TodaysArt

Concept

Each year in the end of September, the festival offers a programme at 20 venues (in- and outdoor) in the city centre with more than 200 artists from over 25 countries, all presenting their creative vision about what Art is Today in terms of music, video and visual arts, film, photography, fashion, performing arts, theatre, contemporary dance and other disciplines and crossovers.

Unique and custom-made productions and performances by the world's most creative artists can be expected at this 3 nights lasting annual festival.

Partners

TodaysArt works closely together with partners such as Club Transmediale from Berlin - Germany, Mutek from Montreal - Canada, DEAF from Rotterdam - The Netherlands and Wasted festival from Berlin - Germany.

Pre-History

TodaysArt festival originated from a pilot-festival called Sound/Vision, held on the Malieveld in The Hague on the hot summer day of July 27, 2002. Due to problems with the local council regarding noise nuisance, further editions of Sound/Vision were not organised in the future. The organisation of the pilot outdoor festival Sound/Vision, The Generator Foundation, started to focus towards the organisation of an indoor multidisciplinary festival in close cooperation with various cultural locations and sites in the city centre of The Hague.

In September 2003 the first edition of the Cultuurnacht was being held on Saturday the 20th of September 2003 and an immediate success. With a diverse program, amongst 5.000 visitors enjoyed the first edition. Saturday the 25th of September the 2nd edition of Cultuurnacht took place and the growth of locations, acts, artistic inspiration and visitors was evident.

2005

In 2005 the organisation decided the Cultuurnacht had outgrown its name. Due to a more and more global focus, without forgetting to promote and stimulate local talent, the name changed into TodaysArt festival. This 3rd edition expanded to two days (23rd & 24 September) and nights instead of one, to cover an even broader spectrum of multidisciplinary acts and performances. Club Transmediale from Berlin hosted one of the bigger venues during one night. Online livestreaming from the main locations was added to the festival website in order to serve foreign virtual visitors. Highlights: Nederlands Dans Theater II

2006

In 2006 TodaysArt intensified their cooperation with the Royal Art Academy and the Royal Conservatory. Furthermore, an ever-growing cooperation with Club Transmediale resulted amongst others in one location being organised by their partner: Wasted festival, by Donna Summer aka Jason Forrest and DJ Pure.

2007

In 2007, the third edition of the TodaysArt Festival took place at more than 25 locations in the city centre, both in- and outdoor. The program consisted of more than 200 artists from over 25 countries, representing a broad spectrum of (electronic) music and (multimedia) art disciplines. The festival took place on the 21st and 22 September 2007 in the city centre of The Hague, and was codenamed THX: The Hague International Airport. Among the musical genres represented were: dubstep, techno, detroit, hiphop, Italo disco, rave, disco, ambient, minimal, dancehall, hiphop, baila funk, darkcore, IDM, glitch, trance, breakbeat, bitpop, electro, motor rock and lo-fi. In addition, there were special showcases such as the Detroit Special, the French/German/UK-programs, the HipHop-program and the female-artists-only booty shaking dancehall baile disco party. The 2007 edition also featured an expanded program of interactive, digital, and multimedia arts and installations. Amongst others Daan Roosegaarde, Daan Brinkman and Robert Henke presented their installations this edition.

Highlights of 2007: United Visual Artists, Kool Keith, and Modeselektor & Pfadfinderei and the virtual landing strip.