The History of the Amsterdam Light Festival | Amserdam canal cruise (2024)

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The Amsterdam Light Festival has become a cherished annual event, transforming the city’s canals and streets with captivating light installations. Let’s explore the history of this festival, from its early beginnings to its current status as a beloved cultural tradition.

Light Art in Public Space: Setting the Stage (1920s onwards)

From the 1920s, light art gained prominence in the public spaces of large European cities, including Amsterdam. In October 1929, the first Dutch ‘light event’ took place: The Edison Light Week. Buildings were decorated with light bulbs, attracting curious visitors. An illuminated Fokker airplane circled above the city, and a water parade featured illuminated boats on the canals. The Amsterdam Energy Company (GEB) illuminated the city until its privatization in the 1990s. Various Amsterdam entrepreneurs developed new initiatives, such as ‘Yule’ in 2003 and 2004, to make the city attractive again with light.

The Birth of Amsterdam Light Festival (2009-2010)

Amsterdam Light Festival originated from the ‘Christmas Canal Parade’, first held in 2009. The initial organizers were Vincent Horbach, Henk Jan Buchel, Felix Guttmann, Raymond Borsboom, and Rogier van der Heide. In 2010, they organized ‘Winter Magic Amsterdam’, featuring a boat parade and side activities. Light designer Rogier van der Heide illuminated the Skinny Bridge and suggested the festival focus on light art, leading to the birth of Amsterdam Light Festival.

Establishing a Tradition: The Early Editions (2012-2016)

Edition 1 (2012-2013): Visitors enjoyed a route of light art objects on the canals from boats for 7 weeks. Large installations by renowned artists were placed along the Amstel River, including Janet Echelman’s ‘1.26 Amsterdam’.
Edition 2 (2013-2014): The water route, named ‘Water Colors’, expanded, and international media recognition increased. The iconic ‘Fly’s Eye Dome’ by Buckminster Fuller was brought to Amsterdam.
Edition 3 (2014-2015): The Water Colors route was a huge success, with Amsterdam residents joining on their own boats. Partnerships with Amsterdam Creative Industries Network and patronage from Mayor Eberhard van der Laan were established.
Edition 4 (2015-2016): Princess Beatrix opened the festival, reinforcing the recognition of light art as a genre. International collaborations began, and a work by Tijdmakers was permanently installed at Sloterdijk railway station.
Edition 5 (2016-2017): Major architects, such as Ben van Berkel’s UN studio, Benthem Crouwel Architects, and DP Architects, participated. Nearly a million people visited, affirming the festival’s international recognition.

Evolving and Adapting: Recent Editions (2017-2024)

Edition 6 (2017-2018): Lennart Booij succeeded Rogier van der Heide as artistic director. Chinese artist Ai Weiwei created the installation ‘Thinline’. The walking route moved to the Marineterrein.
Edition 7 (2018-2019): 29 artworks were displayed in Amsterdam’s center. Mayor Femke Halsema formally opened the festival. It was the last edition to follow the original route through the city center.
Edition 8 (2019-2020): The festival moved to Amsterdam Centre-East, with a new route and connections. Unique experiences like ‘The Sleep Walk’ in ARTIS and SKALAR were introduced under the theme ‘DISRUPT!’.
Edition 9 (2020-2021): During the pandemic, 7 artworks were placed across the city under the theme ‘When Nature Calls’, with online stories for those unable to visit in person.
Edition 10 (2021-2022): The 10th anniversary edition, themed ‘Celebrate Light’, attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors despite Covid-19 restrictions. New works like ‘Darth Fisher’ by Streetart Frankey were introduced, and ‘Today I Love You’ was permanently placed at the Amsterdam UMC.
Edition 11 (2022-2023): Twenty light artworks illuminated the eastern part of the city center under the theme ‘Imagine Beyond’. The education project and Gouden Lichttour were launched.
Edition 12 (2023-2024): The route returns to the city center, with 24 artworks along the Herengracht focusing on artificial intelligence and digital technology. The theme is ‘LOADING… Revealing Art, AI and Tech’. A new festival app and interactive artworks in the Hoftuin are introduced.

A Beacon of Light: The Enduring Legacy of Amsterdam Light Festival

The Amsterdam Light Festival has evolved from a simple idea to brighten the winter months into a world-renowned celebration of art, innovation, and human connection. As it continues to adapt and grow, the festival remains committed to illuminating Amsterdam’s nights and hearts, reminding us of the enduring power of light art.