Amsterdam offers a stimulating variety of arts and culture to be found in over 60 theatres, churches and concert halls, 42 museums, and 141 commercial art galleries... But you can also expect to find surprising platforms in squares, parks, forests, old factories, shipping docks, a former town, boats, and even on the canals.
Binding Communities
The City of Amsterdam values the arts as a way to bind communities together, stimulating cultural and economic development in its own right. It promotes a policy that clearly nurtures this belief into reality, not only placing much effort into protecting the historical culture embedded in its structure and architecture, but also in supporting current cultural developments by funding arts on the stage, in film, in museums, at festivals, galleries, art-leasing programmes, and public libraries. This includes an abundance of amateur as well as established arts.
Hotels in Amsterdam
An Arts-friendly Culture
The arts sector provides employment for more than 12,000 people. Some 2,000 artists live in the city, and more than 3,000 students follow courses at the art and music academies. This policy has clearly been paying off: the City's 2003 'Cultural Monitor' from the Department of Cultural Development reveals that Amsterdammers themselves boast the highest arts participation rate for the entire country: 84% of adult Amsterdammers and 96% of the children in Amsterdam enjoy the various theatres, museums, galleries, cinemas and festivals the city has to offer. Four Seasons
The local cultural season lasts 52 weeks a year, focusing on the period from September to the end of June. Some of the major theatres and concert halls have extended their season to stage a series of performances in July and August, immediately after the Holland Festival (June 1st - 30th). Most of the performances during the summer have been rated 'Language No Problem' - and can thus be enjoyed by visitors and locals alike. But there is also an impressive selection of traditional street theatre and special productions taking place in unusual locations, enhancing the atmosphere of the city. Since 1996, the arts has received its own special summer festival: the international Amsterdam Arts Adventure can be found from the end of May to the end of August. Summers also bring annual cultural festivals to special special areas such as the canals, former shipping wharfs and many other unique spots. And lastly, for those who want a peek into what the coming year has to offer, hang around in the beginning of September for the official opening of the city's cultural season - the Uitmarkt. Participants get to enjoy free previews of performances, concerts and exhibitions, as well as the latest from publishing houses, tasty bites and a full musical concert to top it all off.
All Tastes
Year round, arts lovers have a choice of over 16,000 performances at over 65 conventional and alternative theatres and podiums. These include traditional venues such as the Concertgebouw classical music hall or the city theatre of the Stadsschouwburg, or modern venues such as the Muziektheater (also known as the 'Stopera') for opera and ballet or the brand new Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, which hosts the famous jazz performances of the new Bimhuis and the IJsbreker. More experimental productions can be found in the European Felix Merites Theatre, which was already established in 1777.
Museums, Art & Antiques
The city has more than 42 serious and curious museums. In addition, Amsterdam also hosts 180 art galleries and is also famous famous for its art and antiques trade and antiquarian bookshops. The two largest art auction houses in the world have branches in Amsterdam, and PAN is one of the most important art fairs in the country. Amsterdam also offers an annual treat for museum lovers and dabblers like: in what is one of the most original cultural events held in the world, the annual museumn8 (a pun on the Museumnacht, or 'Museum Night'), Amsterdam's popular as well as lesser-known museums open their doors to the public for special exhibitions, performances, activities and more. With 2005 marking the 5th anniversary of the successful event, 5 November 2005 should prove to be a truly unique night.
Something for Everyone
As a non-profit foundation, the Amsterdams Uitburo is Amsterdam's collective marketing organisation for the cultural sector, providing information about and tickets for the various cultural events going on in the city. Together with the Amsterdam Tourism & Conference Board, all visitors are assured a broad amount of options so that they, too, can enjoy the city's culture as much as the locals do.
Events netherlands
January
Film
Festival Rotterdam International
film festival with non-commercial
films from all over the world. There will be approximately, 200 movies,
documentaries, short films and videos. Various locations on and around
the Kruiskade, Rotterdam.
February
March
The
European Fine Art Fair - TEFAF Art
lovers, collectors and museum representatives from all over the world
will come to the European Fine Art (TEFAF) to admire art of the highest
quality. This fair is at the top of the international art world and
in March, 195 renowed art dealers, antique dealers and gallery owners
from thirteen countries will show what they have at this fair.
April
May
Dunya Festival Dunya
is the national multicultural center. Here there will be world music,
poetry, story telling and dances from all over the world as well as
an extensive children's programme, Mini Dunya. Furthermore, there will
be six multicultural organizations who will present their programme
in their "own" town: Indonesia, Anatolia, Cape Verde, the Antilles /
Aruba, Morocco and South America.
A
Campingflight To Lowlands Paradise A true backpacker's Garden Of
Eden and Holland?s most adventurous cultural outdoor event, that`s Lowlands.
Offering a choice cut of only the best in alternative rock, pop, hiphop,
dance... but also theatre, film, stand-up comedy, visual arts, literature...
The Lowlands festival features no less than seven stages and more than
200 acts & performances. Dozens of restaurants from all corners of the
earth, a big market with everything from clothes and cd stores to the
barber's and a tattoo shop, its own currency, a local radio station,
a daily newspaper (Dutch only) and last but not least six luxury campsites
(including hot showers!). The ultimate summer holiday extravaganza.
June
Jazz Festival Breda
Four days long, Breda will host one of the largest jazz festivals of
Europe, with open air concerts, street parades, a jazz market on Saturday,
a Ecumenial Jazz Church Service in the Grote Kerk on Sunday, concerts
and an international jazz concourse for jazz Orchestras in the Turfschip.
Holland
Festival Innovative stage performances in Amsterdam. The world's
most celebrated artists will perform one whole month in, among others,
the Stadsschouwburg, the Muziektheater and the Concertgebouw. Visitors
can enjoy opera, theatre, music, dance and film.
Pinkpop Large international
open air festival with various pop artists performing their hits.
Oerol
Festival 10 Days of theatre
on location: street theatre, world music and visual arts. It takes place
on Terschelling, one of the Wadden Islands, north of the Netherlands.
Poetry
Festival International cultural
festival of poets, with participants from various countries. Includes,
among others, a translation project, discussion programs, expositions,
film and video presentations and a big final party.
Parkpop
The largest open air free pop
festival in Europe with contributions by approximately 12 local and
foreign pop groups on two stages. There will also be a pop market and
the littlest visitors can visit the playground. Zuiderpark, The Hague.
July
North
Sea Jazz Festival Live festival with international musicians. More
than 8 hours of music on 13 stages per day, with contributions by more
than 1,000 jazz musicians.
Summer Carnival Street Parade
An exotic music, dance and float parade will turn the inner
city of Rotterdam upside down. Dancers in fantastic costumes and many
swinging orchestras on decorated float will be followed by thousands
of dancing visitors.
August
Uitmarkt Amsterdam
During the last weekend of August, the Uitmarkt launches the national
cultural season. This event provides a preview of what's to come in
theater, cabaret, dance, pop music, classical music, opera, mime, children's
theater, street theater and film.
Opening of the new cultural season with
shows on indoor and outdoor stages. Also an informative market and a
book market.
September
Haags Uit Festival
At this festival, music ensembles,
dance companies, orchestras and theatre groups will give you a taste
of what is to come in the new theatre season. The performances will
be held on various stages of the theatres on the Spui and there will
be a literary, cultural theatre and information market.
October
Crossing
Border Festival A refreshing
look on poetry, writing and music. There will be approximately 120 performances
on 10 different stages by poets, writers and musicians.
Suggestions? Please mail us
