Venues

In the Netherlands there are several types of venues: venues specialized in programming music, theatres with music programming, venues for contemporary music, and several small scale venues.

Venues with full time Music programming

Starting ensembles have good a chance playing at lunch concerts. Programming for these concerts is often done in collaboration with the local conservatory. It is a good way of getting more experience, build a network and an audience. The fee is usually not very good. For example:

Het Concertgebouw (Amsterdam)
De Doelen (Rotterdam) 
TivoliVredenburg (Utrecht)
De Oosterpoort (Groningen)

Theatres and concert halls

The Association for Theatre and Concert Hall Management (VSCD) is the industry organisation for venues in the Netherlands. They represent more than 150 theatres, concert halls and festivals. These venues are often more multifunctional than concert halls and therefore have a various programming. For example:

Philharmonie Haarlem
Theater Speelhuis (Helmond)
Flint (Amersfoort)

Venues for contemporary music

There are venues that specialize in programming combinations of composed, improvised and electronic music, audio arts, theatre, dance and video. Don’t hesitate to contact the programmers of these venues when you think your music fits here: good programmers want to be fed. Some venues are:

Intro in Situ (Maastricht)
Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ (Amsterdam)
Willem Twee ('s Hertogenbosch)

Small scale venues

Small scale venues program in between five and twelve concerts per year and are often managed by volunteers. A lot is arranged via informal networks. Playing a lot in these kind of venues can be a good step towards playing in an orchestra. Have a look at these:

  • chamber music associations
  • house concerts
  • art circles
  • museums
  • castles
  • nursing homes

Examples of Dutch intermediaries are the foundation Kasteelconcerten (castles) and Muziek In Huis (nursing homes).

Of course you could also organise a concert yourself, at your place or another special location. Would you like to organize a performance yourself at an unusual location? Please note that you are not allowed to just play somewhere in the Netherlands. Municipalities lay down the rules in the 'General Local Ordinance' (Algemene Plaatselijke Verordening, APV), where you can check whether you need a permit.