Zomer op Zuid

In the summer of 2023, Rotterdam put its south bank in the spotlights with the large-scale event Zomer op Zuid (Summer on the south bank). The south side of Rotterdam is very dynamic thanks to its many young citizens, its lively street culture and a multitude of studios for musicians and visual artists. This part of Rotterdam is a relatively hidden treasure when it comes to art and culture. From June to September 2023, visitors were able to enjoy and explore the cultural wealth of Rotterdam’s south bank in its full glory.

Everyone worked closely together to make Zomer op Zuid a success: culture makers, musicians and visual artists, organisations, local citizens and those who connected everyone. They created a platform for new talent, making experiments clearly visible so that’s how the spotlights were definitely on Rotterdam’s south bank. The two aims of this large-scale event were to put Rotterdam Zuid on the map nationally, and to strengthen the social and cultural connections within the city of Rotterdam.

Zomer op Zuid was part of the Regio Deal Rotterdam Zuid. The Dutch government and the municipality of Rotterdam support the National Programme to improve the living conditions of the citizens in the southern part of Rotterdam. Rotterdam Festivals developed and implemented this large-scale event.

Results

With more than 75 programmes in 4 months’ time, the south bank of Rotterdam showed its best side. The programme offered many cool surprises and a wide range of activities. It inspired and connected the people who live in the areas of Charlois, Feijenoord and IJsselmonde. Rotterdam really managed to put the spotlights on this part of the city by organizing Zomer op Zuid. We are so very proud of this! The way in which this large-scale event was developed is just as valuable. It’s a great example of a different way of working that puts the makers at its heart.

Renske Satijn, Director of Rotterdam Festivals: "The results show that investing in cultural programmes in a part of the city contributes to making that area more attractive. It felt good that we managed to attract and engage many enthusiastic visitors from Rotterdam and far beyond. They were certainly able to enjoy the many cultural strengths of Rotterdam’s south bank.

Please watch the video below to see the results of Zomer op Zuid for yourself (in Dutch).