{"id":111328,"date":"2026-05-20T10:46:50","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T08:46:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/?p=111328"},"modified":"2026-05-20T10:46:53","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T08:46:53","slug":"eerste-namen-voor-explore-the-north-festival-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2026\/05\/eerste-namen-voor-explore-the-north-festival-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"First names for Explore the North Festival 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">20 to 22 November | LeeuwardenClub Guy &amp; Roni, Boris Acket and HIIIT, Joshua Idehen, XTC in the XIV, Mees van Rijswijk and Esm\u00e9 van den Boom are the first names added to Explore the North Festival's programme.\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Club Guy &amp; Roni, Boris Acket and HIIIT come to Explore the North Festival with their new performance <em>The Current<\/em>. In <em>The Current<\/em>visitors become part of an alternative reality in which dance, live percussion and electronic music sound together as a matter of course. Actress Sarah Janneh, known from a.o. <em>Who is the Mole<\/em>and named acting talent of 2025 by the Volkskrant, is part of the cast. From Sweden, the musician and spoken word artist Joshua Idehen as well as the choral group XTC in the XIV come to Frysl\u00e2n for concerts. Finally, the new performance by Leeuwarden poet and spoken word artist Mees van Rijswijk and a premiere of <em>All Real Living is Meeting <\/em>Esm\u00e9 van den Boom (former City Poet of Groningen) added to the programme.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Explore the North Festival is a three-day exploration with room for stories in many forms. From 20 to 22 November 2026, visitors will see quirky performances, concerts and more at beautiful locations in Leeuwarden's historic city centre. Tickets are available via <\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/explorethenorth.nl\/festivalweekend\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>explorethenorth.co.uk\/festivalweekend<\/strong><\/a><strong>. The festival organisers will announce many more programmes in the coming months.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Club Guy &amp; Roni, Boris Acket and HIIIT - <\/strong><strong><em>The Current<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Churning rave for body and soul<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At <em>The Current<\/em> visitors become part of an alternative reality in which dance, live percussion and electronic music sound together as a matter of course. In this universe between club and exhibition, audience and performers move freely and collectively through Acket's pulsating landscape. NITE actor and singer Sarah Janneh interprets texts by South African author Ronelda S. Kamfer. On top of that, visitors are sucked into an intense layer of music filled with live percussion and electronic music by producer Max Frimout and Stanislav Tolkachev. Inspired by rave culture, the performance explores collectivity, freedom and the question: do we move with the flow, or do we resist?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Joshua Idehen<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Hope smells like dance sweat and fabric softener<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Swedish-based musician and spoken word artist Joshua Idehen guarantees feet off the floor as well as food for thought. A beacon of hope, Idehen stands on stage and conjures up banal misfortunes with infectious optimism. This previously resulted in a successful collaboration with Alabaster DePlume. Audiences at ESNS and various Liberation Festivals have already been allowed to be part of the charismatic performer's boundless energy. This autumn, Joshua Idehen will play as part of a small tour at Explore the North Festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>XTC in the XIV<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Ultimate choir trip for wanderers and devotees<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">XTC in the XIV transports sacred songs from the fourteenth century to a new listening experience. A world between centuries-old church songs and contemporary compositions. The subtle soundscapes combined with a reinterpretation of vocal polyphony offer an unprecedented choral sensation. The Swedish collective consists of five rock-solid vocalists: Em Sil\u00e9n, Siri Anna Flensburg, Maja Kamne, Elin Oskarsson, Hanna Andersson and electronic musician Walter Berge. The psychedelic time machine of XTC in the XIV promises an ultimate choral trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Mees van Rijswijk &amp; Explore the North - AAAARGH<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>An abrasive, failing search for anger<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mees van Rijswijk is a poet, spoken word artist and soft-activist from Leeuwarden with one big wish: he wants to become enraged. With that goal, he goes on an adventure. <em>AAAARGH<\/em> is a musical spoken word performance about an abrasive, failing search for anger. Through personal lyrics, songs and anecdotes, Mees seeks to confront an emotion he has tried to avoid all his life. <em>AAAARGH<\/em> Is not a manual. No therapy. No safe space. It is not even a word. It is a radical attempt to stay soft precisely through rock-hard resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Esm\u00e9 van den Boom - All Real Living is Meeting (premiere)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>What can a fungal network teach us?<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Esm\u00e9 van den Boom (b. 1993) writes poetry, prose and songs. At Explore the North 2026, she presents the premiere of her new performance <em>All Real Living is Meeting. <\/em>Through poems, stories and music, in this she explores the art of meeting. A performance about opening up to another regardless of the risk, about the lessons to be learned from mould networks, and about how expectations affect reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><strong>Explore the North<\/strong> is a production house &amp; festival as well as a home for writers, poets and other young creators in the heart of Leeuwarden: Podium Explore. In this presentation venue (a former church), programmes are presented throughout the year. Central themes are literature, multilingualism and stories in unusual forms told by a new generation of makers. The interdisciplinary projects from the production house travel to festivals and venues at home and abroad, such as Lowlands, Oerol, Noorderzon and the Parade. In November, everything comes together during the vibrant festival month, where local makers share the stage with international pioneers. The festival weekend forms a three-day voyage of discovery in beautiful locations scattered throughout Leeuwarden city centre. Discover more on<a href=\"http:\/\/www.explorethenorth.nl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.explorethenorth.nl<\/a>.<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>20 t\/m 22 november | LeeuwardenClub Guy &amp; Roni, Boris Acket en HIIIT, Joshua Idehen, XTC in the XIV, Mees van Rijswijk en Esm\u00e9 van den Boom zijn de eerste namen die aan het programma van Explore the North Festival zijn toegevoegd.\u00a0 Club Guy &amp; Roni, Boris Acket en HIIIT komen naar Explore the North [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1231,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"activitypub_content_warning":"","activitypub_content_visibility":"","activitypub_max_image_attachments":3,"activitypub_interaction_policy_quote":"anyone","activitypub_status":"federated","wpai_meta_description":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4763,11917,8843],"tags":[1253,10439],"class_list":["post-111328","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-literatuur-2","category-persberichten","category-podiumkunst","tag-friesland","tag-leeuwarden"],"views":3256,"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":98429,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2025\/09\/literaire-ster-edouard-louis-naar-explore-the-north-festival\/","url_meta":{"origin":111328,"position":0},"title":"Literary star \u00c9douard Louis to Explore the North Festival","author":"een van onze leden","date":"4 September 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"World-renowned writer and sociologist \u00c9douard Louis is coming to the Explore the North festival in Leeuwarden in November. The French writer is known for his highly personal, autobiographical novels about, among other things, his family, his homosexuality in a homophobic environment, racism and growing up from the working class in northern France....","rel":"","context":"In &quot;ACTUEEL&quot;","block_context":{"text":"ACTUEEL","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/nieuws\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ILFU_25sept_MaartenMooijman-528-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ILFU_25sept_MaartenMooijman-528-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ILFU_25sept_MaartenMooijman-528-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ILFU_25sept_MaartenMooijman-528-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ILFU_25sept_MaartenMooijman-528-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ILFU_25sept_MaartenMooijman-528-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":99521,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2025\/11\/vlaanderen-op-de-kaart-tijdens-explore-the-north-festival-in-leeuwarden\/","url_meta":{"origin":111328,"position":1},"title":"Flanders on the map at Explore the North Festival in Leeuwarden","author":"een van onze leden","date":"5 November 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"At this year's Explore the North Festival in Leeuwarden on 21, 22 and 23 November, the cooperation between Frisian and Flemish literary talent will be fully celebrated with performances by numerous young writers, theatre-makers and musicians from Flanders and Friesland. This is partly made possible by further strengthening the...","rel":"","context":"In &quot;LITERAIR&quot;","block_context":{"text":"LITERAIR","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/literatuur-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/De-Herontdekking-van-Ella-Wassenaer-door-Roan-de-Vries-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/De-Herontdekking-van-Ella-Wassenaer-door-Roan-de-Vries-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/De-Herontdekking-van-Ella-Wassenaer-door-Roan-de-Vries-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/De-Herontdekking-van-Ella-Wassenaer-door-Roan-de-Vries-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/De-Herontdekking-van-Ella-Wassenaer-door-Roan-de-Vries-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/De-Herontdekking-van-Ella-Wassenaer-door-Roan-de-Vries-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":99618,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2025\/11\/premieres-en-literatuur-op-het-podium-in-vele-vormen\/","url_meta":{"origin":111328,"position":2},"title":"Premieres and literature on stage in many forms","author":"een van onze leden","date":"14 November 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Next Friday, 21 November, the 11th edition of Explore the North Festival will commence in Leeuwarden. The festival demonstrates how literature in many forms is increasingly gaining prominence on stage and how writers are broadening their field of work. Explore the North is packed with premieres, previews, try-outs, work-in-progress presentations, and...","rel":"","context":"In &quot;FAITS DIVERS&quot;","block_context":{"text":"FAITS DIVERS","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/faits-divers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Zea-Drumband-Hallelujah-Makkum_FotoAnneliesVerhelst-341-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Zea-Drumband-Hallelujah-Makkum_FotoAnneliesVerhelst-341-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Zea-Drumband-Hallelujah-Makkum_FotoAnneliesVerhelst-341-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Zea-Drumband-Hallelujah-Makkum_FotoAnneliesVerhelst-341-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Zea-Drumband-Hallelujah-Makkum_FotoAnneliesVerhelst-341-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Zea-Drumband-Hallelujah-Makkum_FotoAnneliesVerhelst-341-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":97228,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2025\/05\/explore-the-north-brengt-hub-vol-nieuw-werk-van-onder-meer-joost-oomen-de-poezieboys-naar-oerol-terschelling\/","url_meta":{"origin":111328,"position":3},"title":"Explore the North brings Hub full of new work by Joost Oomen &amp; De Poezieboys, among others, to Oerol Terschelling","author":"een van onze leden","date":"7 May 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Space for literature outside the book, Frisian language and for young (northern) makers Production house Explore the North from Leeuwarden sails to Terschelling with a ship full of makers showing new work and work in development within the Explore the North Hub at Oerol. From 13 to 22 June, scattered...","rel":"","context":"In &quot;LITERAIR&quot;","block_context":{"text":"LITERAIR","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/literatuur-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Lorca-Bart-Grietens-31-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Lorca-Bart-Grietens-31-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Lorca-Bart-Grietens-31-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Lorca-Bart-Grietens-31-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Lorca-Bart-Grietens-31-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Lorca-Bart-Grietens-31-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":95818,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2024\/11\/er-gloort-iets-in-het-noorden-dankzij-explore-the-north\/","url_meta":{"origin":111328,"position":4},"title":"Something is shining in the north thanks to Explore The North","author":"Wijbrand Schaap","date":"26 November 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"In the first version of Explore The North's new website, the builders had forgotten to mention in which city the festival would take place. This has since been remedied with a wonderful 'about us' page, so that even non-Leeuwaars know where to go. The production house cum festival sits from...","rel":"","context":"In &quot;LITERAIR&quot;","block_context":{"text":"LITERAIR","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/literatuur-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_20241124_173120-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_20241124_173120-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_20241124_173120-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_20241124_173120-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_20241124_173120-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_20241124_173120-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":106919,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2026\/05\/explore-the-north-brengt-hub-vol-nieuw-werk-van-onder-meer-kruidkoek-joost-oomen-naar-oerol-terschelling\/","url_meta":{"origin":111328,"position":5},"title":"Explore the North brings Hub full of new work by Kruidkoek &amp; Joost Oomen, among others, to Oerol Terschelling","author":"Explore The North","date":"8 May 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Space for literature on stage, Frisian language and for young (northern) makers Production house Explore the North from Leeuwarden crosses over to Terschelling with a ship full of makers showing new work and work in development within the Explore the North Hub at Oerol. 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