Art and culture in Nieuw-West
In recent decades, diverse creative initiatives have sprung up amid the former business parks and urban sprawl of Nieuw-West, rejuvenating the area into one of the most exciting cultural destinations in town. On top of museums dedicated to urban art and architecture, you’ll find venues for electronic music and underground nightlife, radical art exhibition spaces, excellent community-focused theatres and performing arts centres.
Van Eesteren Museum
Devoted entirely to architect and urban planner Cornelis van Eesteren, the Van Eesteren Museum is a collection of indoor pavilions and open-air exhibits encompassing houses, gardens and entire suburbs. The museum gives insight into Van Eesteren’s ambitious plans for the extension of Amsterdam, showcasing the neighbourhood of Nieuw West as the pinnacle of post-war urban development and architecture.
RADION
RADION is a multidisciplinary creative haven, located in a former medical office building and hosts everything from sword-fighting workshops to bunker techno nights. You’ll find a steady flow of art, music, dance and other cultural events on the agenda, cinema screenings and a café/bar serving all-day fare.
Meervaart Theatre
Meervaart Theatre is the beating heart of Nieuw West’s cultural scene, as both a platform for the performing arts and an important social space. This modern venue hosts around 280 cultural performances annually, including shows by major international touring companies, homegrown multicultural cabaret acts and a special children’s talent development programme.
De Appel
See what the art world’s rising stars have been getting up to at De Appel, a dynamic cultural centre home to one of the most well-regarded curatorial residencies around the globe. Public programming is always varied and challenging, giving emerging curators a platform to engage with the local community and some fascinating contemporary debates. You can expect exhibitions that are critical, experimental and politically switched on, so put your thinking cap on and go take in some brilliant art.
Street Art Museum
The Street Art Museum Amsterdam (SAMA) has been established for nearly a decade as a community-based, eco-museum that uses street art as a tool for dialogue between locals and visitors. Dotted among the urban sprawl, you’ll find a collection of more than 300 artworks, from tiny graffiti pieces to monumental murals. Walking tours depart daily at 11:00, guided by a museum researcher who will reveal the stories behind each artwork. Or, you can purchase a map to explore the collection on your own.
BRET
Built from bright red shipping containers surrounding a beautiful garden focusing on sustainability, BRET is a restaurant, urban vineyard and beer bar worth checking out. The venue also transforms into an intimate nightclub, hosting some of the most exciting local DJs alongside international names. Keep an eye on the agenda, particularly around major festivals like Amsterdam Dance Event, and you’re sure to be swept up into BRET's own brand of magic.
Lola Luid
Housed in a former school, Lola Luid is a cultural incubator and breeding ground where each classroom has a different purpose. One might be a performance stage or an artist's workshop whilst others have been transformed into a shop or hair salon. Keep a close eye on the agenda for changing exhibitions, workshops, sports activities, small-scale festivals, events and concerts.
ZID Theatre
On the border of Bos en Lommer and Nieuw West, you'll find ZID Theatre; a performing arts centre and cultural organisation that aims to bring the community together and dissolve borders. Check the programme for various multidisciplinary performances and projects by local talents, including the annual ExploreZ festival.
Cinema De Vlugt
At Cinema De Vlugt, worlds come together. Located in Plein '40-'45 neighbourhood, you'll find an offering of the latest films; from blockbusters to quirky international cinema. It's housed in the Vlugt cultural house but is a standout venue on its own; perfect for a beer whether you're watching a film later or not.
1800 Roeden
A former defence ammunition park turned cultural hub, 1800 Roeden embodies much of what makes Nieuw-West one of Amsterdam's most interesting neighbourhoods. Off-limits for years until it was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 1998, the six buildings are a haven for artists, entrepreneurs and wild nature, which you can take guided tours of. Open all seasons, it's best visited in the summertime, where you can stroll past N.Rave's colourful murals before stopping by Cantina van Rijk van de Keizer for a drink and bite on their sun-soaked terrace.
