Culture News in English
Latest culture headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Rien would rather have ended his life than come out of the closet, he wrote in his farewell letter
Rien Kamphuis, a twenty-four-year-old from the Netherlands, died by suicide after years of persistent bullying and the intense fear of revealing his homosexuality. A new documentary honors his life wh...
Judge orders Trump to reinstate press pass for banned reporter
A judge has ordered the immediate reinstatement of press credentials for journalists from CNN, MS Now, and Politico after ruling the previous ban unconstitutional. The court found that the administrat...
Balans takes legal action against the State over the problem of school absenteeism: "More appropriate education needed"
The parents' association Balans is taking the Dutch State to court, arguing that the government has failed to guarantee the right to education for children who are currently falling out of the school ...
Meta removes Roel Maalderink's satirical video about company AI glasses
Meta has removed a satirical video by Roel Maalderink from Instagram, claiming it violated policies against bullying and harassment. The video featured the comedian wearing Meta's AI glasses at the co...
On a ship in the NDSM harbor, Aki Mateta (34) prepares West African dishes: 'At Omoka, you get generous portions'
Restaurant Omoka has opened a permanent location aboard a ship in the NDSM harbor, serving traditional West African cuisine. Congolese-Angolan chef Aki Mateta leads the kitchen and focuses on authenti...
Bnnyhunna (28) from Southeast nominated for the Amsterdam Art Prize: I’d rather buy a bass guitar than shoes
Multi-instrumentalist and producer Bnnyhunna has been nominated for the prestigious Amsterdam Art Prize in the Stimuleringsprijs category. The 28-year-old artist from Southeast Amsterdam is recognized...
With youth play Waste Me, Cecilia (48) holds up a mirror to adults: ‘We are all trapped in life as consumers’
Choreographer Cecilia Moisio is touring her youth dance production Waste Me, a performance that critiques modern consumerism and its impact on human behavior and social connection. Staged on a mountai...
John (62) and Roemer (21): ‘We get along well with everyone in Amsterdam’
John, aged 62, and Roemer, aged 21, discuss their experiences living in Amsterdam. The pair refer to themselves as 'the Sigimannen,' a term that holds significant personal meaning and is even tattooed...
Brittany (29) gets to live in Debby's attic for a year: 'Otherwise I would end up on the street'
Twenty-nine-year-old Brittany faced homelessness until the Regenboog Groep matched her with Debby Goossens, a 56-year-old woman who offered her empty attic for a year. Brittany describes the arrangeme...
Netherlands Film Festival starts Friday after fresh criticism of Golden Calf selection: ‘The Netherlands is too small for this voting system’
The Netherlands Film Festival begins in Utrecht, but faces ongoing criticism regarding its Golden Calf selection process. Critics argue the Dutch film industry is too small for the current peer-voting...
NPO Zapp series De Achterblijvers in the running for an Emmy Award
The NPO Zapp television series De Achterblijvers has been nominated for an International Emmy Award. The program, which depicts the summer adventures of a teenager facing financial hardship, will comp...
Ajax women scoring freely and nearly certain of European Cup spot
Ajax women's football team achieved a commanding 8-0 win, putting them on the verge of qualifying for the Europa Cup main tournament. They are set to play the deciding away leg in Kazakhstan on Septem...
Weekend tips: things to do in Amsterdam from September 25 to 27
Amsterdam residents and visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities from September 25 to 27, including professional polo matches, arts and crafts workshops, and community-focused Burendag celebratio...
What needs to change for girls and women to feel safer?
Participants gathered in Amsterdam for an Actie Aletta session to discuss strategies for combating sexual harassment and enhancing public safety for women. Government officials and young people explor...
Sports party for children at Cruyff Foundation open day: "Also for kids like me, in a wheelchair"
The Johan Cruyff Foundation hosted its 26th annual open day at the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam, allowing over 1,300 children to try thirty different sports. The event focuses on inclusivity, ensuring...
How a logical numbering system for Amsterdam buses, trams and metros spiraled into a tangled mess of numbers and colors
Amsterdam is attempting to reorganize its public transportation numbering system to make metro routes more logical for passengers. However, critics argue that the system remains fragmented and chaotic...
Lower sentence requested on appeal for suspect in assault of actor Bas Muijs
During an appeal hearing, the prosecution requested a lower sentence for a man who previously assaulted and attempted to extort actor Bas Muijs in March 2023. The suspect had lured the actor to a home...
The success of Dutch brand Rituals: not as cheap as Hema, not as expensive as luxury perfume
Rituals has achieved global success by positioning its cosmetic products between budget retail options and high-end luxury brands. This strategy has allowed the Dutch company to expand rapidly, establ...
North residents organize funeral procession to Stopera: We are the drain of Amsterdam
Residents of Amsterdam-Noord staged a protest march to the Stopera to demand increased funding, arguing that their district has been unfairly excluded from national investment programs granted to othe...
Judge rules Wakker Dier advertisements can be displayed at NS stations
A court has ordered NS Stations to display advertisements from animal welfare group Wakker Dier after the company previously refused to show them. The organization is promoting its Eet Geen Dierendag ...
Film producer Weinstein sentenced to prison for abuse of production assistant
Film producer Weinstein has been sentenced to prison following a 2025 jury trial that found him guilty of the 2006 sexual assault of a production assistant. This verdict follows a previous conviction ...
Singer Michael Kiwanuka forced to cancel summer shows due to brain hemorrhage
Singer Michael Kiwanuka cancelled his summer tour dates in the United States and Europe after suffering a serious brain hemorrhage. He is currently undergoing a long rehabilitation process and remains...
Quarter of a million people sign up for nostalgic Hyves profile
The social network Hyves has relaunched thirteen years after its original decline, attracting over a quarter of a million sign-ups. Developed by Mediahuis, the platform intentionally avoids modern alg...
West-Eastern Divan Orchestra turns Concertgebouw into a place for confrontation, nuance and dialogue
For the first time since its founding over 25 years ago, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra performed at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam this past Tuesday. The ensemble, which brings together musicians f...
After much hesitation, Belgium will participate in next year's Eurovision Song Contest
Belgium has announced it will participate in next year's Eurovision Song Contest following commitments from the EBU to update competition rules. The decision follows the Netherlands' confirmation to r...
24Kitchen ends television broadcasts and moves to Disney+
The culinary television channel 24Kitchen is ending its linear broadcasts and migrating its entire content offering to the Disney+ streaming service. The brand, which launched in 2011, plans to contin...
Explainer | Netherlands changes Eurovision selection process: how it will work now
The Netherlands will continue to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest under the new organizational leadership of the broadcaster NOS. This change in oversight involves a complete restructuring o...
Güner Kuban (1935-2026) turned club Homolulu into a safe space for lesbians
Güner Kuban, the former owner of the Amsterdam club Homolulu, has passed away at age 91 in Bodrum. She is recognized for establishing the club as a crucial safe space for lesbians throughout her twen...
Writer Sjoerd Kuyper (74), known for The Pocket Knife, has died
Acclaimed Dutch author Sjoerd Kuyper, best known for his children's books and the film adaptation of The Pocket Knife, has died at 74. Throughout his long career, he received multiple Zilveren Griffel...
Looking for handymen: 5 fixer-uppers in Amsterdam that need a lot of work
This article features five renovation-heavy properties in Amsterdam that offer significant potential for buyers willing to undertake major construction work. The listings range from canal-side histori...