Amsterdam Light Festival 2019

amsterdam light festival captain

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The Amsterdam Light Festival is an incredible yearly event, as artists from around the world gather in this city to light up its iconic waterways and historic streets. Last year’s event was particularly successful, having been based around the thought-provoking theme, ‘the medium is the message’.
People from all across the globe bought Amsterdam Light Festival tickets and came to the Venice of the North to to enjoy this exhibition of world-class contemporary art!  The 53-day festival showcased 30 wonderfully inspiring and beautiful art installations, each with a unique message based around the theme. The diverse variety of installations produced by an equally varied group of international artists meant that there really was something for everyone – from ‘natuurlijk licht’, an ingenious piece constructed from unorthodox materials such as refrigerators and washing machines, to more classical pieces like Ivana Jelić & Pavle Petrović’s Van Gogh-inspired ‘Starry Night’. After last years beautiful art, we are already getting excited for the Amsterdam light festival 2019 – 2020

Amsterdam Light Festival  Cruise

amsterdam light festival art

The wonderful thing about viewing these artworks as you glide along the canals of Amsterdam is that, not only are you absorbed by the art installations themselves, but the renowned 17th and 18th century architecture of the canal belt which acts as an incredible backdrop to the artworks. The dark winter months can be rather grim in The Netherlands, but the Amsterdam Light Festival really does lighten the spirits and, although many of the installations can be seen by foot, they are best viewed, as intended, from the canal itself. This year, Starboard Boats were joined by over 2500 people who came to enjoy the annual spectacle aboard our brand new electric boat, keeping warm with a complimentary glass of Glühwein. Throughout the duration of the festival, the response was unanimously positive and despite the notoriously unreliable Dutch weather over the winter months, our guests were able to enjoy the festival in comfort on our covered and heated boat.

amsterdam light festival 2019

One of the Amsterdam Light Festival’s installations was particularly popular with locals and tourists alike. This year’s public choice award was presented to the immensely talented Israeli art collective, the ‘OGE Group’ and their installation ‘Lighting a Wish’.This creation was based on the artists’ favourite childhood game where one makes a wish before blowing the fluffy seeds from a dandelion into the air. This piece visualised the moment that these seeds disperse into the night sky, taking your wish into the world as they do so.



Amsterdam Light Festival 2019 – 2020

With the Amsterdam Light Festival going from strength to strength each year, we are already looking forward to the next season. We hope to see many new faces as well as those who return to the city each year to enjoy this inspiring exhibition of contemporary art against the breath-taking backdrop of the city’s historic centre.
Due to the popularity of this year’s Amsterdam Light Festival tours with Starboard Boats (most of our sailings with Amsterdam Light Festival tickets were completely sold out!), we are expecting  next year’s event to be any extremely busy period. Interested in amsterdam light festival 2019/2020? Please do not hesitate to contact us.Visiting Amsterdam outside of the light festival period? Check out our Amsterdam boat rental