Leeuwarden
Netherlands
Leeuwarden is the capital of the province of Friesland in the north of the Netherlands.
Leeuwarden is the capital of the province of Friesland in the north of the Netherlands.
A city shaped entirely by water. Canals wind through the historic centre, small boats line the quays, and there’s even a sandy beach right in the middle of town where you can paddleboard straight into the old streets. Step outside the city and the water only spreads further: lakes, wetlands and green countryside stretch out on every side, the kind of landscape that makes Friesland feel like its own quiet corner of Europe.
The historic centre earns its reputation. The Oldehove tower has leaned over the skyline since 1529 — more than Pisa, if you’re counting — and the climb to the top is worth every step. Leeuwarden was the royal seat of the Frisian Nassaus from 1584 to 1747, the birthplace of Mata Hari and M.C. Escher, and home to De Blokhuispoort, once a prison, but now packed with artists and entrepeneurs, a library and a hostel in the former cells.
In 2018, Leeuwarden and Friesland became European Capital of Culture — and never really stopped. Street art covers the walls, museums keep swapping in new work, and the whole province still doubles as a stage. Friesland is small, rural, proudly its own — and once you’re in, Frisians will have you for life. Wolkom (Welcome).
ECOC
The Leeuwarden – Friesland 2018 foundation, the same organization that organised the ECoC, is organising a triennial art and cultural event named Arcadia.
We work from mienskip — active community involvement — just as we did in 2018: bringing professional artists from around the world together with the people of Friesland to imagine a better future.
In 2022, Bosk — a moving forest of 1,200 volunteer-powered trees — walked through Leeuwarden for 100 days. In 2025, Bouwurk brought cooperatives, artists, entrepreneurs and communities together to build a shared gathering space by hand.
Arcadia 2028 hands the wheel to a new generation. Developed by, with and for young people, the programme explores what makes Friesland a place worth staying for, how young people can feel seen and supported, and where new talent finds a stage. It’s not just about young audiences — young people are shaping the programme itself, as co-creators and co-decision-makers.
The rural landscape of Friesland remains our stage, our subject, and our starting point.
The Organization
arcadia.frlThe Leeuwarden – Friesland 2018 foundation, the same organization that organised the ECoC.
Arcadia is our large-scale legacy event, held every three years: 2022, 2025, 2028.
Who represents the city
Worked on the artistic team for the cultural capital Leeuwarden – Friesland 2018. Has a large track record in cultural organisations, mainly focusing on the business side with a more than healthy interest in the artistic, with a specialism in community art, or ‘mienskip’, as we call it in Friesland. Active involvement of the mienskip (audience participation) is common ground in the projects she ran as a cultural entrepreneur. But also interested in organising high quality events and exhibitions. Started her career in organising a metal festival that hosted the biggest names in the metal scene. Making a change by using culture and art (even small changes on the longer term) is always a motivator.
Contact
Arcadia Zuiderplein 4 8911 AJ Leeuwarden
info@arcadia.frl
www.arcadia.frl
