During Oerol 2025 we hosted a dedicated professionals programme bringing together over 500 professionals from across the Netherlands, Europe and beyond. Across four days, the island became a space for exchange, reflection and connection — with public sessions, artist-led conversations, and informal networking.
IN SITU at Oerol
This year’s programme marked the start of a new four-year cycle of the IN SITU PLATFORM, co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union. We also welcomed colleagues from the LAND network and international delegations exploring inclusive theatre, site-specific music and place-based programming.
Here’s what we covered:
Tuesday morning: festivals and their context
We opened with a powerful panel on how festivals shape — and are shaped by — the places in which they’re rooted. Thanks to our speakers Mikey Martins from Oerol Festival, Pascal Servera from Le Citron Jaune and Linda Di Pietro from BASE Milano for their insights into programming, place and responsibility.
Dr. Caroline Archambault from Leiden University College led a hands-on session exploring power dynamics and collaboration through her Game of Games workshop — a free and open source tool for cultural organisations. You can access the full methodology online here.
We were also warmly welcomed by Roel Cazemier, mayor of Terschelling, Barbara Wolfensberger, the director general for culture and media at the Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, our hosts at the Maritiem Instituut Willem Barentsz and of course Mikey Martins from Oerol and Alexis Nys from IN SITU.
Wednesday morning: artist development
Led by Simone Hoogendijk from the emerging Dutch site specific arts development platform, Platform Horizon, this session focused on how we can continue to support artists. With special contributions from artists Didi Kreike of R3LN4CHT and Rita Hoofwijk from SoAP, and panelists Emma Beverly from HIAP Helsinki International Artist Programme, Nynke Oele from Station Noord, Gido Broers from Boulevard, Bill Gee from 101 Outdoor Arts, Sabine Pater from Oerol and Erik Kaiel from Theater Rotterdam, the conversation explored how to create sustainable, international frameworks for development.
Wednesday afternoon: the future of IN SITU
Our afternoon session on IN SITU and the future of the new PLATFORM project was hosted by Rosalie Gonzalez and Alexis Nys from IN SITU. You can find more information and updates about the PLATFORM project and the wider network via the IN SITU website.
Wednesday evening: international networking reception
We partnered with DutchCulture and Creative Europe Desk NL for a relaxed gathering at our professionals hub. We hope that you made some valuable connections!
Thursday morning: landscapes in practice
We started with a keynote by Anne Reenders from Land Art Lives, reflecting on authorship, care and collaboration in site-based art.
This session also included a closer look at Oerol’s Ecological Compass — the sustainability framework we use in our daily practice. If you’d like to connect on this topic, exchange approaches, or explore possible collaborations, feel free to reach out to our sustainability coordinator Rob van Wegen via rob.vanwegen@oerol.nl.
We also introduced the LAND network, a Creative Europe partnership connecting cultural organisations working in and with protected landscapes.
Inclusive theatre and the next generation
On Monday afternoon, we gathered for a session on inclusive theatre, co-hosted with Bartimeus Fonds and NAPK, and beautifully moderated by Eva Eikhout. Our keynote speaker Jamie Beddard from Diverse City (UK) shared his personal insights into access, creativity and systemic change in the performing arts. He was joined by a panel of professionals working across the Dutch cultural field: Barbera Wolfensberger from the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Minke Scheltema from Bartimeus Fonds, Sabine Pater from Oerol Festival, Fabian Pikula from Toneelschuur Producties, Maartje Bonarius from Tall Tales Company, and Ayşegül Karaca from Theater RAST.
The Creative Access Lab was frequently cited throughout the session as a vital point of reference for inclusive practice and artist support.
This session forms the foundation for an upcoming open call for two new inclusive theatre productions, to be developed in the coming years with the support of Bartimeus Fonds and Oerol. The call will officially launch at NTF Pro on 4 September — we hope to see you there.
International delegations and guests
This year, we were delighted to welcome several international delegations. From the UK, six festival colleagues from organisations across South West England joined us to learn about Oerol and reflect on their own contexts. Thanks to Arts Council England for making this exchange possible — we hope this is the beginning of something long-term. In partnership with Oranjewoud Festival, a small group explored site-specific possibilities for contemporary music, supported by Performing Arts Fund NL. Alongside all the colleagues from the IN SITU network, more than 31 professionals from all over Europe and beyond joined us on Terschelling.
Thank you
A huge thank you to all of the partners and people that made the professionals programme during Oerol 2025 possible: IN SITU and LAND, which are co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, Arts Council South West England, Bartimeus Fonds, NAPK, Performing Arts Fund NL, and last but certainly not least Maritiem Instituut Willem Barentsz for hosting us as our professionals hub.
And of course, thank you to the artists, producers, programmers and partners who made this such a worthwhile gathering.
Looking ahead
Follow Oerol in the months to come — online, on the mainland, and through the many projects and partnerships that continue year-round. And of course, we warmly invite professionals to join us again on Terschelling for Oerol 2026, which will take place from 12 to 21 June 2026.