{"id":99417,"date":"2025-10-31T10:38:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T09:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/?p=99417"},"modified":"2025-10-31T10:38:03","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T09:38:03","slug":"amsterdam-museum-opent-tentoonstelling-nederland-word-beter-15-jaar-zwart-activisme-in-nederland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2025\/10\/amsterdam-museum-opent-tentoonstelling-nederland-word-beter-15-jaar-zwart-activisme-in-nederland\/","title":{"rendered":"Amsterdam Museum opens exhibition \u2018Holland, get better!\u2019 - 15 years of Black activism in the Netherlands"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Saturday 1 November, the exhibition Holland, Get Better! opens, a collaboration between the Amsterdam Museum and the Holland Becomes Better movement. Since its foundation in 2010, this movement has worked for 15 years to raise awareness around racism and its consequences, including the campaigns Black Pete is Racism, Day of Empathy, Kick Out Black Pete<\/em> and the Black Manifesto.<\/em> The exhibition looks back at the impact of Black activism over the past 15 years while also serving as a call to a new generation to continue the work: on 5 December, the movement will officially disband. Netherlands, get better!<\/em> is free to visit until 1 February 2026, four days a week, at the exhibition space Beautiful Distress in Amsterdam North.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zhot Pete is Racism<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Amsterdam get better, location beautifull distress, by Amsterdam Museum, October to dezember 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In Holland Becomes Better!, visitors are taken on a journey through 15 years of Black activism in the Netherlands through various zones. The exhibition opens with a look back to 2010, when an initial group of people came together that later grew into the Holland Becomes Better movement. They united then with one goal: a Netherlands without anti-Black racism, where everyone is treated equally. In 2011, with the Zwarte Piet is Racisme campaign, the movement ushered in a new phase of activism - a struggle that is extensively discussed in the exhibition. Black-and-white portraits by Maarten Tromp show how St Nicholas celebrations changed between 2013 and 2025, how black Pete evolved in appearance and role, and how discussions about blackface and inclusion engaged activists and communities. It also looks at the past, at the origins of resistance to blackface in the early 20th century. Works by Lydienne Albertoe and Charmaine de Heij show how Black histories and colonial traditions continue into the present. Photographs, journals and books also place this struggle in historical perspective.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unconditional Dutch citizenship<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Amsterdam get better, location beautifull distress, by Amsterdam Museum, October to dezember 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Further on, the exhibition focuses on the struggle for unconditional Dutch citizenship. It includes a video by Jerry Afriyie, in which he recites the speech from the first meeting of Nederland Wordt Beter in 2011. In the speech, he argues for unconditional Dutch citizenship for all residents, which means treating people with different backgrounds and family histories equally. The video is supported by footage of demonstrations and rallies. In addition, a collection of objects and artworks depicts the united struggle against black piet, with protest signs, videos and works by Arjan Braaksma, Brian Elstak, Dimitri Madimin, Felix de Rooy, Raul Balai, and sculpture by Raquel van Haver. Together, these works form a visual and historical overview of racism and activism.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Impact of 15 years of Black activism<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Amsterdam get better, location beautifull distress, by Amsterdam Museum, October to dezember 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition then reflects on the wider impact of Holland Becomes Better: its commitment to inclusion, education and the national commemoration of slavery's past, as well as the challenges and setbacks of 15 years of activism. Visitors will see archive material, developed products and utensils that show both the successes and violence during demonstrations and beyond. It also highlights the fertile ground that Holland Becomes Better provided for new organisations, from Omroep Zwart and B\u01321 to The Black Archives and Black Queer & Trans Resistance NL. Work by Pris Roos shows how individual commitment made social change possible. Textile canvases by Eugenie Boon show the power of community and portraits by Iris Kensmil highlight the commitment to Black emancipation. Holland, get better! shows that change starts with action, individually and collectively. Visitors are invited not only to watch, but also to participate, get inspired and contribute to a more inclusive Netherlands themselves. At an interactive wall, they can take the baton from NLWB and leave a message about their own actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Netherlands, get better!<\/em> ! is free to visit four days - Thursday to Sunday - during the week at exhibition space Beautiful Distress on the NDSM wharf in Amsterdam North.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Netherlands, get better! - The impact of 15 years of Black activism<\/em>
Sunday 2 November 2025 to Sunday 1 February 2026
Beautiful Distress at the NDSM wharf
Ms. van Riemsdijkweg 41a, Amsterdam-Noord\u00a0
\u00a0
Opening days and times:
Thursday, Friday (11am-6pm) and Saturday, Sunday (12pm-6pm).
With the exception of 25 and 26 December 2025 and 1 January 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition is free to enter so that everyone can visit.
Visitors can leave a financial contribution in the exhibition to support the work of Holland Becomes Better.\u00a0<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Amsterdam Museum is structurally supported by main sponsor Gemeente Amsterdam and main partner Education ELJA Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Netherlands Gets Better<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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 demonstrations. For instance, Holland Becomes Better pursues three objectives and develops several free teaching packages that are used in primary and secondary schools throughout the country. The foundation also organises conferences and workshops and the Becoming Better Netherlands does ongoing lobbying work, such as talks with municipalities, ministers and other policymakers. Furthermore, Nederland Wordt Beter is co-initiator of the widely supported and successful initiative: Black Manifesto (March 2021), a list of 12 domains with action points to fight anti-black racism, and the National Day of Empathy on 3 May; with the aim of getting to know each other again, freeing up more space for empathy.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amsterdam museum<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Op zaterdag 1 november opent de tentoonstelling Nederland, word beter!, een samenwerking tussen het Amsterdam Museum en de beweging Nederland Wordt Beter. Sinds de oprichting in 2010 heeft deze beweging vijftien jaar lang gewerkt aan meer bewustzijn rond racisme en de gevolgen daarvan, onder meer met de campagnes Zwarte Piet is Racisme, de Dag van […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":99418,"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","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":[15614,10340,11917],"tags":[13413,16466,4542,4090],"class_list":["post-99417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beleid","category-erfgoed","category-persberichten","tag-amsterdam-museum","tag-empathie","tag-racisme","tag-zwarte-piet"],"views":643,"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Pers_BC_02690_003-scaled.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":98571,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2025\/09\/nederland-word-beter-de-impact-van-15-jaar-zwart-activisme\/","url_meta":{"origin":99417,"position":0},"title":"Netherlands, get better! - The impact of 15 years of Black activism","author":"een van onze leden","date":"18 September 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Exhibition Amsterdam Museum and Nederland Wordt Betermarkeert opheffing actiegroep From 2 November 2025 to 1 February 2026, the Amsterdam Museum and Stichting Nederland Wordt Beter present the exhibition Nederland, get better! - The impact of 15 years of Black activism. An exhibition that takes visitors into the activist struggle of the movement Nederland","rel":"","context":"In "ERFGOED"","block_context":{"text":"ERFGOED","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/erfgoed\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Luciano-de-Boterman-Black-Lives-Matter-protest-op-de-Dam-op-1-juni-2020-Amsterdam-Museum-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":90870,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2023\/06\/40-jaar-na-moord-kerwin-lucas-duinmeijer-mini-expo-over-mama-baranka-amsterdam-museum-presenteert-kleine-tentoonstelling-rondom-het-herdenkingsbeeld-van-nelson-carrilho\/","url_meta":{"origin":99417,"position":1},"title":"40 years after murder Kerwin Lucas Duinmeijer mini-expo on Mama Baranka | Amsterdam Museum presents small exhibition around Nelson Carrilho's memorial statue","author":"een van onze leden","date":"7 June 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"It was 40 years ago this summer, on 20 August, that 15-year-old Antillean Kerwin Lucas Duinmeijer was murdered. His death, often seen as the first racist murder in Amsterdam, led to many protests as well as cooperation between migrant organisations to fight against racism. The...","rel":"","context":"In "BEELDEND"","block_context":{"text":"BEELDEND","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beeldende-kunst-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Nelson Carrilho werkend aan het beeld Mama Baranka, zomer 1984. Foto collectie Nelson Carrilho","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Nelson-Carrilho-werkend-aan-het-beeld-Mama-Baranka-zomer-1984.-Foto-collectie-Nelson-Carrilho-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Nelson-Carrilho-werkend-aan-het-beeld-Mama-Baranka-zomer-1984.-Foto-collectie-Nelson-Carrilho-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Nelson-Carrilho-werkend-aan-het-beeld-Mama-Baranka-zomer-1984.-Foto-collectie-Nelson-Carrilho-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Nelson-Carrilho-werkend-aan-het-beeld-Mama-Baranka-zomer-1984.-Foto-collectie-Nelson-Carrilho-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Nelson-Carrilho-werkend-aan-het-beeld-Mama-Baranka-zomer-1984.-Foto-collectie-Nelson-Carrilho-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Nelson-Carrilho-werkend-aan-het-beeld-Mama-Baranka-zomer-1984.-Foto-collectie-Nelson-Carrilho-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":69175,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2021\/03\/representatie-telt\/","url_meta":{"origin":99417,"position":2},"title":"Representation counts!","author":"Siela Ardjosemito-Jethoe","date":"2 March 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Een goede vriend belt me op, hij klinkt alsof hij iets belangrijks wil delen en checken. Hij sprak deze week met z\u2019n zus over de Nieuwsuur kop: Black Lives Matter: Was het een keerpunt of een hype? Zijn zus struikelt over de titel en bemerkt dat er belangrijke partijen in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Column"","block_context":{"text":"Column","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/opinie\/column\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/49962866191_62fa1b196b_k.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/49962866191_62fa1b196b_k.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/49962866191_62fa1b196b_k.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/49962866191_62fa1b196b_k.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/49962866191_62fa1b196b_k.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/49962866191_62fa1b196b_k.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":65434,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2020\/06\/wanneer-het-over-institutioneel-racisme-discriminatie-en-uitsluiting-gaat-dan-zijn-dat-natuurlijk-niet-gevoelens-zoals-u-deze-week-claimde-maar-feiten-meneer-rutte\/","url_meta":{"origin":99417,"position":3},"title":"Of course, when it comes to institutional racism, discrimination and exclusion, these are not feelings, as you claimed this week, but facts, Mr Rutte.","author":"Siela Ardjosemito-Jethoe","date":"8 June 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Geachte premier Rutte, Beste Mark, We hebben elkaar al eens ontmoet. Voor u een ontmoeting uit velen, dus u zult het zich vast niet herinneren. We hebben namelijk niets gemeen, niet wat politieke kleur of huidskleur betreft, niet wat betreft onze sociaal economische klasse, niet wat betreft ons nest, niet\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "ACTUEEL"","block_context":{"text":"ACTUEEL","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/nieuws\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/sddefault.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/sddefault.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/sddefault.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52191,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2017\/08\/huilende-buschauffeur-bezoekt-fototentoonstelling-tirana\/","url_meta":{"origin":99417,"position":4},"title":"Crying bus driver visits photo exhibition. What's wrong?","author":"Ruben Brugman","date":"23 August 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The photography exhibition The Other Side opened in Tirana last week. There is a side to that that was not actually intended. Tourist in Tirana In the pool on a rooftop terrace in Tirana, a bald man leans against the wall in the water. He appears to be a tourist but is in Albania for...","rel":"","context":"In "Fotografie"","block_context":{"text":"Fotografie","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/fotografie\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Bert Verhoeff in the other side fototentoonstelling","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/klaas-mulder-in-the-other-side-fototentoonstelling.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/klaas-mulder-in-the-other-side-fototentoonstelling.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/klaas-mulder-in-the-other-side-fototentoonstelling.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/klaas-mulder-in-the-other-side-fototentoonstelling.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":22246,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2015\/05\/discussie-kleur-moet-ook-schouwburgen-woeden\/","url_meta":{"origin":99417,"position":5},"title":"Discussion on colour should also rage in theatre","author":"Wijbrand Schaap","date":"8 May 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"At Amsterdam's Stadsschouwburg, Hans Kesting will once again play the title role of Shakespeare's Othello, in a legendary version by top director Ivo van Hove, already 12 years ago. A stone's throw away, at De Balie, is the equally impressive actor Kenneth Herdigein in David Mamet's play Race. Why...","rel":"","context":"In "ACTUEEL"","block_context":{"text":"ACTUEEL","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/nieuws\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Kenneth Herdigein, Vastert van Aardenne, Urmie Plein, Reinier Bulder in Race van David Mamet.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/race-van-david-mamet-door-stichting-julius-leeftjohn-leerdam_foto-jean-van-lingen_liggend_hr.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/race-van-david-mamet-door-stichting-julius-leeftjohn-leerdam_foto-jean-van-lingen_liggend_hr.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/race-van-david-mamet-door-stichting-julius-leeftjohn-leerdam_foto-jean-van-lingen_liggend_hr.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/race-van-david-mamet-door-stichting-julius-leeftjohn-leerdam_foto-jean-van-lingen_liggend_hr.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/race-van-david-mamet-door-stichting-julius-leeftjohn-leerdam_foto-jean-van-lingen_liggend_hr.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/race-van-david-mamet-door-stichting-julius-leeftjohn-leerdam_foto-jean-van-lingen_liggend_hr.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3yKke-pRv","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99417"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99417\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99422,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99417\/revisions\/99422"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}