Culture News in English
Latest culture headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Weekend tips: things to do in Amsterdam from May 15 to 17
This article provides recommendations for activities in Amsterdam during the long Ascension Day weekend from May 15 to 17. It highlights that there are many events and things to do within the city for...
Xillan Macrooy writes about growing up as a queer boy in Suriname: ‘The world needs our dreams’
Review: In fifteen original and moving essays, author Bernke Klein Zandvoort explores her cousin's cancer diagnosis
Review: Elusive, insane and at times moving, Daan Remmerts de Vries writes about death
These were the best-selling books at Scheltema this week

Haroon Ali: 'How do we make death less abstract?'
Feminist and writer Karin Spaink has passed away after planning her own death over several months. Her final column, 'Exit Spaink,' has prompted reflections on making the topic of death less abstract ...
That Marijn Beuker once let Bendeguz Kovacs join AZ for free is unforgivable

Video | Ferry Doedens after court case: 'I've made it quite difficult for myself'
Small house near Paradiso for sale? ‘A woman called saying she wants to use it as a doghouse’
Why was the Music On festival cancelled at the last minute?

Brussels to call on member states to ban conversion therapy
The European Commission will call on EU member states to ban conversion therapy in response to a petition signed by over one million people. However, the Commission does not intend to propose a unifie...

Early birds watch sunrise atop A'dam Tower for its anniversary
Early birds gathered atop Amsterdam's A'dam Tower to celebrate its tenth anniversary with a sunrise view, silent disco, and rooftop activities. Originally built for Shell in 1966 and reopened as a mul...
Review: Aldous Harding's lyrics are rather mysterious – beautiful, but they never become concrete
Review: Rapper Isaiah Rashad pours years of misery into a brutally honest, peerless album

Curiosity as a starting point
Singrid established the Willie Wortel MAAK Lab in Haarlem to provide children with hands-on technical education and experience with the circular economy. Supported by a municipal subsidy, the lab allo...

Love Haarlem? Make it your job!
The Haarlem Initiatievenschool is offering a series of free training sessions and workshops throughout 2026 to help residents develop social and sustainable projects for the city. These sessions cover...

AI books from Dutch company sold online without any warning
The Dutch company Andries B.V. has been producing books using AI and selling them through online retailers without disclosing their origin. Following an investigation, these webshops have committed to...

Dutch prosecutors find Wilders tweet featuring women's faces not a crime
The Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) has dismissed complaints against PVV leader Geert Wilders regarding an image he posted on X in August last year. The image compared a young blonde woman repre...

Rutger Vink and Thomas van Grinsven win Children's Jury Prize for fifth time in a row
Rutger Vink and Thomas van Grinsven have won the Kinderjuryprijs for the fifth consecutive year in the category for ages seven to nine. In the ten to twelve age category, the prize was awarded to auth...

Court: NRC does not have to remove podcast about stolen painting
The Amsterdam District Court ruled on Wednesday that the news outlet NRC does not have to remove its 2023 podcast series about a stolen painting or issue a rectification. The legal action was initiate...

Video | Harrison Ford receives honorary title: 'I was a nerd and a misfit'

LAKS: significantly more exam complaints this year
The Dutch student organization LAKS reports a significant increase in exam complaints, with 165,000 reports filed within the first four days of the testing period. This figure represents a sharp rise ...

Lowlands expands lineup with Celeste, Willem, Sophie Straat and Kelis
The Lowlands festival in Biddinghuizen has expanded its lineup by adding fourteen new acts, including Celeste, Willem, Sophie Straat, and Kelis. Other notable performers joining the schedule include V...

First Eurovision semi-final without the Netherlands attracts few viewers
The first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest attracted only 541,000 viewers in the Netherlands, a significant decrease from previous years. This low viewership is attributed to a local boycott ...
Koos Breukel photographs artist Julika Rudelius
Ajax apparently still matters, at least in Rotterdam-Zuid

Abolishing first herring barrel auction 'end of a beautiful tradition', stakeholders disappointed by wholesaler's decision
Stakeholders expressed disappointment following the decision to cancel the traditional auction of the first barrel of 'Hollandse Nieuwe' herring in Scheveningen. This annual event marks the end of a l...

Never expected, but it happened: Yorick meets his hero Paul McCartney
Haarlem musician Yorick van Norden fulfilled a lifelong dream by attending a private album presentation by Paul McCartney at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London. The singer-songwriter, who cons...

Study shows cultural activities are as good for you as sports
New research suggests that regularly engaging in cultural and artistic activities, such as painting or visiting museums, can slow the physical aging process. These activities are found to contribute t...