Culture Guide (November 2024)

IDFA

For: the documentary enthusiast…

For two weeks this November, Amsterdam becomes a haven for documentary cinema, courtesy of IDFA. International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam is an essential cultural moment for anyone seeking stories that uplift, disrupt and provoke. Highlights from the program include Scenes from a Dry City, a visceral short film about Cape Town’s battle for water, and the elegiac stillness of Viktor Kossakovsky’s Architecton, where concrete and architecture are centre stage. Another unmissable documentary moment is Sabbath Queen, an aching portrait of queer Jewish life in New York. 

IDFA | 14 - 24 November | citywide locations

Amsterdam Light Festival

For: the luminous explorer…

Throughout history, light has been used as a symbol of celebration to mark the sacred passage of time. Amsterdam Light Festival, now entering its 12th year, does just that. With the city celebrating its 750th year around the sun, this edition will be extra special, with 27 light artworks forming a walkable trail along the streets and canals of this luminous city. 

Amsterdam Light Festival | 28 November - 1 December | citywide

Suriname Museum

For: the history buff…

Opening at the end of November, the Suriname Museum redefines what it means to preserve history. More than a place to house and display artefacts, it serves as a nexus of both Surinamese-Dutch history and future. Here, the past isn’t a distant memory but rather an ever-evolving conversation. By telling stories passed down through generations, the museum links time and space, bringing together Amsterdam and Suriname in the past and present and sharing knowledge for future generations to come. 

Suriname Museum | Zeeburgerdijk 21

Amsterdam Storytelling Festival

For: the storyteller…

For five days, the Amsterdam Storytelling Festival presents an array of performances and music at Podium Mozaïek. Both intimate and expansive, the tales range from personal stories to grand mythical renditions. The festival provides a podium for new and established voices, with an opening performance by Sahand Sahebdivani, master of storytelling and founder of Amsterdam’s popular performance hub Mezrab. Whether you're drawn to spoken word, theatre, or music, you’ll find something to cherish in this year’s program. 

The Amsterdam Storytelling Festival | 6 - 10 November | Podium Mozaïek

Don Quixote

For: the dance devotee...

Alexei Ratmansky’s Don Quixote takes over the National Opera and Ballet stage, breathing exhilarating new life into a beloved classic. With lavish sets and costumes, this performance transports audiences into Miguel de Cervantes’ world of medieval chivalry and romance, but it’s the skilful choreography that shines at the heart of this piece. Ratmansky, a master of fusing traditional ballet with innovative new modes of expression, draws inspiration from the original 1869 ballet by Marius Petipa, adding his own playful flourishes. 

Don Quixote | 11 October - 2 November | Dutch National Opera and Ballet

Spirit of Amsterdam Festival

For: the soul seeker…

During the Spirit of Amsterdam Festival, over 35 sacred spaces open their doors across the city. Churches, synagogues, mosques and temples offer evenings of music, dance, mindfulness, and lectures that showcase the spiritual heart of Amsterdam’s diverse faiths. Let your voice soar during a singing lab in De Ark in Noord, or lose yourself in an enchanting audiovisual piano performance during Pianoscapes Mysteria in the Keizersgracht Church. 

Spirit of Amsterdam Festival | 22 – 24 November | citywide 

PAN Amsterdam

For: the art lover…

PAN Amsterdam is an iconic moment in the Dutch art calendar. With over 125 participating galleries and dealers in art and antiques, this expansive fair represents the diversity and quality of the Dutch art market. With masterpieces by renowned Dutch painters, contemporary experimental works, and unique furniture pieces, this unmissable fair has something to suit every taste. Over 45,000 art enthusiasts flock to PAN each year, eager to experience the remarkable range of works on display.

PAN Amsterdam | 24 November – 1 December | Amsterdam RAI

The Picture of Dorian Gray

For: the dramatic at heart…

Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, a tragic tale of beauty and obsession, is adapted for the stage by Bird Brain Theatre at Mike’s Badhuistheater. In this cherished classic, the dreamlike becomes nightmarish as the search for eternal youth goes awry. Vice and madness are central in this haunting exploration of the cost of vanity.  

The Picture of Dorian Gray | 22–23 November | Mike’s Badhuistheater

We, Us and Other Games

For: the dance aficionado…

The peculiar, the ominous and the uplifting meet in acclaimed dance performance We, Us and Other Games. After captivating audiences in Italy, international dance company Spellbound Contemporary Ballet makes its debut in the Netherlands at the International Theatre of Amsterdam. Award-winning Dutch-Serbian choreographer Dunja Jocić brings her flair for expressive dance to the stage as she explores the twists and turns of the human mind in this tale of a father’s desperate quest to find his daughter.

We, Us and Other Games | 11 November | International Theater Amsterdam (ITA) 

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