true?
The spaces.
The Atelier — The Usual Rotterdam
The Atelier is our ground-floor social space in Rotterdam. Warm, lived-in, and deliberately designed to feel like more than a hotel lobby. Track lighting, timber floors, layered textures, plants, a library space nearby, a raised platform where guests have breakfast and locals catch up.
Art has always been part of this room. It anchors the space and gives it character. Work displayed here is seen every single day — not by a gallery audience who came specifically to look, but by the full mix of people who make The Usual what it is.
The U Bar — The Usual Brussels
In Brussels, the exhibition space sits in The U Bar area — our social hub in the heart of the city. A different energy to Rotterdam, but the same intention: art that belongs to the space and adds something to the people who move through it.
What we have done here so far.
We have been building this programme quietly for a while now. These are the artists who have shaped what it means to show work at The Usual.
What we are looking for.
We are opening a formal call for the first time — because we want to hear from artists we have not found yet.
We are looking for artists based in Rotterdam and Brussels whose work connects — however loosely — with the values that run through everything we do: community, curiosity, care, authenticity, and a genuine relationship with the place you live in. You do not need to make art about sustainability. You do not need to fit a category. But your practice should feel like it comes from somewhere real, and it should feel like it belongs in a space that people actually live in.
- Artist based in Rotterdam or Brussels.
- Any medium — painting, photography, sculpture, textile, installation, mixed media, illustration, digital work.
- Work that connects with our values: community, local identity, authenticity
What we are providing
- Exhibition space free in the heart of the cities (duration agreed in advance, based on availability).
- Promotion across The Usual's social media channels and network.
- Opening drinks and bites (one-time event, limited capacity).
How to apply.
Send the following to marketing@theusual.com
3–5 images of your work
A short bio or description of your practice
Your name, location, and contact details
Please note in your email whether you are applying for Rotterdam or Brussels
Questions? Write to us at hello@theusual.com
