Poortgebouw Open Stage

During my stay in Rotterdam I was living in a community project called Poortgebouw. “Poortgebouw” is the name of an extraordinary 19th century building, a national monument located in the south of Rotterdam. The building became a living and working space for people of various ages, from different fields of expertise, studies and nationalities. For over 35 years the association (vereniging) Poortgebouw has been able to provide a platform for non-commercial art, music, and debates.

The ample space of this building provided enough space for us to host a regular event called "Poortgebouw Open Stage". I am proud to have been one of the people who originally started this initiative. Our goal was to provide a platform for experimentation in the performing arts, with an atmosphere that is about fun and celebration. Throughout the years, "Poortgebouw Open Stage" became quite popular, but it always kept its spirit as an underground event.

In 2015, Monika Neverauskaite (a circus artist living in Poortgebouw) made a very heartfelt documentary video where she tells a story of how this all came to happen. What is it? Where, what does it look like, how did it start and grow? Who organizes it? Who performs?...

Here I invite you to have a look behind the scenes! Enjoy!