THE SPIRIT OF AMSTERDAM
New festival repurposes 35 churches, temples, mosques and synagogues with cutting edge arts programming
Three-day cultural take-over features music, performance, rituals and live events in unique locations - kicks off from Nov 22
A brand new arts and music festival - The Spirit of Amsterdam - is taking over the city with eclectic and progressive programming as part of Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary. The city is full of beautiful and historic places of worship – but these are often unseen by many. The festival runs from 22 to 24 November 2024, with more than 35 churches, mosques, temples and synagogues opening their doors to host an innovative and immersive art programme.
“The Spirit of Amsterdam is not a religious festival. But it is about belief.”
The Spirit of Amsterdam offers the chance to experience some of the city’s historic locations in a new and radically meaningful way – as they host a forward-thinking programme of music, arts, cultural innovation, club culture, social initiatives and modern-day rituals. Running through day and night, the festival will bring modern energy and edge to secret, sacred spaces normally hidden behind closed doors.
The Spirit of Amsterdam will breathe new life into churches, mosques, and synagogues by filling them with innovative cultural events that resonate with modern needs as well as ancient ones. Central to the festival is the idea of recognising, celebrating and sharing people’s beliefs - both agnostic and traditional - through a sense of community, spirituality and creativity.
Robert-Jan Glas, co-founder of The Spirit of Amsterdam: “Spirituality has pretty much disappeared into the background in Western society. Or it is often practised individually. This is partly because people do not like dogmas, or find church services or religious texts boring. As a result churches are becoming increasingly empty. We hope to repurpose and re energise some of Amsterdam’s most beautiful and historic buildings by filling them with cutting edge arts, music and meaning.”
San Jonker, co-founder of The Spirit of Amsterdam: “Before you know it, you get blown away by all the bad news, and all the negative stuff that drives people further apart. How can you stand your ground and initiate another movement that actually brings people back together and allows them to be nicer to each other? Is that idealistic? Definitely. But it’s also much needed. With The Spirit of Amsterdam, it's not about all kinds of solo efforts: we're bringing, together, a new network to the table that wants to make the city a little kinder.”
Unconventional programming
The culturally diverse and creative programme includes a host of unique events designed to challenge conventional ideas about tradition, community and belief – and to subvert our expectations of what can happen in houses of worship. Together, these holy sites turn towards each other and this city’s people – to represent the real spirit of Amsterdam.
Zero BPM turns the idea of techno on its head, slowing the tempo down in an epic 18-hour meditation at the Thomaskerk. In a world obsessed with acceleration, ZERØ BPM is an invitation to slow down. For 18 hours, people will be meditating in the heart of the space, with Bruno Sitton guiding the audience into a deeper state of self-reflection and inner calm.
https://thespirit.amsterdam/en/event/zero-bpm/
Meanwhile, in a world-first, the Fatih mosque will host an inclusive Zikir, featuring people of all genders and faiths for the very first time, and reimagining a traditional Islamic form of worship as a contemporary celebration of belief through ritualistic chanting, movement and spectacular light art.
https://thespirit.amsterdam/en/event/zikir-in-de-fatih-moskee/
Spiritual Hip Hop brings together MCs and DJs in the Jeruzalemkerk around the theme New Earth, based on Eckhart Tolle’s philosophical writings, and featuring art, dance and sharp lyrics with a social message.
https://thespirit.amsterdam/event/de-nieuwe-aarde/
Tina to Tama is a ceremony with elements of performance, in which priestess Tama takes us through a musical programme that says goodbye to capitalism as the only vision for the future. Because we know we are all capable of dreaming about so much more than just ‘What’s up for grabs?’.
https://thespirit.amsterdam/en/event/tina-to-tama/
In Animism, the legendary alternative village of Ruigoord (on the edge of Amsterdam) explores the fractured relationship between humans and nature, encouraging us to look to the heavens and forget the earth we live on. Ruigoord will be hosting an anthology of performances, ceremonies, rituals, workshops and celebrations around the theme of Animism.
https://thespirit.amsterdam/en/event/ruigoord-heeft-de-geest-te-pakken/
https://thespirit.amsterdam/en/event/ruigoord-heeft-de-geest-te-pakken-2/
