The Northern Dutch creative and cultural sector

The Northern Netherlands is a vibrant hub for creativity, with a thriving scene in art, culture, design, performance, and music. From Groningen to Friesland and Drenthe, the region offers abundant opportunities for actors, artists, designers, and musicians alike.

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The North’s calendar of public events, taking place every week in towns and cities across the region, offers many opportunities for work to be exhibited and for creative networks to develop.

The first port-of-call for culture vultures in Groningen is the International Groningen project Here & Now. Each day, the Here & Now team scour the internet and their own networks to find events to publicise, while organisers can also submit events directly for inclusion.

In Friesland and Drenthe, you can find good overviews of local cultural events on the Visit Friesland or Drenthe.nl websites respectively.

Interested in taking a short course? Check out the offerings of VRIJDAG and USVA.

Theatre

Each of the Northern provinces hosts several theatre companies, with some performing in English, some in Dutch, and many in both! One of the best known in Groningen are the National Interdisciplinary Theatre Ensemble (NITE) and Club Guy&Roni, which bring together dancers, actors, choreographers, musicians and other performers. Major players in the city's cultural life include SPOT Groningen and Grand Theatre, both of which present international and local talent to eager audiences. A particularly special place in the hearts of many Groningen residents is held by Noorderzon - Festival of Performing Arts & Society, which usually takes place in August and, over the course of ten days, transforms the city into a vibrant setting for theatre, dance, music, literature, talks and lectures, combined with food, drinks, and social encounters. In the autumn, the theatre festival Jonge Harten focuses on socially relevant themes for audiences aged 12 to 29.

Northern theatre life is not limited to Groningen. Podium Explore and the Explore the North festival in Leeuwarden bring together creatives from a range of different cultural disciplines. While many theatre companies are active across the region, the best-known in Friesland is the Tryater in Leeuwarden, and in Drenthe Garage TDI. All the three provinces are connected through Station Noord, a networking organisation dedicated to the development of performing arts talent in the Northern Netherlands.

Theatre theory education in the Northern Netherlands in English can be sought via the Arts, Culture and Media bachelor programme at the University of Groningen.

Dutch speakers can pursue theatre at MBO level and then at a higher level at Theatre Teacher at NHL Stenden, and Dance & Performing Arts at Lucia Marthas Dance Academy.

Art

Aside from the dramatic landscapes, and excellent lifestyle, many artists are drawn to the North thanks to the Minerva Art Academy: a constituent college of the Hanzehogeschool Groningen. The Minerva is one of the oldest art academies in the Netherlands (founded in 1798), and is partially responsible for the most major artistic movement to emerge from the North - de Ploeg. Alumni of Minerva include the painter Jozef Israëls, ceramicist and jewellery designer Lambertus Nienhuis, and the Slovene expressionist Tjaša Iris. Furthermore, Groningen is a place with many galleries and various temporary and permanent exhibitions.

Alongside its academies and galleries, the Northern Netherlands is supported by a strong art infrastructure. The Groninger Museum, Drents Museum and Fries Museum function as the region’s principal museums, presenting modern and contemporary art in dialogue with regional and international contexts. Photography plays a significant role through organisations such as Noorderlicht and NonFiction Photo, both of which focus on documentary and socially engaged photographic practices. Artist support and professional development are facilitated by Kunstpunt Groningen, while Forum Groningen, the city’s cultural hub, contributes to the visual arts through exhibitions and interdisciplinary presentations.

In Friesland, Keunstwurk operates as the main knowledge and networking organisation for visual art, public art and talent development. And Drenthe’s central cultural support organisation is Stichting Kunst & Cultuur (K&C), which focuses on cultural education, talent development and cultural participation, and supporting artists and cultural initiatives across the province.

Attend cultural events, workshops, and festivals in the region to build relationships with local creatives and institutions. Volunteering or internships can be a strong way to enter the sector and prove your capabilities.

Music

The North even has its own symphony orchestra, the NNO, currently led by conductor Eivind Gullberg Jensen. Based in the city of Groningen but serving the entire region, the Prins Claus Conservatorium is one of nine classical-music schools in the country. In addition, the conservatoire has a strong jazz department, known for its "New York comes to Groningen" programme.

Eurosonic Noorderslag. Photo: Sebastiaan Rodenhuis

The professional music scene in the North is diverse and internationally connected. Groningen hosts the Eurosonic Noorderslag, a major annual showcase bringing hundreds of European pop, rock, and alternative artists and music professionals to the city. The city also presents Rockit, a jazz‑centric festival exploring progressive and crossover sounds, and the Aurora Festival, which focuses on chamber and contemporary music with international participation. Live music culture is supported by vibrant venues such as Vera, Simplon and De Oosterpoort, which host a range of concerts from rock and pop to jazz and experimental sets. Popular music education is provided by the Academy of Popular Culture in Leeuwarden, while amateur and participatory music scenes are nurtured by organisations including VRIJDAG (Groningen), USVA (Groningen), De Kielzog (Hoogezand) and MDT (Veendam).

Design

Groningen, Friesland, and Drenthe are also well-stocked with design bureaus, from freelance designers through to full-service agencies. The national society for designers in the Netherlands is called the BNO, and many Northern designers are members of this organisation.

Most cities within the North have affordable workspaces for designers. Check out De Pijp in Groningen, De Fabriek in Leeuwarden and Flexible Workplace in Assen.