Local engagement

Local engagement and social impact

Our venues are deeply connected to their surroundings, and we take that bond with the neighborhood seriously. That’s why we launch various initiatives to maintain and strengthen this connection.

Volunteer program

Volunteer bar teams

A team of seven people wearing black shirts stands behind a bar. Above the bar, the word “Drank” is lit up in red neon letters. Four card terminals are placed on the counter, with stacks of chips and several beer taps visible in the background.

For many years, we’ve been giving local associations the opportunity to manage our bar services. This allows them to earn extra income to fund their activities. Associations with a social, cultural, or sports purpose can run a bar and raise money for their club or for a good cause.

Neuropia and GINKO4YOU

We can count on the dedication of hundreds of enthusiastic volunteers who help ensure a warm and smooth welcome for our audience. This is done in collaboration with two associations: Neuropia and GINKO4YOU.

Neuropia is active in our Flemish venues – from the AFAS Dome to Capitole Gent – and GINKO4YOU in Forest National. Both organizations bring together people with a passion for live entertainment and give them the opportunity to be part of our operations on a voluntary basis.

The volunteers take on a variety of tasks: welcoming guests, guiding them inside the venue, checking tickets at the entrance, and assisting in the parking area. They are an essential link in creating a positive visitor experience.

A traffic attendant in a neon vest and cap gives a thumbs-up to a car on a busy parking lot. Several vehicles are parked on the grass in the background.

Community engagement

AFAS Dome, Lotto Arena, and Forest National are located right in the heart of residential neighborhoods. This brings specific challenges for the local community. That’s why we actively invest in building strong relationships with residents and contribute to the well-being of everyone in the area.

Elegast Den Dam and City Pirates

A group of young City Pirates players in blue tracksuits and padded jackets, gathered in a row with yellow and blue flags during a club activity.

AFAS Dome and Lotto Arena are part of the Den Dam neighborhood in Antwerp-North. We work closely with Elegast Den Dam, a local community organization, and with City Pirates, a socially engaged football club active in several Antwerp neighborhoods.

We offer them the opportunity to attend events and actively involve them in our operations. For example, local residents often volunteer with Neuropia.

We Are Forest

Six people in orange vests and shirts smile in front of Forest National. They hold litter pickers and bags filled with trash collected during a cleanup activity.

With the website We Are Forest, Forest National strengthens its bond with local residents. The platform encourages interaction between the concert venue and the community.

Local residents are actively involved in initiatives such as World Cleanup Day, where they join us in cleaning up litter in the neighborhood. During major cleanup actions, we also organize a flea market where neighbors are welcome.

In addition, we reduce inconvenience by encouraging our promoters to organize as many events as possible with numbered seating instead of general admission.

World Bicycle Day

Every year, we organize Het Fietspaleis (The Bike Palace) at AFAS Dome to mark World Bicycle Day: a traffic education event where hundreds of fifth-grade students from the region come together for an interactive cycling day. In this way, we contribute to road safety and promote an active lifestyle for the next generation.