“A festival without workshops is like skiing without lip-balm,” according to the organisers of the Flanders Youth Film Festival, and if you have some chappedlipped young folks hanging around the house this Crocus Vacation, there are still places available for a variety of film festival workshops in Antwerp and Bruges. An introduction to audiovisual media for three to four-year-olds at Cinema Liberty in Bruges utilises the beautiful 1984 film The Snowman (pictured); a full-day course for seven- to nineyear- olds culminates in the creation of a DVD in Antwerp’s FotoMuseum and the Bruges Conservatory; eight- to 12- year-olds learn special effects and horror make-up in Bruges Conservatory.

www.jeugdfilmfestival.be

Make art, then curate it

What better way to create a portrait of your hero or an illustrious family member than by getting up to your elbows in clay or wax? That’s the offer for kids from six to 12 in the Strombeek Cultural Centre on 27 February. Children bring along a photo of their subject, which then becomes the model for their sculpture. Then every Saturday in March will be a course on putting together an exhibition, from choosing how to display the work and finding a gallery, to making invitations and arranging a reception (doubtless complete with pain surprise and warm white wine). Finally, June seems a way off, but the centre advises early sign up for a three-day workshop on animated films, either with drawings or models, which you’ll then be able to take home on DVD.

www.ccstrombeek.be

Don’t just visit, spend the night

There’s too much going on in the city of Ghent, as they’ll tell you themselves, to do it all in just one day, which is why until the end of this month you can book an overnight stay in one of the hotels taking part in a city-wide promotion and get the second night for half-price. Two-for-one entry to an exhibition is thrown in, too. Visit the website for a list of hotels and for testimonials from tourists who’ve been bitten by the Ghent bug, plus a personalised quiz to find out how to get the best out of the city.

www.gentteveelvooreennacht.be