Raw, radiant and rebellious: the best bits of Us By Night 2025

Us By Night is a three-night creative festival in Antwerp, Belgium, featuring a top-drawer mix of international speakers and performers. This year, BUCK joined the programme to share its work and creative process. It’s Nice That spoke with creative director Mandy Smith who, after the adrenaline of being on stage died off, reflected on what makes the festival such a unique gathering for the creative community, and picked out some of her highlights.

It’s Nice That: How does the event differ from other creative industry talks events?

Mandy Smith: Unlike most conferences, Us By Night runs in the evenings, which creates an atmosphere that’s both relaxed and bursting full of energy from the get-go! The festival itself is held in a huge industrial space, filled with installations, food trucks, pop-up stalls, and immersive design features. Some personal highlights included a dynamic poster wall where attendees could plaster up designs from artists around the world, cars you could actually draw on and probably the biggest disco ball I’ve ever seen.

There were three main stages across the space that hosted talks, panels, and performances from an impressive lineup across design, art, music, and culture. But what really sets this festival apart in my mind is its atmosphere. Every space invited you to explore, hangout and even make friends via the interactive elements built throughout - I personally got stuck into some classic arcade game battles and couldn’t stop laughing whilst attempting to hit the ball across the sculptural ping-pong tables.

Lastly, the well thought through hangout spaces made it easy to connect, wander, and bump into friends even after going to different talks. Everything felt easy and much more creative than corporate. I honestly left completely inspired and ready to get stuck into my own personal projects again.

INT: Were there any big themes that emerged this year, across the talks?

MS: For me, a big theme was humble beginnings – people openly sharing what worked, what didn’t, and giving a vulnerable, honest look at their process. No one shied away from the rough edges. Instead, they showed just how much effort it really takes to move a project from A to B. That felt refreshing, especially against the backdrop of rapid technological change in the industry. It was a raw, human portrayal of creativity.

Artists spoke candidly about their frictions. None of them got where they are without the grind, the hours, and the countless small decisions that shaped their practice. And none of the talks I saw were about “nailing it straight out of the box”. They were about trial and error, trusting instincts, and allowing the journey to unfold step by step. Even the projects that looked elegantly simple had backstories filled with hours of labour, exploration, and persistence. The journey itself is what makes the work, not shortcuts.

What I loved most was how many artists shared their failures — and did so with pride, because that’s where the learning happens. Some of my key takeaways include:

• Don’t embrace the immediate or lazy, embrace the friction
• Slow down
• Explore on a deeper level
• Infuse more of yourself into your work
• Be honest, and ask: what’s the most human work I can make?

INT: What were some of your key highlights across the talks, what did they talk about, and why did it stay with you?

MS:I have a few...

Pablo Delcan

One that really stuck with me was Pablo Delcan and his journey with AI. He spoke about our collective fear of being replaced by technology, and his response was an act of rebellion; creating Prompt Brush, the first non-AI generative art model, powered entirely by him.

It was genius. People send him prompts, and instead of an algorithm, he draws them, using only his imagination. He completely flipped the generative model on its head. I remember thinking: damn, I wish I’d come up with that.

In such a fast-changing world, it felt like a powerful way to take back control, putting effort into something deeply personal and connected to him.

Vasilis Marmatakis

I’ve been a huge fan of the type and poster work for Yorgos Lanthimos’ films ever since The Lobster. Vasilis’ humour, tone, and execution always stick with me – every time I see something new from him, it stays in my mind.

So it was incredible to hear him walk us through his process and how he creates such fresh, considered work. He really goes the extra mile to making something new, embracing traditional techniques, whilst also adding texture, and never taking shortcuts.

What inspired me most was seeing how many strong concepts never even made it to the final poster. For every stunning design released, he had dozens of other original ideas. It was humbling and exciting to see just how far he explores a theme, even going through every single photo from a set to find exactly what he needs. No small feat!

So Me

So Me’s talk was the perfect way to close out Friday night. It was fascinating to see all the unique record designs he’s created over the years for Ed Banger Records and how they connected so seamlessly with the music itself. The vibe fit the space and the energy of the evening perfectly. I left buzzing and filled with nostalgia, taking me back to such a defining moment for electronic music, one that shaped that whole era, and honestly, my 20s.

What struck me most was how intertwined his friendships were with the artists he designed for. That sense of community shaped his style, embracing the rough edges and diving headfirst into the scene.

AZXD / Azod Abedi-kichi

Coming from a stop-motion background myself, his talk really touched me. The sheer amount of hours needed to make reactive work, pushing through the night, straight from set to rig clean-up without rest, reminded me of the passion and dedication needed for this beautiful craft.

AZXD was so honest and raw about how much he gives. He even shared that he once sold a car to fund a short film, a project that asked so much of him but gave back so little. I really saw myself in his story; it was moving to hear him share so openly.

Over time, he’s developed a style he calls “cheap, fast, and dirty” yet the result feels completely unique and unmistakably his. From the beginning, he’s worked in a way that lets him realise his vision, staying true to himself and keeping his artistic intent at the forefront. Embracing every part of his process, he brought such a grounded, honest balance to the programme.

Nicole McLaughlin

I loved her story of humble beginnings, from taking scraps while working at Adidas, to creating through Covid, to suddenly becoming an internet sensation. At one point Hermès even sent her a box of dream materials to work with, something anyone would have loved to get their hands on! She’s really developed a style that feels entirely her own.

What stood out even more is how she uses her practice to influence change. As an ambassador working with major companies, she challenges how they think about waste. Through her upcycling, she gives back to the community - running workshops and sharing her knowledge with students.

Aaaand… BUCK!

A personal highlight for me was to share the stage with Estefan Richter, designer and art director from our European office. We come from very different styles and projects, but our process is always the same: human-centred, collaborative, and full of experimentation. We love celebrating the individuality of the people we work with, and it was really fun to walk the audience through all the trial, error, and hidden work that shapes the final pieces. The crowd gave so much back, we left feeling energised and hopeful that they caught a bit of the spirit we pour into everything we make.