After three decades since its inception in 1996, Amsterdam Dance Event has come to the end of its 30th anniversary edition, delivering a programme which shows the growing intersection between electronic music, art and culture. Over the course of its five days, artists, performers and industry professionals came together in Amsterdam, and the ADE is set to return between the 20-24 October 2027.
ADE 2026 was centred around the theme of creative exchange. Electronic music was combined with classical music, dance, audiovisual art and new technologies. The festival took place in over 300 locations – including iconic spots such as Gashouder, Paradiso, Melkweg and Ziggo Dome. As well as unique spots such as ARTIS Aquarium, Wereldmuseum, Centrale Markthal and Fabrique des Lumières. There were numerous shows throughout the festival. These included the sell-out Swan Lake Remixed for ADE at Gashouder, which saw the Dutch National Ballet and ISH Dance Collective join forces to bring a new twist to the classic ballet. At Melkweg, Kybba joined Metropole Orkest for an exciting fusion of dancehall and orchestra. Centrale Markthal played host to another major show after Boris Acket – multidisciplinary performer – partnered with Koninklijk Concertgebouw Orkest for his show EINDER. Elias Mazian, Djrum and choreographer Kianí Del Valle also performed collaborative shows. The event also saw Jean-Michel Jarre become the official Guest of Honour. He spoke about AI and spatial audio in discussions with Felix Meritis. He then delivered his signature audio visual show at AFAS Live.
ADE Lab took place at Westergas, focusing on developing new creative talent. This was split into two parts: ADE Lab Discovery, which is free to attend and ADE Lab On Track.
The celebration also extended into research with the introduction of the first Nighttime Culture Index in partnership with VibeLab. This looked at the importance of nightlife globally with over 12,000 lineups, 3,000 venues and nearly 30,000 cultural events. The report highlights the data and input from experts and those involved in the nightlife scene.
Read the full report here
ADE has played an instrumental role in helping electronic music become a huge part of modern culture since 1996. There will be more projects to celebrate its 30th anniversary in the coming months. The Amsterdam Dance Event Foundation is a not for profit organisation committed to promoting electronic music and culture. ADE is an initiative from Buma which brings together the global music community. There are a variety of performances, conference sessions, professional development and art events throughout the city. Next year’s edition will take place between the 20-24 October 2027.
More information about ADE can be found here