Organization

MISSION

To use the universal language of light art in the public space to connect and enrich people.

VISION

We think that art must be made as accessible as possible, by bringing it to people. We believe that interventions in a familiar environment can lead to new energy and insights. By presenting light art in the public space we are able to impact a large audience: in the urban and in the digital world. This way we positively contribute to contemporary challenges of inhabitants and visitors of the city.

CORE VALUES

Creative
Creativity is the ability to think of new things and to create them. With light art being a relatively new art discipline, it provides plenty of opporunity to come to new designs and solutions.

Accessible
As a cultural festival in the public space we are right in the middle of society. We are open, we share and we connect. Everybody is welcome.

Resourceful
We cherish our entrepreneurial origins, which lay the foundation for our sense of resourcefulness today. This translates into the way we face challenges, the way we finance our activities and how we are on the forefront of creating long-term partnerships with different institues and organisations.

Responsible
We are aware of our presence in the public space and that this responsibility (sustainability, safety and inclusion among other things) comes with great social empathy.

Two are building up the artwork Light Gate, nov 2022.

Our philosophy

The core of the foundation's philosophy's is co-creation; we work together with many stakeholders in all facets of the festival and empower each other to bring about one, multivocal story.

Amsterdam Light Festival highly values creativity and technical quality. This is guaranteed by making strategic connections, on both social and operational domains, to the (artistic) expertise of specialists. In this way, we continuously inspire ourselves and we stay flexible to move along with society and to guarantee and strengthen our artistic congruence.

THE FOUNDATION

We see a boat with people approaching the artwork. The artwork is made up of coloured neon lines, forming figures above the canal.

The team

A shared passion for light art connects the team that actively aims to have a meaningful impact on society year-round. The artistic management team – consisting of Frédérique ter Brugge (director), Jin Choi (lead curator) and the Lead Storyteller – guides the rest of the team, consisting of Christopher Grabski (junior curator), Joanne de Roest (co-creation), Joshua Lindeman (co-creation), Ping Gao (finance), Monsie van Diemen (project management), Koen in 't Veld (partnerships), Vacature (marketing), Nicoline Meijer (marketing), Friso Bleeker (marketing), Else-Marie Rombouts (education), Aimee Goossens (human resources) and a bunch of creative freelancers and interns.

WHAT WE DO

We see (not all) employees of Amsterdam Light Festival posing together for a group picture, in Capital C.

Festival patroness

Succeeding Eberhard van der Laan, Femke Halsema has been patroness of Amsterdam Light Festival since 2020. She symbolically opened both Edition 7 and Edition 8. Femke Halsema: "Amsterdam Light Festival is very dear to me, because the festival does not only illuminate the city with art, it brings together residents and visitors".

F.l.t.r: Lennart Booij, Frédérique ter Brugge, Femke Halsema & Felix Guttmann bij de opening van Editie 7

Our office @ Capital C

Since April 2021 our office is located in Capital C at Weesperplein. This former diamond trading building now houses office, co-working spaces and meeting rooms, where creativity is the central focus. A place where we feel at home.

MORE INFO

The office building at sunset, with Amsterdam on the background.