Creative Industries

Innovation and creativity have long been part of what makes Amsterdam special. The city boasts a diverse range of individual makers and creative agencies across all mediums, from fashion and art to gaming and broadcasting, that have a global impact. For instance, the Amsterdam Area's media scene has produced some of the world's most-watched TV programmes, including The Voice, Big Brother and Deal or No Deal. Pioneers in sustainable denim such as G Star Raw, Denham and Kuyichi started here, proving Amsterdam is fast-becoming a city to watch for trend-setting creativity.

What makes Amsterdam a great place for creative events

• A community of more than 300 international creative companies, including European headquarters of Electronic Arts, Tommy Hilfiger and Patagonia
• Renowned as the denim capital of the world
• The third-largest exporter of TV formats in the world
• The location of Europe's 3rd-largest gaming market
• Amsterdam has Europe’s fastest broadband speeds and excellent digital infrastructure

Creative conferences in Amsterdam

For professionals in the denim industry, The Kingpins Show trade fair is the most important event of the year. Running in Amsterdam, New York and Hong Kong, it brings together the industry’s leaders, influencers and followers to discuss topics from trend forecasting to corporate social responsibility. The 2020 event moved online, with livestreams of interviews, panels, discussions and content from exhibitors.

The International Broadcasting Convention has been held in Amsterdam for almost three decades. IBC has evolved from its technical broadcast roots to become the most influential annual convention for professionals engaged in the creation, management, streaming and delivery of electronic media worldwide. Read more about the 2019 edition here.

Combining brains, business and beats, Amsterdam Dance Event is a leading conference and festival of the global electronic music scene. It’s a huge draw for professionals in the music industry, with the city welcoming more than 2,500 artists and 550 speakers at 160 venues. More than 400,000 visitors from over 90 countries flock to Amsterdam across five days. The 26th edition took place in Amsterdam in October 2021.

Amsterdam has also hosted DigiMarCon Europe, the premier digital marketing, media and advertising conference and exhibition in Europe, the Design Thinking Conference for design leaders, and the Digital Marketing World Forum (DMWF).

How Amsterdam Convention Bureau can help

The Amsterdam Convention Bureau can help you organise impactful conferences and meetings that truly add value for delegates, local businesses and residents alike. We work independently and offer a number of free services. Contact our team to help you find the right locations in Amsterdam for your event or answer any questions about hosting meetings.