New Year's Party 2026

During the reception, mime and performance artist Niek Vanoosterweyck will perform live, and together we’ll raise a glass to the opportunities, encounters, and exchanges that 2026 has to offer.

Thursday, 8 January 2026
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Nieuwe Instituut
Museumpark 25, Rotterdam

About the performance

Niek Vanoosterweyck is a contemporary mime and interactive performance artist. He creates augmented performance spaces where movements are translated into light, sound, and scenography. With support from the Creative Industries Fund NL, he collaborated with Cris Mollee and AndAmpersand on the prototype of a rotating polarization lens. The resonance of this lens is generated by accelerating and decelerating a stepper motor, producing chords, rhythms, and light polarization. The team is currently exploring various interactions, setups, and sounds for this body-driven instrument. During the New Year’s performance, they will share some of their favorite discoveries.

About the collaboration

Nieuwe Instituut is the national museum and institute for architecture, design, and digital culture, supporting the Dutch design field. The Creative Industries Fund NL is the cultural fund for design, architecture, digital culture, and crossovers between these disciplines. Since 2014, the institute and the fund have jointly organized an annual New Year’s reception for their broad cultural network, where designers, makers, policymakers, and institutions from all corners of the sector come together. We hope to welcome you again this year!

Header image: Studio van Onna