Culture Guide (September 2026)
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BOOKS & STORYTELLING
Editor’s Pick: Read my World
Amsterdam's leading international literature festival returns to Noord’s Tolhuistuin in September. Dedicated to unearthing the stories beneath the sheen of daily news, the unmissable literary event brings writers, poets and performers from around the world to showcase their takes on the world’s most pressing issues. Spend three days immersed in topics like urbanity and discover literature’s power in making the significant questions of our time personal. Attend the afterparty on the opening night, which features music and dancing in the Tolhuistuin's magical garden.
Read my World | 10-12 September 2026 | Tolhuistuin
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
Open Monuments Day
For one weekend a year, Open Monuments Day grants access to many of Amsterdam’s beautiful historic buildings, completely free of charge – a unique moment to glimpse into hidden gems that are often restricted or closed to the public. History enthusiasts, families, and the culturally curious are all welcome at venues across the Netherlands and beyond. Note: while the monuments don’t require Dutch language, most of the tours will be held in Dutch.
Open Monuments Day | 12-13 September | city-wide
Ambacht in Beeld
Returning to NDSM Loods, the city’s industrial core, Ambacht in Beeld Festival marks a decade of craftsmanship in all its forms. Across two days, over 100 artisans – whose works represent a true mastery of their craft – converge from all over the world to share their skills. From batik – a textile dyeing technique using wax – to the art of woodturning, take part in this expansive lineup of workshops, demonstrations, screenings and performances.
Ambacht in Beeld | 26-27 September | NDSM-Plein
ART & EXHIBITIONS
Amsterdam’s Canal Museums
Sponsored content by Amsterdam’s Canal Museums
As you wander along Amsterdam’s picture-perfect canal belt, you’ll no doubt admire the beauty of the city’s canal houses. But these buildings offer more than just a pretty face: behind the facades of many of these stately homes lie world-class museums of history, nature, photography, and art. Discover extraordinary taxidermy at The Art Zoo Museum, selected for Time magazine's World's Greatest Places 2026. Or visit the acclaimed Grachtenmuseum to catch its newly-opened Love on the Canals exhibition, which tells the story of the last three decades of Amsterdam's world-famous Pride boat parade.
Yayoi Kusama
If you want to lose yourself for a while, step inside one of Yayoi Kusama’s installations. Here, the boundary between museum visitor and infinity dissolves. Where does the space end and where do you begin? The late Japanese artist settled in New York during the 1960s, where she became renowned for her groundbreaking artistic experiments. And while she passed this last month, she continues to captivate audiences of every generation. The Stedelijk Museum honours the eternally youthful grande dame with a major retrospective.
Yayoi Kusama | until 17 January | Stedelijk Museum
Haliun Ma
Foam reopens in mid-September after a short renovation with a spectacular and stylish showcase. Dubbed Hometown, Ma explores China's social hierarchy through the lens of fashion, with the camera focused on the gestures, styles, and relations that shape everyday life in Xinjiang. Images span from daily life to sartorial choices and family, but the warmth and heart on display make this exhibition transportive.
Haliun Ma| from 18 September | Foam
THEATRE & STAGE
Netherlands Theater Festival + Amsterdam Fringe
To open the cultural season each September, Netherlands Theater Festival offers ten days of performances spread across the city’s top stages, with a broad range of language-no-problem shows in the programme. To coincide, sometimes referred to as the NL Theater Festival’s quirky little sister, Amsterdam Fringe is all about bringing avant-garde productions to light. Each year, 70 productions are created by unorthodox theatre-makers keen to impress with their vision. The venues where these eclectic performances occur can be just as unexpected.
Netherlands Theater Festival| 3-13 September 2026 | various locations
Amsterdam Fringe Festival| 3-13 September 2026 | various locations
King Me
Settle in for a night of stand-up comedy and Trump-inspired improvisation in Greg Shapiro’s King Me at Bellevue Theatre. Having cut his teeth on the Boom Chicago stage, Shapiro is now in his ninth solo show. This time around, brace yourself for laughter and, possibly, tears, as the comedian sets the scene for the upcoming US midterm elections and dares to look at the future with a little optimism, while reflecting on 250 years of independence that brought back the concept of a king.
King Me | 18-19 September | Theater Bellevue
DANCE & OPERA
The Greatest Swan Lake in the World
Derek Deane's unique reinterpretation of Tchaikovsky’s ballet features double the dancers - 48 instead of 24 - for a spectacularly impactful performance. After the enormous successes of the 2023 production, the renowned Shanghai Ballet returns to the stage of Theatre Carre for what is sure to be a spellbinding performance of this beloved classic.
The Greatest Swan Lake in the World| 22 - 27 September | Carré
COMEDY & CABARET
Nadine Froughi
Froughi’s mostly known for her intercultural bits on Dutch life online, but she’s one to watch on stage too. Coming to town with her Daydreamer tour, Froughi says the show is a bit of a trip inside her head which, for anyone has seen her online, means it’s going to be sharp cultural commentary and very funny. Catch her at a number of venues and in the 2026 autumn issue of the I amsterdam Magazine, where she’s the lead profile.
Nadine Froughi | 6 September at Comedy Café, 10 September at Droog
CINEMA & FILM
West Beach Film Festival
There’s nothing like a lakeside setting to add some drama to your cinema experience. Discover the West Beach Film Festival on the edge of Sloterplas in Nieuw West. The programmes of previous years have included live sets by some of Amsterdam’s best DJs and an eclectic mix of Dutch and English films, so there will surely be something for everyone during these 11 evenings of free waterfront movie mania.
West Beach Film Festival| 16-20 September 2026 | Sloterplas
TALKS & DEBATES
Didier Erebon: On Class and Inequality
Acclaimed French philosopher Didier Erebon lands at De Balie for a talk on the intersection of class, ageing and inequality. His thinking suggests that the elderly remain a forgotten part of our society – only considered when we get there or people we know do – and how class shapes what it means to reach the autumn of our lives. A prolific thinker and writer, this is a chance to hear one of France’s greatest attempt to answer the question: who gets to grow old well?
Didier Erebon| 29 September | De Balie
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