Art City NDSM

In 1999 a group of artists, makers and creative spirits won an urban competition to develop a cultural 'free space' - in Dutch 'vrijplaats' - at the then abandoned NDSM shipyard on the northern shores of the river IJ in Amsterdam. Part of their ambitious plan included the Kunststad - Art City - a self-designed and self-built studio complex within the monumental NDSM Loods. A quarter of a center later the Art City is still here, housing more than 200 artists and makers studios and workshops in what is the largest 'breeding ground' ('broedplaats') in Europe. Art City NDSM is an independent (and mostly volunteer) foundation and an artists' and makers' initiative originating out, and run by, this community. Art City takes care of and develops the ideals and ideas of the NDSM community of artists and makers, and builds on our collective memory. We strive to honor and encourage the public function of our space as a hospitable, open and inspiring sanctuary - by opening our doors during the annual NDSM OPEN, by making new work possible and offering existing work a home, and by creating and discussing space - physically and mentally - so that we can consciously position ourselves and together shape a shared future. Also with the bi-annual bi-lingual newspaper NDSM OPEN which you can read here on Issuu!