From April 27 to 30, a group of students from AANT Academy’s Bachelor’s Degree programs in Art Direction, Advertising, and Graphic Design took part in the Blended Intensive Programme “Summer of Branding”, organized by Artevelde University of Applied Sciences in Ghent.
The experience involved Alessandro Arnold, Francesco Cimmino, Giorgia Sofia Fede, Giuseppe Maria Falso, Enrico Pezzali, Luca Porfirio, Nicolò Portarelli, Carlo Renato Popescu, Giulia Ragusa, and Viola Rinaldi, accompanied by lecturers Daniel Bedusa and Antonio De Falco.
During the intensive week, students collaborated with participants from partner European universities, working in international teams designed to encourage the exchange of different approaches, skills, and creative perspectives.
The core of the workshop focused on analyzing and reinterpreting selected locations in the city of Ghent through branding and visual communication tools. The project required direct observation, on-site research, and the ability to transform urban, historical, and cultural elements into contemporary visual narratives. Alongside the design activities, the programme included meetings with industry professionals, typography workshops, cultural visits, and moments of urban exploration, offering students an immersive experience within the creative landscape of the Belgian city. Activities also included a visit to Ghent’s Industry Museum and a workshop dedicated to letterpress printing, where participants experimented with analog processes and traditional composition techniques.
For the students of the Rome-based Academy, the BIP represented a valuable opportunity for international exchange, creative and professional growth, and the development of an increasingly open and collaborative design practice capable of connecting design, storytelling, and cultural identity.