The 78th edition transforms Amsterdam into a global stage for amazing performances. As the Netherlands’ oldest and largest performing arts festival, this iconic event brings world class theater, dance, music, opera, and multimedia experiences that will expand your cultural horizons and create unforgettable memories.
You’ll discover everything from experimental multimedia performances to grand opera productions, all selected for their artistic excellence and cultural significance.
Artists at the Center: The Heart of Holland Festival
At Outhere, our culture is all about protecting the arts and putting artists at the center. And if there's one festival that's been doing this beautifully for 78 years, it's the Holland Festival.
That's why we're bringing you a little curation of the artists and works. If you want to see the full lineup, check the official Holland Festival website.
Hijikata and the Future Generations
In this conversation, researcher Bruce Baird, dramaturge Sra Jansen, and dancer Takao Kawaguchi explore the enduring legacy of Tatsumi Hijikata, pioneer of Japanese butoh. Emerging in postwar Japan, butoh challenged conventional aesthetics with raw corporeality rooted in everyday life (farming, prayer, sleeping, working…) to expose deeper layers of emotion embedded in the Japanese body. In 1962, Hijikata founded Asbestos Hall in Tokyo, legendary meeting place for avant garde artists that thrived for over twenty years. Together, these speakers reflect on how Hijikata influenced his contemporaries, continues to shape current generations of dancers and makers, and what the future holds for this transformative art form.
DD Dorvillier
In this talk with DD Dorvillier, we'll dive into the work of a choreographer known for her radical and conceptual approach to dance, developed over decades between New York and Europe. Her work explores the edges of choreography, sound and language, often in collaboration with artists like Zeena Parkins and Thomas Dunn. From 1991 to 2003, she co-ran the Matzoh Factory, a key experimental space in Brooklyn. At Holland Festival, she presents No Change or "freedom is a psycho kinetic skill”, a defining solo from 2005 curated by Trajal Harrell.
Late Night: Takao Kawaguchi - Eat Chalk
Takao Kawaguchi is a Japanese performer known for blending theater, dance, and performance art. A former member of Dumb Type (1996-2008), he later focused on butoh, creating acclaimed works like About Kazuo Ohno (2013). Invited by Trajal Harrell, he presents Late Night - Eat Chalk, exploring Ohno's final years and his dance in a wheelchair. Kawaguchi is Artistic Director of Tokyo Real Underground and won Japan's Art Encouragement Prize (2021/22)
Curated Festival Highlights: A Quick Guide
This year, the 2024 Festival once again aims to present a diverse and unparalleled lineup, carefully curated to captivate and complement the audience in extraordinary ways. A standout feature of this edition is the captivating Butoh performances, set to inspire and deliver new sensory experiences.
Cyber Subin
Pichet Klunchun Dance Company - Opens Holland Festival 2025 with its European premiere, blending Thai Khon dance and AI generated movement. Created by Pichet Klunchun and MIT's Pat Pataranutaporn, the piece explores how tradition and technology can co-create a living, evolving cultural form.
Bérénice
Romeo Castellucci, Isabelle Huppert - Is a visceral, one woman tour de force starring Isabelle Huppert in a radical reimagining of Racine's classic by Romeo Castellucci. Surrounded by silence and dressed in Iris van Herpen's stunning designs, Huppert embodies love, loss, and power in a haunting, high-fashion monologue backed by Scott Gibbons’ eerie soundscape.
Star Returning
A poetic and visually striking tribute to the rituals of the Chinese Yi people. Directed by Lemi Ponifasio, the performance revives ancestral songs, spiritual traditions, and the Torch Festival to celebrate unity, creation and cultural memory.
Freie Form
Choreographer Marc Vanrunxt and dancer Samantha van Wissen explore memory, identity and intergenerational dance in this performance inspired by Franz West's sculpture Freie Form. Blending reused costumes, evocative soundscapes, and live vocals, the piece reflects on freedom, form, and the shared authorship between dancer and choreographer.
2025 Program Features
The Holland Festival 2025 presents a carefully curated program that reflects the diversity, innovation and international spirit of the contemporary performing arts scene. This year's program offers distinct routes for every type of audience. Here's what stands out this year.
Radical Movement Program
A selection of contemporary dance performances that push both physical and conceptual boundaries. This program features groundbreaking choreography from international artists exploring identity, resistance, and transformation through movement.
Missing Names - Vitor Hamamoto (Brazil, 1993) - 25 June
(Her)Story
Dedicated to centering female voices, this route showcases performances by women artists from around the world. Themes include empowerment, historical revision, and the many forms of feminine expression in today's society.
Nighthawks
Designed for the night owls, this series takes place in evening and late night time slots, offering a more immersive and atmospheric experience. Expect site specific works, music driven shows, and events that blend nightlife and performance art.
Trajal Harrell Route
A bold curation of performances by choreographer Trajal Harrel, blending voguing, butoh, postmodern dance, and fashion. This route offers a rare chance to explore his iconic works and new creations that reimagine movement, identity, and performance history.
Where to Experience Holland Festival
Most prestigious venues, from acoustically perfect Concertgebouw and historic City Theater to modern Muziekgebouw and industrial chic Westergasfabriek, are transformed into stages for boundary pushing artistic creations.
These are the spaces that will come alive with art, ideas, and unforgettable performances during the festival.
Likeminds - Gedempt Hamerkanaal 203, 1021 KP Amsterdam
Stedelijk Museum - Museumplein 10, 1071 DJ Amsterdam
Amare Den Haag - Spuiplein 150, 2511 DG Den Haag
Nationale Opera & Ballet - Amstel 3, 1011 PN Amsterdam
Eye Filmmuseum - IJpromenade 1, 1031 KT Amsterdam
Het Concertgebouw - Concertgebouwplein 10, 1071 BB Amsterdam, Netherlands
Westergasfabriek - Klönneplein 1, 1014 DD Amsterdam
City Theater - Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 15-19, 1017 RP Amsterdam
Internationaal Theater Amsterdam - Leidseplein 26, 1017 PT Amsterdam
Muziekgebouw - Piet Heinkade 1, 1019 BR Amsterdam
Park Frankendael - 1097 DE Amsterdam
Theater Bellevue - Leidsekade 90, 1017 PN Amsterdam
Parellel - Buiksloterweg 5C, 1031 CC, Amsterdam
BIMHUIS - Piet Heinkade 3, 1019 GM Amsterdam
De Balie - Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 10, 1017 RR Amsterdam
Startpunt: Cobra Cafe - Hobbemastraat 18, 1071 ZB, Amsterdam
How Holland Festival is Special
Since its creation in 1948, the festival has been a platform for world premieres and innovative encounters. Curators such as Peter Diamand, Pierre Audi, Ruth Mackenzie, and Trajal Harrel have helped shape its identity. The Holland Festival is special for its ability to connect artists and audiences from different cultures, fostering a unique artistic exchange. Notable performances in the festival's history include Maria Calla's debut in the Netherlands in 1959 and the introduction of works like Alban Berg's Lulu and Pierre Boulez's Pli selon pli.
Maria Callas arrives in the Netherlands in 1959. On the right: Peter Diamand, chairman of the Holland Festival.
The series “Dutch Premieres” highlights the first performances of operas in the Netherlands. In part 5: “Lulu” by Alban Berg (1885-1935).
The conductor Pierre Boulez conducting his musical piece Pli selon pli in the Holland Festival 2007.
Accessibility for all
Holland Festival believes that art should be accessible to everyone, like us, regardless of background or ability.
- Financial Accessibility: Many events are free or free to ticket holders, with the 2025 festival continuing its commitment to offering events without charge;
- Language Accessibility: All spoken performances feature surtitle translations in both Dutch and English;
- Physical Accessibility: Comprehensive venue information for visitors with mobility needs, with on site festival staff available to assist;
- Sensory Accessibility: Accommodations for hearing impaired audience members and guide dog allowances
Insider Tip: The festival's free daytime events and outdoor concerts offer an excellent way to experience world class performances without spending a euro. Check the official program for these opportunities.
Discover More with Outhere
Holland Festival is just one of Amsterdam's incredible cultural offerings. For more Amsterdam and Netherlands festival guides, download the Outhere app or visit our website to discover thousands of events across the country.
With Outhere as your cultural compass, you'll never miss an opportunity to experience the vibrant artistic life of Amsterdam and beyond.
