Festivals & events – All our local tips

I just noticed something special lately here in Rotterdam. New cool places are located at squares. Deliplein, Noordplein, Eendrachtsplein, … feel free to comment:)

Bob Smit is know for his window gallery in the Witte the Withstraat close to the Eendrachtsingel. He is a young enthusiastic artist who works as brand promoter and is always busy, full of ideas and just passionate about art. He recently got a beautiful space at Eendrachtplein 16, where he and his team manage a gallery.

Right now they are showing impressive works of Rotterdam based artist Michel Wieggers and work of young English artist Thoms I’Anson, who is in the Netherlands for his masters at St. Joost. The Michel Wieggers and Thoms I’Anson show can be seen till March 21.Something interesting Bob Smit Gallery strives for is exhibiting a known and a starting artist.

On Friday Night there will be art related film screenings from 19:00 – 22:00 for free.

Check out this new place while you stroll from Central Station to the Witte de Withstraat or the Museum Quarter, while enjoying the art in the public space. Tip Around the corner at the Nieuwe Binnenweg, you’ll find also Delta Gallery (really like Ron van de Ende objects) and Van Krimpen gallery (former director of Kunsthal). Both worth a visit too:)

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Bob Smit Gallery + | Art & culture, Cinemas, Festivals & events, Shopping
Eendrachtsplein 16 | Center | +310108409584
Tue – Sun 12:30 – 19:00, Fri 19:00 – 22:00

March 6 there’s a new edition of the annual Museumnacht (”Museum Night”). Museums and galleries and other creative places will be open in the evening and will provide a special program from 20:00 – 02:00.

The idea is to lure people who usually don’t go or don’t have the time to visit a museum and/or gallery with this event. And to attract new visitors to the more unknown museums.

This Saturday is the 10th Museumnacht and worth a celebration with an even more special program according to the website. This year’s theme is XL XS. Curious yet?

Knowing the event, it’s very extensive and diverse and it will appeal the young and old among us. It’s an impossible task to try visit every location but a challenge every year.

There will be other happenings too:

Mayor Aboutaleb will reveal a new statue “Cascade”, made by Atelier Van Lieshout, at the intersection of Churchillplein at 8.30pm. I’m very curious about it as AVL has a certain reputation of interpreting ideas into shapes.

The opening of De Machinist, Delfshaven at 4pm – 1am with live music, tours, etc. A former Marine Engineering school now turned into a new breeding space for cultural activities and entrepreneurs.

At Meent 119-133, artist collective Roodkapje will run the project ROT(T)TERDAM untill 2011 and the building will be part for a new kind of city office designed by architect Rem Koolhaas.

If you make use of the special Museumnacht Bus and Boat, be ready for surprising performances underway…

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Museumnacht/Museum night | Art & culture, Festivals & events | Presale ticket € 12.00
Meent 119 | Center
March 6th 20:00 – 02:00

Tucked away between a block of houses located in between the Zwaanshals and the river Rotte, you can see this interestingly shaped building.
It was empty for some time after having served as a building for the municipal sanitation service Roteb. Hence the name Rotabs.

Luckily this place was included in the renovation plans to spruce up the entire block which is still in progress. The building is now turned into a creative warehouse where entrepreneurs of diverse disciplines have put up small businesses.

The interior inside is divided into several units which have tenants like a photographer, a publisher, a goldsmith, a cafe, a gallery and others. There are some units left waiting for other daring adventurers.

Initiator Paul Posse is active in the neighbourhood and hopes to create an area like a Camden Town in the Oude Noorden. As Rotabs can be pretty hard to find for even the locals, a special bus service is in the making to transport anyone interested to visit this part of the town where much is waiting to be discovered.
This circle bus will drive between city centre and the Old North to hop off and on if you’re done strolling about.

Want to find it yourself? Just walk into the Zwaanshals where there’s an entrance through a building leading you to Rotabs. Or do the upcoming Route du Nord weekend (24 -27 Sep) as an introduction to this area and it’s creative spots, artists and variety of shops.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
ROTABS Stylecenter | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Festivals & events, Music, Shopping
Zaagmolenkade 46 | Noord | +31653623230
Wed – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 -17:00