Culture News in English
Latest culture headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
The old city hall was far below Amsterdam's standing
Amsterdam's original city hall on Dam Square was replaced in the 17th century after its dilapidated state was deemed unfitting for the city's rising international status following a visit by French Qu...
In praise of the semicolon: a tricky thing, but true art when used well
Following a reader discussion regarding comma usage, this article explores the complexities and artistic potential of the semicolon. It characterizes the semicolon as a challenging punctuation mark th...
Freelance editor wanted, new Spanish restaurant in town and more news from the past week
Recent news from Haarlem includes the search for a freelance editor, the opening of a new Spanish restaurant, and a local supermarket closing temporarily for renovations. Additionally, the city is pre...
Anton de Kom born exactly 128 years ago: "He was a razor-sharp writer and organizer"
The Black Archives held a memorial in Amsterdam to honor the 128th birthday of Anton de Kom, a Surinamese writer and resistance fighter who campaigned against colonialism and racism. Participants high...
Yellow Letters wins Golden Bear at Berlin Film Festival
German director Ilker Çatak's film *Yellow Letters* won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival on Saturday. This victory marks the first time since 2004 that a German director has ...
Iconic salsa musician and singer Willie Colón dies at 75
Iconic salsa musician and singer Willie Colón passed away on Saturday morning at the age of 75. His family announced the death of the American artist, who was widely recognized as a pioneer of the sa...
'I'm not moody, I'm feisty': Hormones have their own square at the Household Fair
The 79th Huishoudbeurs at the RAI in Amsterdam showcases future household innovations, such as laundry-folding robots, alongside current trends like vegan products and collagen-based skincare. A key h...
Amsterdam band Honey I'm Home breaks through: We are obsessed with music
Amsterdam-based shoegaze band Honey I'm Home is experiencing a rapid rise to success, following their debut single and being named the best act at the Noorderslag music festival. The group is performi...
Actor Timothy Busfield pleads not guilty in child abuse case
Actor and director Timothy Busfield has pleaded not guilty to charges of child abuse involving a minor. The former *West Wing* star denied the allegations during a court appearance this month accordin...
Thousands attend dragon parade in The Hague's Chinatown for New Year
Thousands of people gathered in The Hague on Saturday to celebrate the Chinese New Year with a traditional dragon and lion parade in Chinatown. Approximately 10,000 visitors attended the main festivit...
Plans for Oud-Haerlem too grand and expensive; project split into phases starting with observation tower. 'Otherwise we’ll still be looking at each other in 20 years'
Plans to showcase the buried ruins of Oud-Haerlem castle in Heemskerk are being divided into smaller phases after the original project was deemed too large and expensive. The first stage will involve ...
'We want to create beautiful things, give people an experience.' De Manifest core team reflects on ten years of site-specific theater in the IJmond
After ten years of producing location-based theater in the IJmond region, the artistic team De Manifest is reflecting on its past work and reinventing its creative approach. Following a period of sile...
A king and a woman with lemons get close to our man in Milan
Reporter Maarten Kolsloot is reporting on the Winter Olympics from Milan for his newspaper. His dispatches cover both the major sporting events and various human-interest stories surrounding the games...
Weekly flea market at De Jansheeren in Heemskerk. 'Something nice for a bargain'
A weekly flea market is held at De Jansheeren in Heemskerk, offering local residents the opportunity to purchase various secondhand items at affordable prices. Visitors frequent the stalls to find uni...
Abbie Chalgoum on his mother abused for years: ‘Violence, loneliness; it’s unbelievable what she had to endure’
Abbie Chalgoum is set to release his new novel, "Milouda," which chronicles his mother’s life of enduring years of domestic violence, humiliation, and loneliness. The book, debuting this Friday, hig...
Our lists by theme: the best tips for food, drink & culture
Het Parool has compiled a series of themed lists featuring the best recommendations for food, drink, art, and culture in Amsterdam. These curated guides are regularly updated to showcase the city's la...
Living in a time of proof
Journalist and poet Yanaika Zomer discusses an incident of police violence against a woman in Utrecht in her latest column. She reflects on the modern cultural demand for visual evidence, emphasizing ...
Spin-off of Máxima series about Mabel and Margarita in the works
Millstreet Films and Videoland are developing a spin-off of the series *Máxima* centered on Princesses Mabel and Margarita. The production will focus on the period starting in 1999, when both women m...
NU+ | Experts on Ferry Doedens documentary: 'Educational value is lacking'
The recently released documentary series *Ferry Lost* portrays actor Ferry Doedens' ongoing struggle with addiction, sparking significant public debate. Experts and viewers have raised concerns over t...
Former Jersey Shore star Snooki has cervical cancer
Former Jersey Shore star Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi has announced that she was diagnosed with stage one cervical cancer following a recent biopsy. The 38-year-old reality star shared the news in a video ...
André Hazes and B.B. King share the stage posthumously: Theater calls for the audience’s imagination to speak
A new theatrical production posthumously brings together Dutch folk singer André Hazes and American blues legend B.B. King, inspired by their brief real-life encounter on Hazes' 50th birthday. The pl...
Shakespeare actor lets sword fly, injuring woman in audience
During a performance of Shakespeare’s *Richard III* in Berlin, a lead actor accidentally injured a woman in the audience when a sword slipped from his hands. The weapon flew into the crowd during th...
NU+ | Hilary Duff makes comeback after ten years and remains wildly popular
American singer Hilary Duff released her sixth studio album, titled *Luck… or Something*, on Friday after a ten-year hiatus from the music industry. Despite the long break between releases, the arti...
Weekend or weekday? This is the day King's Day 2026 falls on
King's Day 2026 will fall on Monday, April 27, providing many people in the Netherlands with a long weekend and an extra day off. This follows two consecutive years where the national holiday occurred...
Toos & Henk - February 21
Cartoonist Paul Kusters provides a unique perspective on current events through his "Toos & Henk" comic strip. Published from Monday to Saturday, the February 21 entry continues his regular series of ...
Anna dePeyster, Rupert Murdoch’s ex-wife and mother of his successor, dies
Anna dePeyster, the former wife of media mogul Rupert Murdoch and mother of his successor, has died at the age of 81. Her passing was reported on Friday by the New York Post, a publication within Murd...
Life can be lonely as a Palestinian in Amsterdam: ‘We long for a safe space to share our pain’
The newly formed Palestinian Network Amsterdam (PNA) has launched a series of gatherings to provide a safe, supportive space for Palestinians in the city to connect and heal from collective trauma. Su...
Comedian Eric van Sauers ashamed he doesn’t want to perform in Limburg and Groningen: ‘That arrogance. As if I'm too big for that’
Dutch comedian Eric van Sauers expressed regret for excluding distant Dutch provinces from his theater tour to avoid long travel times, labeling the decision as arrogant. He reflected on his 42-year r...
Centuries-old testimonies of violent men: ‘She fears for her life’
Historical records from 18th-century Amsterdam notarial archives, recently featured in a study by the Meertens and Huygens Institutes, reveal how domestic violence was documented and addressed in the ...
Marco Oskam (59) started as a glass collector, now owner of the Casablanca for 25 years
Marco Oskam is celebrating 25 years as the owner of Café Casablanca, a landmark jazz and karaoke bar in Amsterdam’s Zeedijk district that dates back to 1946. Having started at the establishment as ...