Art routes and open studios in the Netherlands: the best of 2026
⏱️ 9 minute read
An art route is different from an art fair. There's no hall, no entrance ticket, no queue. You simply walk into a city or village, follow a route past studios, small galleries, and temporary exhibitions, and discover artists in their own environments. This makes it intimate in a way a fair can never be.
But there's more than just routes and open studios. The Netherlands also has a growing offering of urban art festivals and alternative concepts that make art accessible in a completely different way. Interactive, experimental, sometimes quite unexpected.
In this blog, I'll take you through three types of events: classic art routes, open studio routes, and alternative art concepts. Something for everyone, and together they provide a good picture of how vibrant the Dutch art scene will be in 2026.
Art Routes
You follow an art route at your own pace, in your own time. No program, no time slot. You drive or cycle from location to location, discover works in special environments, and decide for yourself how deeply you delve into it. These are the most beautiful in the Netherlands.
Art Route Texel
Texel is the only island on this list, and that's precisely why it's included. An art route on an island is a different experience than in a city. You cycle from village to village, past dunes and polders, and along the way discover studios, galleries, and temporary exhibitions in barns, farmhouses, and former fisherman's cottages.
The artists on Texel are often people who consciously chose the island for its space, light, and tranquility. This is reflected in their work. A lot of landscape, a lot of nature, but also surprisingly contemporary and experimental. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to combine an art route with a weekend getaway.
Art Route Northwest Veluwe
The Art Route Northwest Veluwe combines two things you rarely find together: nature and art. The route runs through one of the most beautiful nature reserves in the Netherlands, past studios and galleries that have consciously chosen this environment. The work is often influenced by it: organic, spatial, with a strong connection to the landscape.
A visit to the Art Route Northwest Veluwe is a day out that is more than just a day out. You walk, you cycle, you discover. And somewhere along the way, you'll encounter a studio you didn't expect, by an artist you didn't know, with work that stays with you.
Maastricht Studio Route
Maastricht has one of the richest art scenes in the Netherlands, thanks in part to the Jan van Eyck Academie and the presence of international artists and designers. The studio route reflects this: the standard is high, the work is internationally oriented, and the locations are often as interesting as the work itself. Historic buildings, former monasteries, industrial spaces.
Maastricht is also the city of TEFAF, and that leaves its mark. There is a culture of looking, of truly looking, that you don't find everywhere. A visit to the studio route feels like a deepening of everything the city already has to offer.
Buy art directly from the artist
Not near an art route? KOJO Art's original works can be viewed online and shipped worldwide. Acrylic and oil on canvas, each work unique and directly from the artist.
Open Studio Routes
Open studio routes give you a peek behind the scenes. You see what a workspace looks like, smell the paint, see the failed attempts next to the finished works. It's the most honest way to get to know art and to truly meet an artist.
Open Studios Amsterdam
Amsterdam has one of the largest open studio routes in the Netherlands. Every May, hundreds of artists across the city open their doors. From the Jordaan to North, from de Pijp to East. The route is so extensive that it's impossible to do it all in one day. That's not the intention either. You choose a neighborhood, take your time, and let yourself be surprised.
What makes Amsterdam special is its diversity. Painters next to sculptors next to textile artists next to photographers. Established names next to recent graduates. You can spend an afternoon in one street and still feel like you've seen the entire art world.
Open Studios Utrecht
Utrecht has a compact but high-quality open studio route. The city is manageable enough to get a good impression of what's happening in the Utrecht art scene in one weekend. The route passes by studios in the city center, but also by creative incubators and collective workspaces on the outskirts of the center.
Utrecht has its own character: a little calmer than Amsterdam, a little more personal. The artists take time for a conversation. You feel they are happy you're there. Not as a potential buyer, but as an interested visitor.
Open Studios Brabant
North Brabant annually organizes a broad open studio weekend where artists in multiple municipalities simultaneously open their doors. From Breda to Den Bosch, from Eindhoven to smaller towns. The route is large and varied. This spread makes it interesting: you discover artists you would never encounter in an urban context.
Brabant has a strong tradition of craft and workmanship, and this is reflected in the work. A lot of attention to material, to technique, to the handmade. Besides the big names, there are always surprises to be found in the smaller places.
✨ Affordable Art: originals for max. €50
At KOJO Art you'll find original acrylic paintings, hand-painted and unique, available for max. €50. Shipped worldwide, directly from the artist.
Urban Art Festivals and Alternative Concepts
Besides routes and open studios, there is a third category that is becoming increasingly popular: events that combine art with performance, technology, music, or urban activation. Not a route you follow, but an experience you undergo.
Kunstscene Tilburg
Kunstscene is more than an open studio weekend. It's an urban art festival. Dozens of artists open their studios, but there are also performances, presentations, and events throughout the city. The atmosphere is open and curious, the work is contemporary, and the locations range from former factory buildings to residential studios in quiet neighborhoods.
Tilburg has a strong creative scene, partly due to Fontys and the Academy of Visual Arts. You notice this in the participants: diverse, idiosyncratic, and not afraid to step off the beaten path. No white gloves, but real conversations.
KOJO Art may participate in Kunstscene Tilburg in 2026. Follow me on Instagram or TikTok, or sign up for the newsletter for the latest updates.
STRP Eindhoven
STRP is one of the most unique art festivals in the Netherlands. The festival is at the intersection of art and technology: interactive installations, digital art, AI, light, and sound. The locations are spectacular. Often large industrial spaces in Eindhoven that perfectly match the futuristic character of the festival.
STRP is not a festival for those looking for a painting for above the couch. It is a festival for those who want to experience where art is going and what happens when technology and creativity meet. A must-see for the curious visitor.
Gogbot Enschede
Gogbot is the most quirky festival on this list. Every September, it takes over the city center of Enschede with art, technology, and hacker culture. Think robot installations, generative art, live coding, and performances that push the boundary between human and machine.
Gogbot has a distinct underground character. It is not a festival that tries to please everyone. It challenges, provokes, and shows what happens when artists and hackers share the same space. For those curious about the edges of what art can be, Gogbot is a must.
De Parade
De Parade is unique in the Netherlands: a traveling theater and art festival that visits several cities every year. Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Utrecht, and The Hague are on the regular route. The festival takes place on a festive site full of small theaters, tents, and stages where you walk from one performance to another all evening.
Art and theater blend seamlessly at De Parade. You see street theater, music, visual art, and performance in an atmosphere found nowhere else. It's a night out you don't plan but experience. Always different, always worthwhile.
Creative Hub Open Days
In towns and cities across the country, creative hubs regularly open their doors to the public. A creative hub is a collective building for artists, designers, musicians, and other creatives. Often in former factories, warehouses, or office buildings. On open days, you can walk through the entire building and meet dozens of makers in one visit.
It's one of the most efficient ways to get a broad overview of what's happening in a city. And because creative hubs consciously operate outside the established art world, you'll find work there that you rarely encounter in a gallery or at a fair.
Night of the Night
The Night of the Night is held every October and officially focuses on light pollution and dark skies. But in practice, it is also an evening where art, culture, and nature come together in a way that is impossible during the day. Museums, studios, parks, and special locations open their doors after sunset. What you see, hear, and feel is different in the dark.
For art lovers, it's an opportunity to experience work in an atmosphere you rarely encounter. No harsh fluorescent lighting, no crowded halls. Just the work, the night, and the people around you.
Art Week
An Art Week is organized annually in various cities throughout the Netherlands: a week full of events, lectures, studio visits, gallery tours, and openings. The format differs per city, but the idea is the same everywhere. Art should be accessible, not just on a fixed day or at a fixed location.
An Art Week is ideal for those who want more than a single visit. You can build up the week, from opening to lecture to studio visit, and thus gain a much richer picture of what's happening in a city. Check local programs for dates and participating cities.
Why these types of events are different from a fair
At a fair, you see work in a neutral environment. White walls, good lighting, professional presentation. That has its value. But on an art route, in an open studio, or at a festival, you see work in context. You see the place where it was made, the people who make it, and the world from which it originates.
Accessible. No entrance fee, no dress code, no expectations. You just walk in.
Personal. The artist is there themselves. You can ask questions, inquire further, engage in a conversation that is possible nowhere else.
Surprising. You don't know beforehand what you'll find. That's precisely the point.
Tips for your visit
Don't overplan
It's tempting to want to visit as many studios or locations as possible. But the best experiences come when you take your time. Choose a handful of locations and really focus on them. Better to have a good look at three studios than to rush through ten.
Ask the silly question
There are no stupid questions in a studio. Ask what you want to know about the material, the process, the price, the inspiration. Artists on an open day are there precisely for that conversation.
Bring cash
Not every studio has a payment terminal. If you want to buy something – and there's a good chance you will – cash is always handy.
Finally: a personal note
For me, art routes and open studios are one of the most beautiful ways to connect with people who are genuinely interested in what I create. No sales pitch, no forced conversation. Just a chat about the work. That's why I participate.
Want to know where I'll be this year? Follow me on Instagram or TikTok, or sign up for the newsletter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an open studio route?
An open studio route is an event where artists open their workspace to the public. Visitors can walk around, view the work, and engage in conversation with the artist. Admission is usually free.
When are the open studios in the Netherlands?
Most open studio routes take place in spring (May/June) or autumn. Kunstscene Tilburg, Open Studios Amsterdam, and Open Studios Utrecht are annual events. Check the event websites for current dates.
Can I buy art on an open studio route?
Yes, in most cases, you can buy work directly from the artist. It's advisable to bring cash, as not every studio has a payment terminal. Prices vary greatly, from small works for tens of euros to larger works for hundreds or thousands of euros.
Where can I buy affordable original art?
On art routes and open studio routes, you often find affordable originals directly from the artist. Also online: KOJO Art's Affordable Art collection offers unique acrylic originals for max. €50, shipped worldwide.
What makes STRP and Gogbot different from other art festivals?
Both festivals focus on the combination of art and technology, but with different characteristics. STRP is large-scale and spectacular, while Gogbot is rawer and more underground. Together, they show the broad spectrum of art and technology in the Netherlands.
What is De Parade?
De Parade is a traveling theater and art festival that visits Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Utrecht, and The Hague every year. The festival combines theater, music, visual art, and performance in a festive setting. Accessible, varied, and always different.
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- Art Markets and Art Fairs in the Netherlands: The Best of 2026
- How Affordable Art Transforms Your Interior
- 5 Things to Consider When Buying Original Art
About KOJO Art
KOJO Art is a Dutch artist who works with acrylic and oil paint. The collection includes abstract paintings, geometric works, and color field paintings, available as originals or prints and shipped worldwide. The Affordable Art collection offers unique originals for max. €50.
