Culture News in English
Latest culture headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Bulgaria wins, but what’s next for the Eurovision Song Contest?
Bulgaria's victory at the Eurovision Song Contest has provided the European Broadcasting Union with temporary relief from controversies surrounding a potential victory for Israel. Despite the win, the...
Tough times for small festivals: 'We really don't do this for profit'
Smaller festivals are currently facing financial hardships caused by rising operational costs and a trend of audiences delaying ticket purchases until the last minute. Organizers emphasize that these ...
The final Studio Voetbal: 'It shouldn't be a big retrospective show'
The long-running Dutch television program Studio Voetbal will air its final episode tonight on NPO 1 after 24 years and nearly a thousand broadcasts. Presenter Sjoerd van Ramshorst aims to maintain th...
Wouter Klootwijk on who decides what is beautiful and tasty: 'beauty cannot be measured'
Wouter Klootwijk discusses the subjective nature of beauty and taste in his weekly column. He explores the difficulty of measuring aesthetic appeal, specifically in the context of determining the tast...
Explainer | Why (almost) no one saw Bulgaria's Eurovision win coming
Bulgaria is the dream winner for a Eurovision carrying internal conflict into next year
According to actress Hanna van Vliet, every Amsterdammer must visit these 5 places: ‘In Café Saarein you run into all your exes’
You'd have to be crazy to miss the chance to see Harry Styles in Amsterdam
Video | How Bulgaria won Eurovision
Bulgaria wins 70th Eurovision Song Contest
Bulgaria has won the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2026 with the singer DARA. The victory is significant as it marks the country's return to the competition after a three-year absence...
Queen Máxima celebrates 55th birthday privately
Queen Máxima is celebrating her 55th birthday this Sunday in a private setting with her family. The Government Information Service confirmed that the occasion is being marked within a domestic circle...
Crowds at Bijlmer Arena station after three concerts, including Harry Styles
Following three simultaneous concerts in Amsterdam, including a performance by Harry Styles, Station Bijlmer Arena experienced severe overcrowding and a brief temporary closure on Monday night. The st...
Harry Styles kicks off Arena concert series to loud cheers
British singer Harry Styles kicked off his concert series at the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam on Saturday night. Thousands of fans greeted the artist with deafening cheers as he performed the open...
Video | Harry Styles has entire concert audience sing for fan's birthday
What to do with the weak 'plots' and the ugly 'plotsklaps'
Reader Tineke Jippes critiques the modern usage of the word 'plots' as a weak alternative to the more traditional and dramatic Dutch terms 'plotseling' and 'plotsklaps.' She argues that the shortened ...
Hillegom completes first task and can no longer be directly relegated
Hillegom avoided direct relegation after securing a 2-0 victory against VIOS W. The team now has a chance to achieve full safety in their final match of the season, depending on their own result and t...
Oscar winner Julianne Moore no longer wants to make violent films
Julianne Moore announced at the Cannes Film Festival that she no longer wants to appear in films featuring violence. The Oscar-winning actress shared this career decision during an interview with Vari...
After three days of camping, it's finally time for the 'Harries': "It was cold and rainy"
Fans of Harry Styles have begun entering the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam for the first of ten scheduled concerts after camping outside for up to three days in cold and rainy weather. Local busine...
Belgium just before Eurovision final: 'Unlikely we will participate next year'
The Belgian broadcaster VRT has announced that Belgium is unlikely to participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest. The broadcaster is calling for the EBU to take a stronger stance against war and ...
Police warn about WhatsApp 'girl houses', girls sharing personal photos
Police in Amsterdam are warning about 'WhatsApp girls' houses,' where children as young as 11 share personal photos and videos that may be monitored by anonymous adults. These channels often require a...
Froukje de Both once suffered whiplash: ‘I just accepted that stiff neck’
Dutch presenter Froukje de Both shared her experiences living with the long-term effects of a whiplash injury in a recent interview. She explained that she has accepted her chronic stiff neck and limi...
Pro-refugee shelter protesters outnumber opponents: 'You just have to do something together; at home alone it starts to haunt you'
Hundreds of demonstrators marched through the city on Saturday to welcome refugees and show solidarity. Protesters stated that refugees are often unfairly blamed for various societal issues currently ...
A man experiences a hot flash. Yanaika Zomer: 'Why do we only acknowledge it's not exaggeration when a man finds it annoying?'
Yanaika Zomer criticizes the societal double standard where hot flashes are only validated when experienced by men rather than women. The author illustrates this point by describing a man using a cool...
Colleagues and Heart Foundation pay tribute to late Westerweel: 'You were so kind'
Colleagues and the Dutch Heart Foundation are mourning the death of presenter Bas Westerweel, who passed away following heart problems. Broadcaster AVROTROS described him as a familiar face and praise...
Video | Thousands march in protest against Israel's Eurovision participation
Explainer | Australia Eurovision favorite: will the contest go 'down under' if they win?
Watching the Eurovision final tonight after all? Don't miss these countries
This article provides a viewing guide for the Eurovision Song Contest final, highlighting must-see performances. It includes specific timing details to help viewers tune in for the competition's most ...
Disbelief among watch hunters on PC Hooftstraat after sale cancelled: 'Shame it wasn't better organized'
A highly anticipated sale of an exclusive watch collection in Amsterdam's P.C. Hooftstraat was cancelled this morning due to safety concerns. Dozens of people had camped outside for days to purchase t...
King Charles 'saddened' by death of soldier at horse show
King Charles expressed his sadness following the death of a soldier at the Royal Windsor Horse Show on Friday. The soldier died at the scene after falling from his horse while exiting the arena.
Mother Mary review roundup: 'A 112-minute haunting perfume commercial'
Critics have given negative reviews to David Lowery's psychological thriller Mother Mary, which stars Anne Hathaway as a pop singer preparing for a comeback. The film, which also features Michaela Coe...