Stichting Uitmarkt
For 45 years, the Uitmarkt in Amsterdam has marked the official national opening of the cultural season in the Netherlands. Commissioned by the board of the Uitmarkt Foundation, XSAGA Festivals was tasked with producing an adapted edition of the Uitmarkt within a short timeframe and with limited resources and materials.
After two years in which the entire cultural sector was severely impacted, it was time to bounce back. We did so by informing, entertaining, and engaging the public with an adapted concept and programme, which this year focused on Museumplein and Leidseplein in Amsterdam.For three days, the Uitmarkt showcased the national arts and cultural programme for the upcoming season, while celebrating the extraordinary quality, creativity, and diversity of the arts and culture that the Netherlands has to offer.
Uitmarkt in Concert
This was the traditional highlight of the festival. Every day, the Museumplein hosted special programmes for visitors, showcasing the very best of Dutch arts and culture.On Friday evening, Willeke Alberti, Karsu, and Brass Rave Unit performed a unique concert. Saturday featured a diverse programme with performances by Thijs Boontjes, comedian Dolf Jansen, the television programme ‘Uitmarkt: de Opening’ (NTR), and, as the grand finale, the Nijmegen-based rock band De Staat.Sunday was dedicated to ‘Musical Awards: The Kick-off’, featuring more than 150 musical theatre performers from various productions. This programme was also broadcast live on television by AVROTROS/Medialane.
Uitmarkt: The Culture Garden
A new addition to the Uitmarkt was the Culture Garden on Museumplein: a unique experience where visitors could explore a labyrinth filled with information and special offers related to the upcoming cultural season. All information could be accessed simply by scanning with a mobile phone.Through the Culture Garden, 80 cultural organisations were able to showcase themselves to a broad audience in a sustainable, innovative, and less labour-intensive way.
Uitmarkt on Location
Nine cultural organisations presented themselves at and around Museumplein and Leidseplein with a diverse Uitmarkt programme. The programme ranged from in-depth debates to sneak previews of the upcoming cultural season. Young visitors were also included, with activities such as a drawing workshop in the gardens of the Rijksmuseum.The programme in the Concertgebouw Orchestra Hall was titled ‘Young and Yet Classical’. Over two days, a series of talented young musicians took the stage, allowing the Uitmarkt—just as in previous years—to continue its tradition of providing a platform for emerging talent.
Amsterdam - 2022-08-22 - Uitmarkt Campagne - Karsu
Special Activation
For this edition, XSAGA Festivals developed a unique activation: “Reserve your seat now, and you’ll be sitting in the front row later.” This engaging campaign encouraged people across the Netherlands to reserve their seat for a theatre performance, film, or live show in advance.With this playful yet impactful initiative, audiences were encouraged to purchase tickets early, helping to support and boost the cultural sector during a challenging period.The activation was supported by Het Parool, which, in the week leading up to the Uitmarkt, published a daily striking photograph by photographer Jakob van Vliet featuring a well-known cultural figure carrying a “chair under their arm.” The campaign highlighted the Uitmarkt’s long-standing role as an initiator and catalyst for cultural engagement—a role it has fulfilled for 45 editions and one that was more important than ever as a marketing tool for the cultural sector.
