Art, art and more art! This week (from 18 to 22 May) Rotterdam is completely taken over by Rotterdam Art Week. This means that various fairs, exhibitions, installations, pop-up shows and workshops can be visited throughout the city.
A great time to discover the cultural side of Rotterdam as an art and design lover. Can't make a decision where to go during Art Week? Below I share a few tips of where you'll be able to find me this year. Use it to your advantage!
Design lovers and interior junkies should not miss this fair in the HAKA building. Every year, more than a hundred established and emerging designers display their interior products, furniture and lighting creations here. What you see at OBJECT is often a prelude of the trends to come. What I like about this fair is that the designers themselves are often present, so that they can tell you more about their work.
Extra cool: during this edition, all visitors to the fair in the HAKA are also invited to the iconic Euromast, which is free of charge for the ticket holders. A design presentation will be set up during OBJECT and you can also enjoy the breathtaking panoramic view of the city. A great moment to experience this Rotterdam eyecatcher!
When: 20 - 22 May, 10 - 18 o'clock
Location: HAKA-gebouw, Vierhavensstraat 40, Rotterdam
The main event of Art Week takes place in and around the Van Nelle factory. In the outdoor area you will find a record number of seventeen large-scale works and installations, mostly designed especially for this occasion.
At the same time, there is also much to experience indoors. On a floor area of 10,000 m2, more than a hundred leading national and international galleries show the work of upcoming and established talent.
Van Nelle factory is worth a visit, Art Week or not. After all, the impressive building is on UNESCO's World Heritage List for a reason!
When: 19 - 22 May, 11 - 19 o'clock
Location: Van Nelleweg 1, Rotterdam
Watching art is fun, but experiencing art is even more fun! During Art Week you will find a festival exhibition with futuristic and progressive art in a side street of the Witte de Withstraat at WORM.
You can go wild here with immersive alt-reality. Think, for example, of installations a la Burning Man that breathe fire. You can also participate in a Total Body Workout by Kexin Hao, which is inspired by nationalist massage gymnastics sessions from China.
Did you experience enough art for a day? Then it's walking distance to the terraces of Witte de Withstraat. Best of both worlds!
When: 18 - 22 May, 12 o'clock - till late
Location: Boomgaardsstraat 71, Rotterdam
A location I've never been to before, but I definitely want to visit: STEUR. The concrete and surreal environment of the former turbine hall from the 1930s is now home to many visual artists.
But the real reason I want to go there is because of Steur Garden. Art Week wouldn't be Art Week if there wasn't a lot of dancing somewhere. From minimal techno to eclectic sounds, you've come to the right place at Steur Garden.
When: 19 - 22 May, 10 - 19 o'clock (Friday and Saturday till late)
Location: Het Steurgebouw, Galileistraat 15, Rotterdam