For over a thousand years, the Low Countries have formed a continuous cultural area. This is reflected in words and images. Here, the Dutch language is the main vehicle for the mind: speaking and singing, listening and reading, thinking and writing in the same language interconnects us all, even if we challenge one another in terms of content. The literary and visual arts can open up new horizons and cross borders; they record but also influence the spirit of the age. Language and culture are in a constant state of flux; vernacular and slang, folk art and youth culture, old and new media constitute the glue that binds groups together.