Vondelbunker is having a fest!

For the first time since its inception, the crew at Vondelbunker decided to throw a 3-day party with the best of its cultural programming. Next year our contract with the town hall will need to be renewed, and in occasion of this we have decided to question ourselves once again: What will it mean to run a freespace in the 2020s?

The last few years, we have had many discussions amongst ourselves about our identity and goals. The urgency to become a safe space for all caught up with us, as well as the communication forms we use to promote to the world. What does it mean to include everyone of all genders, all backgrounds? And what can we do about the evils of social media? Can we really stay oldskool DIY in an ever-changing younger user group with different ways of working, different outlook?
Time to open up this discussion to the public: during the festival, users and visitors of the space will be given the chance to think with us and provide their input: in the form of a brainstorming wall installation, an open forum session, and even a fanzine.

As well as being open to discussion, we will of course showcase the things we love the most. Friday 4th October we will open the festival by hosting the second edition of the “Empowerment Film Festival”, a series of short films and documentaries on critical and underground topics, with the aim to inspire and give room for new thought. Saturday 5th October there will be presentations and talks by projects such as “Extinction Rebellion”, a socio-political movement that uses civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance to protest against climate breakdown. Saturday night there will be an electro/rave dance party with live performances by for instance Links AF! Sunday 6th October we will have non-stop bands play all afternoon and evening, only ones we have invited ourselves and not from the pool of the usual numerous write-ins we receive: this is our time, our moment to show as crew members what makes us truly excited. Confirmed are thus types such as LC3, freakout noise from members of the late late nighttime garage punk scene. Expect the unexpected - in all its manifestations.

For this festival we will of course need volunteers every day! Our dream is to create an instant community with our festival participants, where together we all actively and proactively share the tasks, big and small. So if you want to have eternal bunker fame, get some experience for your resume, you have a special skill or wanna simply have a genuine laugh with us and our mascotte doll Eduardo, do not hesitate to drop a line to: festival@vondelbunker.nl


Illustration: Melina Pivato