On Friday 15 April, the Smartlappenfestival in Maastricht will be a great occasion to interact with Dutch culture. Artists will be performing tearjerkers, some with a funny twist, in a dozen crowded cafes in the city centre, including Edd’s Café and In den Ouden Vogelstruys. You can find the full programme here: www.maastrichtnet.nl. The festival starts at 22.00, and entrance is free of charge.
The first Upload Cinema festival will take place on Wednesday 20 April at Lumière. This new festival, organised by Studium Generale, brings you a mix of amateur and professional internet videos, and of high and low culture. The short films are categorised into five themes: politics, music, stunts, branding virals and famous pranks. Tickets are €2 for students; be sure to check www.lumiere.nl.
The exhibition Niki de Saint Phalle, Outside-In provides an overview of the work of the artist Niki de Saint Phalle, who died in 2000. By focusing on her earlier work, the exhibition aims to show the “essential Niki.” You can visit the exhibition in SCHUNK*, the cultural centre in Heerlen (which is roughly five minutes from Heerlen train station). The exhibition closes on June 19. Tickets cost €7; see www.schunck.nl for the opening and closing times
Lisa Dupuy