Enschede through Ana’s eyes: “A place full of surprises”
Ana Garcia de Alba, a fourth-year student in Crossmedia Design at the AKI ArtEZ Academy for Art & Design, never thought that she would feel so at home in Enschede. “I was born in Mexico City and moved to Madrid shortly thereafter, so what would I get from a small town like Enschede? But it ended up giving me everything I was looking for.” Ana not only found a place to study and grow in Enschede, but also a vibrant community filled with young creatives collaborating on new ideas.
Ana has always been interested in art, primarily film and photography. “I actually wanted to study film in England, but after Brexit, that was difficult. That’s why I started looking for something design-focused.” “When I saw the amount of variety in AKI’s graduation projects, I thought, ‘Crossmedia Design is a course where I can explore absolutely everything.’ Enschede seemed much less intimidating than, say, Amsterdam or Utrecht. It’s small, you can get everywhere easily on foot and it’s easy to explore, which was exactly what I was looking for.”
Ana with her work 'Mapping Allium'
From unfamiliar territory to feeling right at home
When Ana first arrived in Enschede, she didn’t know a soul. “I didn’t even have a room of my own yet, but I did have two super lovely people to stay with. Their house was a two-minute walk from AKI. In the beginning, I would only go to school and directly back home. After a while though, I slowly started exploring the city and its artistic spaces, and learned some Dutch as well. That really helped me integrate.” For Ana, Enschede was a place full of surprises. “What surprised me the most was how many young people live here. In Spain, you usually only see older folks. And the GOGBOT festival, with robots everywhere - that was such a pleasant surprise. I would never expect that in a ‘small’ city.”
A city with a strong community feel
In Ana’s eyes, Enschede’s compact size creates a strong sense of community. “As it is a small city, there is a need for spaces that bring young people together. But that small size also makes it a lot easier to make things happen than it might in the Randstad. There is a sense of energy among students to try to improve the city and create new opportunities for themselves.” Ana first got involved in the city’s creative scene during her first year of study. “In the beginning, we often went to Black Brick, a space for artists to showcase their work. It provides a pressure-free space where you can learn from others. For an 18-year-old in particular, it was wonderful, and exactly what I needed.” Ana is also involved in GrensFrequentie (“cut-off frequency” in English), an ArtEZ Academy of Music initiative, for musicians to get to know each other. “It’s great, because I am also a musician. It’s so nice to have a place where you can meet like-minded people outside of school.”
Ana's hotspot: Broodbode
Room to grow and create
One of the projects Ana is most proud of is The Yolk, a school newspaper that she started along with her fellow students. “We had our first issue in in March 2024 and have published four issues since, where students interview fellow students. We show sides of them that you don’t normally see and highlight students’ work. AKI supported the project financially, which was wonderful. That helped me be a lot more sure of myself, both in approaching students and in leading the interviews.”
I like that there are plenty of opportunities in Enschede for students to showcase their work. One time, I was allowed to have an exhibition at a small photo gallery.
“In my second year of study, a friend and I designed the awards for the Booster Festival, a music festival in Enschede. I like that there are plenty of opportunities in Enschede for students to showcase their work. One time, I was allowed to have an exhibition at a small photo gallery. It’s quite a welcoming community, with lots of people open to showcasing art in their spaces.”
Ana’s favourite spots in Enschede
Ana’s favourite spots include, “Rutbeek, a nearby natural area. If it’s warm out, I love going there. I also like going to the thrift shops in the city centre. You can always find unique items there! Once I found some old rolls of receipts that I ended up using in a creative project!” Along with those spots, she often goes to the Stanislaus, a local pub and popular hangout for AKI students. “The academy itself also feels like a welcoming space. We can hang out there or even spontaneously organise something, such as an exhibition.”
Ana's hotspot: Tea shop het Gouden Randje
A bright and open-ended future
As for the future, Ana says:” Whether or not I stay in Enschede depends on where my creative career takes me. I’m currently working as a screen printing assistant at ArtEZ, which I really enjoy. But I also would love to work in a design studio, which might take me to a bigger city. Berlin would be an interesting place for me, especially since it’s nearby. But as I’ve already learned Dutch, maybe I’ll end up staying here. I’ll just wait and see where my path takes me.”
Her tips for future (international) students
Ana suggests not letting yourself get too comfortable in your own bubble. “It can be so tempting to only hang out with other international students. But as long as you stay open to new opportunities to meet others, it is very easy to get to know the people around you - not just other students but the local community as well.” Her top tip? “Leave ample time to find housing, because that can be a challenge. And allow yourself to practise Dutch, even at the supermarket. You will be surprised at how fast you can learn just by doing!”