About

Sonsbeek is an international platform and knowledge institute for art in public space based in Arnhem, the Netherlands. Founded in 1949, Sonsbeek is the first large scale outdoor exhibition created after WWII with the idea that art can contribute to people's mental health, help to deal with loss, and provide hope for an uncertain future. From its base in Park Sonsbeek, the periodical exhibition has known multiple groundbreaking editions that set the agenda for contemporary art internationally, while always maintaining a unique link with its local audiences. Sonsbeek is a place where knowledge production, experimentation and sharing art with diverse audiences go hand in hand.

In today’s world of global turbulence, where rapid and intense changes challenge us mentally and physically, Sonsbeek wants to offer a space to reflect on the impact of these changes on the world and ourselves. In this, Sonsbeek is guided by core values from improvisational theatre: be brave; listen, truly listen; trust the other, yourself and the unknown. These values serve as our guidelines to ensure we stay open to different voices, take risks and embrace multiple forms of knowledge. High-tech developments, new ecological insights and embodied knowledge, deepen and broaden our work.

Additional to the large scale exhibitions that take place every few years, Sonsbeek invests locally and nationally in the knowledge production and training of curators, producers and artists as well as the constantly changing relation to audiences by a continuous program of talks, workshops, lectures and screenings. Sonsbeek’s archive, collection and rich history serve as inspiration, knowledge repository and contact zone for all audiences and researchers of modern and contemporary art in public space.

For more information, please contact Orlando Maaike Gouwenberg via mgouwenberg@gmail.com