TodaysArt

TodaysArt is the annual international multidisciplinary modern creativity festival in The Hague, The Netherlands.

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.

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 the 27th 2002. Due to problems with the local counsel regarding noise nuisance further editions of Sound/Vision wouldn't be 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 multidisciplinairy 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. Highlights:

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 & 24th of 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.

Highlights: Akufen, Antistrot, ArtScience Faculty, KABK, Bodenstandig 2000, Build, C-Mon & Kypski, Candie Hank, Cannes International Film Festival, Carillon, Chica Paula, Chok Wah Man, Chris Oakley, Chris Pieplenbosch,, Joey van Dijk,, Maurice Kraanen, Club Transmediale, Daniel Meteo, David Middendorp, De Garage, De Komeet, Dick el Demasiado, Dijf Sanders, Dylan Newcomb, Eboman, eBoy, Edwin van der Heide, Ellen en David, Eni-Less, Fashion Faculty, FFF, Fred Abels,, Mirjam Langemeijer, godspill, Gudrun Gut, H.O.T.T., Het Gezelschap van de Nacht, HKU, Inocuo Design, Interstellar Fugitives, Jacque de la disque, Jarno Burger, Jean Jacques Perrey, Johan Nieuwenhuize, Kenzo Minami, Kettel, Kombiene, Kubus, BangBang, Syogo, Ladyscraper, Last Angel of History, Mothership Connection, Legowelt, Leo van der Veen, LFT, Like A Tim, Lust, M, Marco Aluia, Marco Eschler, Martijn Rijven, Matthew Barneys, Maxalot, Mike Roelof's Sixtet, Millegomme, Miss Van, MNK, Mobiletti Giradischi, Monsieur Dubois, Nederlands Dans Theater II, Niklas Roy, cyberniklas, Nobody Beats the Drum, Nothing Done, Obey Giant, Olaf Mooij, One Dot Zero, Opgevogeld, Orgue Electronique, Otto von Schirach, Overdose, P.A. DUAL, Panoramax, Paul Klotz, Peter Zuiderwijk, Phako, Florentijn Boddendijk, PIPS:Lab, Pixelnouveau, PSYOP, Pure, Red Jet, Ron English, Schneider TM, Serge, Shoot me Festival, Sil van der Woerd, Sis Josip, Snackbar Tiny, Stöma, Stereotower, Telematique, The Generator, The Inspiration of UR, The Orb, The Servants of the Apocalyptic Goat Rave, Thomas Brinkmann, Timeonsampler, TLR, U-Matic, Underground Resistance, Unit Moebius, United Visual Artists, Universal Everything, UR, Skurge, Konspiracy, Venetian Snares, Victor & Jim, Villa Nuts, Visual Sensations (Resistance Electronique, Jarno Visuals, Studio Frank & Lisa), WeWorkForThem

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 22nd of 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.

Highlights of 2007: United Visual Artists, Kool Keith, and Modeselektor & Pfadfinderei and the virtual landingstrip by Lust.

Artists line-up in 2007: 3 Chairs, Aaron Koblin, Adrian Vacca, Al Naafiysh, Amos Ben Tal, André Gingras, Angel Souto, Antistrot, Antonis Pittas, Array, ASCII DISKO, Bas van Koolwijk & Gert-Jan Prins, Boris Hoppek, Boxcutter, Brian Chinetti, Build, CCDD, Charly & Gallus, Chris de Luca & Phon.o, Claudia Märzendorfer + Nik Hummer, CO2RO, Commonwealth, Cosmiq Microbiq, Cursor Miner, Cylob, Daan Brinkmann, Daan Roosegaarde, Dan Stowell, DJ Design, DJ MK, DJ Technician, Duvel, Ebony Bones, Eboy, EL MIRO, Evil Knievel, Frank Bretschneider, Galaxy 2 Galaxy, Inocuo, ISO120, Jackson Chang, Jahcoozi, Ina Vision & Mind Eye ft. Chris Rowe & Don't Hit Mama, Jerome Hill, Joshua Davis, Kangding Ray, Kassen, Kool Keith aka Dr. Octagon featuring KutMasta Kurt & Motion Man, Kozyndan Kustaa Saksi, La Melodia, LAB(au) + Res Publica, Legowelt, Lexie Lee, Lust, Marco Eschler, Maxalot, MFO, Mikomikona, Milanese, Model 500, Modeselektor & Pfadfinderei, Mr. Oizo & Sebastian, Mr. Wix, MXZehn, Nôze, Nanine Linning, Nederlands Dans Theater II, Neil Landstrumm, OneFourOne, Onno Poiesz, Optical Machines, Patrick Bergeron, Pawel Blot, Phill Niblock, Phunk Studio, Pictoplasma, Pierre Bastien, PIPS:lab, Pow Ensemble, Princess Superstar, PSYOP, Quantasonic by Voldemars Johansons and Tom Tlalim, Rabarber, Rancho Relaxo All Stars, Redfrik, Robert Henke, Rzac23, Sam Pluta, Sanne Kruithof, Schmerzlabor, Sextet, Spindokter Ries, Tarek Atoui, Tech-matix, Timeblind, Timoreous Beasties, TLR, TN8, Tom Trago, Tommie Sunshine, Toner Low, United Visual Artists, Universal Everything, UR/Detroit DJs, Vali Chincisan + Minus, Vex'd, Vicky Bennet, Warlock, WeWorkForThem, William Basinski, Yota Morimoto, Yuksek.

Special events and programming during the 2007 edition included: ,TAG vs TodaysArt, Blacksoil, Crème Organization/Motorwolf nights, Crimejazz, Holland Dance Festival, Hoogtij, Hotel Oscar Tango Echo Lima, JazzSole, KABK 325 (featuring: AR+RFID Lab, Helgi Kristinsson, KABK: Beeld + Geluid /Art Science, KABK: Fotografie, KABK: Grafisch Ontwerpen, KABK: Interior Architecture, KABK: Post Graduate Industrial Design, KABK: Textiel & Mode, and MasterMundo), Kindred Spirits, Nacht van de Lauwe Cultuur III, Radar Festival Films, Rokolectiv Festival, SuperCollider, Urban Space & Futuristic Visions, Vice, VillaNuts and Zur Rettung der Popkultur.

2008

Over 200 artists contributed to the festival in 2008, where many different art disciplines were represented, such as film, modern dance, visual art, photography and music. The fourth edition of the TodaysArt Festival took place on the 26th and 27th of September, at 20 in- and outdoor locations. The title of the festival was Blue Light District, referring to the trademark blue artwork of the festival.

For the first time in TodaysArt-history, the Dr. Anton Philipszaal was a part of the festival terrain next to annual venuas such as the Paard van Troje, De Nieuwe Kerk, Theater ah Spui and the Atrium (city hall). 1.890 Chairs had been removed to make this impressive concert hall fit for a large amount of festival visitors.

The Blue Light District, the name of the festival area, in which a variety of art projects and installations were presented in interaction or confrontation with the urban infrastructure and architectural spaces. Consequently, there was an opening concert Station to Station from Staalplaat Soundsystem, Erik Hobijn en Mike Rijnierse, including trains as musical instruments and using the environmental sounds to create a sound composition. Even the thousands of bicycles in front of the station will be integrated in this sound piece. In addition there were several project anchored around the spectrum of artificial light producing stunning visual effects at various locations around the festival terrain. Many of the festivals activities took place in the public space where we created an infrastructure of large transparent greenhouses sheltering temporary galleries, project spaces, bars and restaurants.

Another highlight was the presence of State of Sabotage, an internationally recognized micronation in the city hall of The Hague. 1,000 official passports were printed for visitors who bring a photograph. Also LAb[au], the meta designers from Brussels that transformed the Dexia tower in Brussels into an interactive canvas, were presenting several special projects, including EOD02. An installation containing fishes that communicate with electrical signals, which are collected and transmitted into sound.

Higlights 2008: !!! (Chk Chk Chk), 2562, Andrea Sartori, Andy Stott, Aquanauts (Ur), Ben Frost, Byetone, Charly & Gallus, Chic Miniature, Claro Intelecto, Deadbeat, Dj Serge,Dj Tlr, Elitechnique, Frivolous, God Is An Astronaut, Huoratron, Joris Voorn, Kettel, Kornreiniger, Legowelt, Lindstrøm / Live, Loud-E, Mad Ep, Mark Boombastik, Miss Hecker, Mlz, Nicad, Nouvelle Vague, Orgue Electronique, State of Sabotage, Pendle Coven, Pier Bucci, Prins Thomas, Thomas Ankersmit, [[<>Tag]], Antilounge, Artscience (Royal Academy Of Art), Bunker / Crème Organization, Dag In De Branding, Modern Love – Uk, Mutek, Nemo Festival, Ole Records, V2_, Villa Nuts

External links

• [1] Official Website
• [2] TodaysArt Youtube account for videos
• [3] TodaysArt MySpace account for friends and relations
• [4] TodaysArt's Hyves (Dutch myspace)
• [5] TodaysArt Last.Fm group page