Netherlands, get better! - The impact of 15 years of Black activism

Exhibition Amsterdam Museum and Netherlands Gets Better
Marks dissolution of action group

From 2 November 2025 to 1 February 2026, the Amsterdam Museum and the Holland Becomes Better Foundation present the exhibition Netherlands, get better! - The impact of 15 years of Black activism. An exhibition that takes visitors into the activist struggle of the Holland Becomes Better movement, led by Jerry Afriyie and Raul Balai for the past 15 years. The movement, which aims to create awareness around racism and its impact, is best known for its campaigns Black Pete is Racism and Kick Out Black Pete. An initiative through which the movement advocates inclusive Sinterklaas celebrations.

The exhibition offers an insight into the work of Holland Becomes Better and the wider fight against racism that the movement has been waging with other organisations in recent years. The exhibition is a call to the next generation to take up the baton and fight on. Netherlands, get better! is free to visit four days - Thursday to Sunday - during the week at exhibition space Beautiful Distress on the NDSM wharf in Amsterdam North.

The Netherlands Becomes Better Foundation has been striving for a Dutch society without racism and exclusion since 2010. Even at its founding, its aim was to make a social commitment of 15 years and achieve a number of results within that period. These results have been achieved. There is structural and sustainable education about the colonial and slavery past, an inclusive Sinterklaas party without black Pete, and a national commemoration and celebration of the abolition of Dutch slavery. Therefore, on 5 December 2025, the Netherlands Becomes Better Foundation will dissolve itself and hand over the baton to the next generation. This momentum is the reason for the exhibition with the Amsterdam Museum.

Exhibition

In the exhibition, the Amsterdam Museum and Nederland Wordt Beter look back at 15 years of Black activism in the Netherlands (2010-2025); the struggle for equality and against racism and other forms of exclusion. A timeline combined with stories from those involved shows the history and present of various anti-racism initiatives. On display are banners, T-shirts and other objects used during actions and demonstrations as well as photographs and newspaper clippings. Also on display are video portraits of founders and others involved and work by contemporary makers such as Brian Elstak, Pris Roos, Eugenie Boon. 

Quinsy Gario: Art Project Black Pete Is Racism, 2011-2012 - collection: Amsterdam Museum

Shirt WAR/NO MORE BLACK PIET, 2024 - Amsterdam Museum collection

The exhibition outlines social developments characteristic of the 15 years in which the Netherlands Becomes Better Foundation has been active: such as the milestones of Kick Out Black Pete and Party for all children; the formation of political party Bij1, the cultural organisation The Black Archives and Broadcasting Black; the changing focus on July 1 in Amsterdam and nationally; the Black Manifesto; and the National Day of Empathy. 

Selection of photos Luciano de Boterman: Black Lives Matter protest at Dam Square on 1 June 2020 - collection: Amsterdam Museum

The exhibition shows visitors how a social movement brings about change and highlights the impact of individual actions. From coming up with the right slogan, to political lobbying. It also reveals what the struggle means for those involved: from the positive impact of what has been achieved to the dangers and negative physical and emotional consequences for people taking action. 

Imara Limon, chief curator of the Amsterdam Museum: "The past 15 years have seen major developments in Amsterdam and the Netherlands in terms of Black activism. With the exhibition and public programming, we want to stimulate dialogue about this. With people who are already closely involved and also with people who still know little about The Netherlands Gets Better and Black activism. And we ask the question: what would (could) activism look like in the future and who is getting involved?"

The exhibition is accompanied by a toolkit and educational materials that other (nascent) action groups and foundations can use on their way to a Netherlands without racism and exclusion. Jerry Afriyie: "Thus, with this exhibition, we are handing over the baton to a new generation of activists."

Netherlands Gets Better

The Netherlands Becomes Better Foundation has been fighting since 2010 to raise awareness in the Netherlands around the slavery and colonial past and anti-black racism. A prominent part of the movement is organising demonstrations. However, the organisation's work consists of more than demonstrating. For instance, Holland Becomes Better pursues three objectives and develops several free teaching packages that are deployed in primary and secondary schools throughout the country. They also organise conferences and workshops and the Becoming Better Netherlands does ongoing lobbying work, such as talks with municipalities, ministers and other policymakers. Furthermore, they are co-initiators of the widely supported and successful initiative: Black Manifesto (March 2021), a 12-domain list of action points to combat anti-black racism, and the National Day of Empathy on 3 May; with the aim of getting to know each other anew to free up more space for empathy. 

Jerry Afriyie: "Our demonstrations have received a lot of attention in recent years. However, none of the changes would be possible without careful planning and the many other initiatives and campaigns that take place throughout the year. With this exhibition, we hope to give visitors a full picture of how, within 15 years, we were able to bring about changes that few in the Netherlands thought possible. The Amsterdam Museum has shown commitment from the beginning and we are delighted to work with this iconic organisation to conclude this special project with a final exhibition." 

The Netherlands, Get Better! exhibition with the Amsterdam Museum is part of a series of activities surrounding the final phase of the Netherlands Gets Better Foundation. There will be a final reception on 30 November at the Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA) and a final party at the Melkweg on 5 December. The Netherlands Becomes Better will also launch 'The Historical Calendar' featuring key figures and events from the Dutch slavery and colonial past. A teacher's guide gives teachers tips and tools to combat racism in the classroom. After the opening of Netherlands, get better! the exhibition travels in mobile form to other cities; Rotterdam, Eindhoven, Leeuwarden and Middelburg.

Amsterdam Museum

As an innovative city museum, the Amsterdam Museum, founded in 1926, invites residents and visitors of Amsterdam to become co-owners of the city - a metropolis in miniature. The museum does this by celebrating the city, but also by discussing its lesser sides. The Amsterdam Museum manages a collection of over 100,000 objects.

The Amsterdam Museum's main location on Kalverstraat is currently closed due to renovation. Until the reopening of the renovated Amsterdam Museum in 2028, the network museum is programming at various locations around the city. As for this exhibition at Beautiful Distress in Amsterdam Noord.

Limon: "Through its exhibitions and programmes, the Amsterdam Museum aims to offer knowledge and insight, creating connections and stimulating dialogue, awareness and mutual understanding. The collaboration with the Netherlands Gets Better Foundation and the exhibition we are creating together fits perfectly into this."