Forum on European Culture 2025

The 5th edition of the Forum on European Culture in Amsterdam, organized by De Balie, comes at a critical time. As nationalism rises and authoritarian leaders gain power across Europe, culture and the arts are more essential than ever in fostering solidarity and community over isolation and division. To push back against these divisive forces, we aim to strengthen connections and build international alliances. This year, under the theme Art Against the Tyrants, we will bring together European writers, philosophers, journalists, artists, and thinkers to inspire dialogue and unity.

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In previous editions, artists and thinkers shared their ideas in various programmes, such as film director Alfonso Cuarón, architect Rem Koolhaas, philosopher Chantal Mouffe, musician Wende, photographer Wolfgang Tillmans, actor Jude Law, Historian Simon Schama, auteur Olivia Laing, journalist Peter Pomerantsev, artist Tino Sehgal, historian Peter Frankopan, artist Julian Hetzel, auteur Natalie Haynes and many, many more. Click the link watch back the programmes of the 2023 edition.

The aim of the Forum on European Culture is cultural exchange. European culture is both practically and metaphorically under pressure, while culture is what makes us human, culture is something that we need in Europe to bring understanding. While nationalism is rising in all of Europe, we need culture to help us bring solidarity and community instead of isolation. From different angles, our aim is to spread the importance of European togetherness.