42 people must be right,
Dear readers, you are a group of 42 subscribers now.
I feel honoured ❤
Fourty two people would make up a good group to watch a dome projection together to learn about the cosmos, and prepare for the solar eclipse at Artis. Or participate in an immersive theatre show (see tips below). This sentence contains exactly forty-two letters. And of course we all know Douglas Adams made a joke when chosing the number 42 ‘as the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life”. But did you know 42 degrees is the critical angle light must reflect at to create a rainbow? That is of course not an coincidence, because this summer it is World Pride (see tips below). My favorite fun fact: Harry Potter discovers he is a wizard on page 42 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
Thanks for coming to this corner of the internet! Spread the word: I have summer and a few early autumn tips!
❤ Nienke
Coming soon
Begin again
by Brother Till & Lisa Weeda
22 October 2026 (try out) - 29 January 2027
In the sensory, musical performance BEGIN AGAIN, award-winning interdisciplinary art collective BrotherTill and writer Lisa Weeda once again push the boundaries of theatre. Upon entry, everyone receives a stone. What follows is a whirling farewell: a mix of hypertechnology, immersive music and an intensely human experience. The audience stands right in the middle of the story.
> Pre-sale has started: check it out
Solar eclipse
By…the cosmos and Artis Planetarium
12 August 2026
On August 12, a special spectacle awaits us: a solar eclipse. At the ARTIS Planetarium that day, during the live show "Journey Through the Universe" at 3:00 PM, you will be prepared on how best to observe this phenomenon.
> Tickets available here
Dreamscapes
Sounding Bodies and Anna van Nieukerken, Claire Adams, Els Mondelaers, Jacqueline Hamelink
20 September 2026
Dreamscapes is an intimate immersive performance in which new music, movement and sensory experience merge into a space where we can dream. Departing from John Cage's In a Landscape, four performers guide up to 50 visitors through a cyclical dream world where sound, light, scent and touch come together.
> Get a ticket here
THEA
A new cultural venue for Art & Technology in Groningen
12 & 12 September 2026 - opening
THEA will be a new cultural center near Groningen where visual arts, technology, and society come together, without a permanent collection. The organization focuses on art and technology and aims to give artists space to explore what technological developments mean for society. The initiative is named after visual artist Theodora Niemeijer (1912–2004), daughter of a tobacco manufacturer.
In 2028, THEA is scheduled to cover 8,000 m², spread across three floors. The outcomes of the pilot year must form the basis for the full opening in 2028. THEA opens on September 12 and 13, 2026, with a festive opening weekend. During the opening weekend, there will be an exhibition, performances, and music.
> Subsribe to their newsletter to stay updated
Programmamaker Rosa Wevers, kwartiermakers Roosje Klap en Dorine Schreurs - Foto: Heleen Haijtema
World Pride tips
This year Amsterdam is celebrating 25 years of marriage equality. The two most talented queer immersive artists in the scene are showing their work for this occasion this summer.
TRAVERSING THE MIST
by CHOU Tung-Yen
Yes I know, I tipped this one last time as well. But now I’ve seen it myself, and t is VR at it’s finest! A must see this summer. A tender, melancholic and also sexy experience multi-user VR artwork. A perfect visit for a date <3
On show till 26th July
‘Inside a surreal gay sauna, you find yourself embodied in the body of a young Taiwanese man - woven by desires, excitements, and fears, crossing eyes with the other sauna-goers who all have the same faces. As you walk along every floor, corridor, and room, a maze irreversibly unravels.’
> Check this trailer for a preview
LESBIAN SIMULATOR
by Iris van der Meule
Inspired by the personal experiences of Iris van der Meule and those close to her, 'Lesbian Simulator' aims to create awareness in a playful manner.
On show till 4 - 8 August
‘It is an interactive virtual reality artwork where users experience key aspects of a queer person's existence: coming out, making new friends, going on a date, but also facing discrimination for the first time. An ode to love and sexuality.’
Available in Dutch and English. Voiced by actress Hanna van Vliet.
> Check this teaser
news from the industry
Three Dutch works
in competition at
Venice Immersive 2026
“Once again, a striking number of Dutch projects were presented for this, including three in competition: Amsterdam 1652 by Nienke Huitenga-Broeren, Honeyboys by Nemo Vos, and Nothing to See Here by Celine Daemen.” reports Joost Huitenga-Broeren for the Filmkrant. Last week the selection of works was published by the team of the Venice International Film Festival, the 83rd edition.
“Venice Immersive is celebrating its tenth edition this year, making it the oldest VR competition at a major festival – fittingly enough, organized under the banner of the world's oldest film festival. Over those ten years, Venice Immersive has grown into the global stage for the highly diverse digital art forms under the umbrella term XR, ranging from 360° video to installations and virtual worlds.”
> Read the full article here
> an interview with curators Michel Reilhac and Liz Rosenthal with XRMust
> The full selection on the website of La Biennale
The Venice Film Festival takes place from September 2 to 12, 2026.
We need your tips and recommendations
Mail us at hello [at] studiozzzap [dot] nl
or drop your new work in our form on the website
www.immersiveartcalendar.com
or immersievekunstagenda.nl