Cultural tips for ADE 2025

Updated 16 October 2025 at 16:15Written by Callum McLean

Amsterdam Dance Event is not all about dancing. Besides the dependable night programme and conference, there’s always plenty to do without setting foot in a club. From concerts to theatre performances and exhibitions, ADE’s arts & culture programme is a testament to electronic dance music’s rich cultural history and legacy – particularly this year as the city celebrates its 750th anniversary – even if you can’t stand techno.

Foam x Echobox Radio & Chinnamasta

This free event is for the earlybirds and boat lovers, kicking off ADE’s rich programme of opening events with a unique takeover of Amsterdam’s public ferry. All aboard this Wednesday morning for a live performance and exhibition presented by photography museum Foam and community radio station Echobox. Chinnamasta will perform a wide range of sounds celebrating Caribbean and Afro-diasporic legacies, complemented astutely by the exhibition Tapsei, in which artist Fidelio Faustino explores a connection to and love for Suriname.

Foam x Echobox Radio & Chinnamasta | Wednesday 22 October | 09:30–12:30 | Ijveer 50, Stationsplein | Free

Opening concert: DBN Gogo & Metropole Orkest

Kicking off proceedings as usual this year is a series of opening concerts across the city, featuring everything from classical to afrobeats. If piano is your thing, try Canto Ostinato at the impressive Zuiderkerk church. For visual spectacle and dance, head to Felix Meritis for CYCLES: GiGi FM x Lumus Instruments. Our pick this year, though, is an unusual collaboration with ADE regulars Metropole Orkest. For the ninth year running, the jazz and pop orchestra opens the Melkweg, this year inviting along South African DJ and producer DBN Gogo. Expect a rich mixture of amapiano, jazz, kwaito and electronic flourishes.

Opening concert: DBN Gogo & Metropole Orkest | Wednesday 22 October | 18:30–22:00 | Melkweg | €48.85

ClubCult + A Scan Through Dutch Rave Culture x The Grid

Rave and club history cross over into visual culture at this series of openings in Door Open Space. A triple-special, Wednesday combines three different artistic events. Light installation The Grid, by Victor Dissel and Bram van Ravenhorst, is kick-started with a dance and musical performance choreographed by Arno Schuitemaker. Immediately afterwards, catch the opening of two exhibitions celebrating rave and club culture: CLUBCULT, an immersive photo and film snapshot of the closing weekend at legendary club De School, and A Scan Through Dutch Rave Culture, collecting flyers, posters and more from 1.5 decades of the Dutch rave underground. After the opening performance, the Grid installation can be experienced as part of both exhibitions, which run until Saturday.

ADE Opening Performance: The Grid: Embodied - Victor Dissel, Bram van Ravenhorst & Arno Schuitemaker | Wednesday 22 October | 19:00–20:30 | Door Open Space | €19.50 including entry to both exhibitions below

ADE Opening Exhibition: CLUBCULT & ADE Opening Exhibition: A Scan Through Dutch Rave Culture: 1990 - 2005 | Wednesday 22 October | 20:30–23:00 | Door Open Space | €10 for both exhibitions

Black Queer Joy

Embracing electronic dance music’s Black and queer origins, this free event brings together DJs and visual art at Open Space Contemporary Art Museum in Amsterdam Zuidoost. Rafik Opti’s exhibition “When We Become Black Joy” combines video, photography and text in a poetic reflection on Black life, blending personal and political to reclaim space against exclusion and misrepresentation. The exhibition is opened and introduced by its curator, while DJs from the Dutch ballroom community infuse the evening with the energy this celebration deserves.

Black Queer Joy | Wednesday 22 October | 18:00–22:00 | OSCAM | Free

Dome Concerts at ARTIS Planetarium

From Wednesday until Friday, the planetarium at ARTIS zoo hosts a number of spectacular performances combining electronic music with panoramic light shows. Getting the ball rolling on opening night is legendary synthesiser pioneer Suzanne Ciani, also known as the “diva of the diode”, accompanied by the 360-degree fractals of Julius Horsthuis. Though this is sadly sold out, Horsthuis’s visuals will be complemented by a number of other musical performances over three days – Rival Consoles, Matteo Myderwyk, Desert Dwellers, Maarten Vos and Remy van Kesteren – plus screenings of his film Recombination with Q&As.

Various Concerts | Wednesday 22 – Friday 24 October| Various times between 18:45 and 23:59 | ARTIS Planetarium | €32.50

ADE x 750: Suriname Rising - 50 Years of Freedom in Music

Celebrating half a century since the independence of Suriname from Dutch rule, this unique concert combines electronic music with rhythms and sounds from a small South American country with an outsized influence on culture in Amsterdam and beyond. This most prestigious of Amsterdam concert venues – reportedly boasting some of the best acoustics in the world – is clearing out the seats from its main hall, especially. Sarah-Jane & Black Excellence Kawina Orchestra combine music and storytelling, followed by Surinamese-inflected selections from DJs Lamsi & Jarreau Vandal.

ADE x 750: Suriname Rising - 50 Years of Freedom in Music | Thursday 23 October | 20:15–23:00 | Concertgebouw | €35

XTC: The Electronic Musical

This “immersive theatre club experience” blurs the boundaries between party and performance. Step into Desmet, usually a TV and event venue, with your best raving sneakers. Here, the stage is the dance floor, with real DJs flanking this 60-minute musical play centred on Max, “an ex-clubber trying to rebuild his life and win back a lost love after partying goes too far”. Surrounded by the action and real actors, you’ll not only watch the drama – also on screen, with camera crew filming from the dance floor – but also be part of it, raving along and ordering drinks from the on-stage bar.

XTC: The Electronic Musical | Saturday 25 October | 14:00–16:00 | Desmet | €11–21

ADE x 750: ZERØBPM | 39.5 Hour Ambient Meditation Experience

Whether nursing overstimulated ears, preparing for a party or avoiding them altogether, this event offers the perfect repose. Turning things right down to zero, this zen listening event invites 26 artists to each play a 1.5-hour-long ambient set – including names much better known for hyping up club crowds. The entire two-day run will be hosted through one long guided meditation by Bruno Sitton and scenography by Bruno Sitton. Book your slot (and stay longer if you need), settle down, switch off and zone in.

ADE x 750: ZERØBPM | 39,5 Hour Ambient Meditation Experience | 07:30 Friday 24 October – 23:59 Saturday 25 October | De Thomaskerk | €21.60

Wereldmuseum presents Chinese Club Culture

ADE is ultimately a celebration of global electronic dance music culture, so where better to explore a more international perspective than the Wereldmuseum (formerly known as the Tropenmuseum). This action-packed evening celebrates specifically Chinese club culture, with talks, performances and DJ sets accompanying the museum’s new Made in China exhibition. Topics such as the mixture of traditional and global influences will be explored by the works displayed here, the music and discussions, including from speakers and reputable DJs Yu Su and SUNK.

ADE x 750: Wereldmuseum presents Chinese Club Culture | Saturday 25 October | 19:30–23:00 | Wereldmuseum |

Same But Different: Discussion + Hip Hop Dance Battle

This double-bill from international dance platform SBD celebrates diversity and hip hop culture, while also reflecting on how to keep it healthy and sustainable. Whether you decide to join in or just watch, absorb the passion and unique styles during the hip hop battle at legendary venue Bitterzoet. And/or join the discussion preceding it at Bar Bario, where a panel of community leaders from Roots Of The Fruits and Hiphophuis will tackle the prickly issues of decolonisation, cultural roots and sustainability of the scene.

Same but Different—Indepth on Decolonization | Sunday 26 October | 13.00–15.00 | Bar Bario | €5.50

Safety disclaimer and advice during Amsterdam Dance Event

We want you to have a fantastic time at ADE — but safety first. Know that the (mis)use of drugs is illegal, and there are real health risks involved. Stay hydrated, eat well, and avoid mixing substances. Through ADE's “Celebrate Safe” campaign, venues will have enhanced security, medical aid stations, and staff on hand to provide assistance. For your journey home (or between events), services like Diva Ride (female-driver option) are available to offer an inclusive ride. Take care of yourself and those around you. If anything feels wrong, physically or in your surroundings, don’t wait: get help immediately. Know your limits and respect those of others.