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Nieuw en Meer, a leading Amsterdam artist collective, houses 100+ workshops/studios, significantly shaping the city's creative and ecological landscapes and enriching its vibrant cultural tapestry.

Agenda

Theater De Roode Bioscoop

Agnes de Ruijter | The Rules of the Fringes

The former buildings of the Stelling van Amsterdam were squatted by a group of artists in 1988 and soon after legalized. For 35 years now, the art and business terrain Nieuw en Meer, on the far southwestern edge of Amsterdam, has been managed and governed by artists, designers, and free spirits. What rules are needed in order to preserve autonomy? A film portrait from the inside.

Saturday, October 4, 2025 – 2:00 PM – €10.00

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REVIEWS – ‘The Rules of the Fringes’
They still exist, the utopian free havens on the edge of the city where artists and craftsmen give shape to their dreams in complete freedom—among and with each other, for 35 years already. Yet, this story is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain, as the ideals of the generation that once set out to do everything differently risk becoming somewhat isolated. How does the artists’ enclave Nieuw en Meer attract new members? And how do you interact with one another inside an anarchist bubble—without too many rules and regulations, but with a great deal of meetings? Agnes de Ruijter, as a “fly on the wall,” created an intimate portrait from within.

Doors open: 19:30
Start time: 20:00
Location: Kate
Admission: Free

The former buildings of the Defence Line of Amsterdam were squatted by a group of artists in 1988 and soon after legalized. For 35 years now, Nieuw en Meer, an art and business terrain on the far southwestern edge of Amsterdam, has been managed and run by artists, designers, and free spirits. What rules are needed to preserve your autonomy? A film portrait from the inside, by Agnes de Ruiter.

Members

All members

Artists in Residence

Since the beginning of 2014 the artist community Nieuw en Meer offers a studio special for guests. The residence is open to artists of all disciplines and for a period of one up to three months. Read more about Artist in Residence

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History

Originally the Nieuw en Meer complex was a weapons and ammunition depot of Defense. The first buildings date from 1918 and were part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam. Until the early eighties of the 20th century the site was in use of Defense. After the last conflict in 1962 in, at that time, ‘Dutch New Guinea’, the military stores fell into disuse.

On June 25, 1988, when Marco van Basten caused a collective ecstasy in the Netherlands, the buildings at Oude Haagseweg 51 at the outskirt of Amsterdam, were squatted by a group of artists an activists from the squat at Conradstraat 11.

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Contact

Foundation “Nieuw & Meer”
Oude Haagseweg 51, 1066 DC Amsterdam
stichting@nieuwenmeer.nl
Tenants association “Niks Minder”
vereniging@nieuwenmeer.nl
Allocation committee
toewijzing@nieuwenmeer.nl
Artist in Residence
air@nieuwenmeer.nl