Culture Guide (May 2025)

Icoon

For: the dance enthusiast...

Spell-binding performance ICOON honours the career of Lucinda Childs, the queen of minimalist dance, whose pioneering choreography completely transformed her craft. From the Dutch debut of Interior Drama to the world premiere of her most recent invention, ICOON captures the world of Childs with mathematical precision, creating elaborate dance patterns that fascinate and transfix. With dance by Introdans and a live accompaniment from the National Youth Orchestra, this show presents an exciting glimpse into Childs’ visionary oeuvre.

Icoon | 6 – 7 May 2025 | International Theatre Amsterdam 

For: the art lover...

Amsterdam Art Week

During Amsterdam Art Week, the city overflows with art, showcased across galleries, museums and project spaces. Beloved institutions like the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk and Eye Filmmuseum open their doors, as well as lesser-known venues that offer more intimate collections. Featuring over 200 participating artists, this diverse tapestry of local and international works solidifies the Dutch capital’s reputation as a true haven for art lovers.

Amsterdam Art Week | 21 – 25 May 2025 | citywide

ARTZUID Biennale

The ninth edition of Amsterdam's renowned sculpture biennale ARTZUID will feature 60 outdoor artworks along a picturesque five-kilometre path. Right in the heart of iconic Dutch architect Berlage's expansive Plan Zuid –which spans the tree-lined boulevards of the Apollolaan, the Minervalaan and the Churchilllaan –the exhibit will display works curated by prominent names such as Rudi Fuchs and Roberto Meyer. Celebrating the beauty of outdoor sculpture and the surrounding landscape, ARTZUID is a public art experience like no other. 

ARTZUID Biennale | 17 May – 21 September 2025 | Amsterdam Zuid

Pamela Rosenkranz: Liquid Body

Swiss-born artist Pamela Rosenkranz, known for her striking and immersive multimedia art, takes to the Stedelijk Museum for a new solo exhibit. Unafraid of delivering some incisive social commentary, Rosenkranz’s latest work critiques capitalism and technology’s chokehold on our daily lives. Having just made a new public sculpture for New York's iconic High Line, Rosenkranz is truly one to watch in the world of contemporary art. 

Pamela Rosenkranz | 21 May – 24 August 2025 | Stedelijk Museum

How Anansi freed the stories of the world

For: the not so old-school maestro...

West African folktale meets classical opera and dance in this creative fusion of genres. When Anansi the spider steals stories from the reclusive Tigri, a web of lies and trickery is set in motion. A collaboration between composer Neo Muyanga, librettist Maarten van Hinte, director Kenza Koutchoukali, and choreographer Shailesh Bahora, How Anansi freed the stories of the world returns to the stage of the National Opera & Ballet to delight audiences once again. 

How Anansi freed the stories of the world |  16 – 25 May | National Opera & Ballet

Katherine Ryan

For: the jester...

After conquering the UK comedy scene, Katherine Ryan takes her Battleaxe tour to the stage of Amsterdam’s famed Royal Theater Carré. The Canadian comedian, known for her shrewd and witty humour, blends family anecdotes with searing social critique. With two Netflix specials, a bestselling book and a popular podcast under her belt, Ryan has cemented her status as one of comedy’s latest and greatest. 

Katherine Ryan | 23 May 2025 | Royal Theater Carré

Attend a Liberation Day event

For: the history buff...

5 May marks exactly eighty years since the Netherlands was liberated from Nazi occupation. To celebrate, experience a host of city-wide Liberation Day events including storytelling evenings, music festivals, and the coming-together of residents in free ‘freedom’ meals across the city. Discover true stories of survival and resistance in the old homes of Jewish citizens and resistance fighters as part of Resistance Homes – Open Jewish homes, where stories are shared alongside performances by local and international musicians. 

Liberation Day | 5 May 2025 | citywide

The Crucible

For: the theatrical at heart...

Diving into American history, theatre company Inplayers performs Arthur Miller’s The Crucible at Mike’s Badhuistheater — Oost’s quaint English speaking theatre housed in a former bathhouse. A dramatised story of the Salem witch trials of 1692, this chilling theatrical classic traces the hypocrisy and cruelty of a stark period in America’s founding. 

The Crucible | 15 – 18 May 2025 | Mike’s Badhuistheater 

25 Years of ISH

For: the dance devotee...

Celebrate a quarter of a century of ISH Dance Collective, a company known for its creative and exploratory methods that continue to push the limits of dance. Held at the Meervaart Theatre, this free celebration offers a program of talks, workshops and performances that both reflect on 25 years of history, and look towards the future of dance.  

25 Years of ISH | 17 May 2025 | Meervaart Theatre

Verzet!

For: the storyteller...

Theatre Bellevue hosts Verzet, an evening that blends spoken word, archival footage and live music to create a stirring meditation on resistance – both in a historical and personal sense. Sahand Sahebdivani, known for founding storytelling hub Mezrab, weaves a poignant tapestry from World War II narratives, stories from the Iranian revolution and a mix of ancient Persian myths. During Verzet, the past and the present come together in moving and exciting ways, accompanied by music by jazz drummer Henning Luther. 

Verzet! | 14 – 15 May 2025 | Bellevue Theatre

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