AMSTERDAM – On the evening of 12 March 2026, RADION in Amsterdam Nieuw-West will host Brainwash Night, an event dedicated to exploring the nuanced relationship between personal safety and societal confrontation. Through a diverse program of performances, philosophical talks, and short films, the event aims to investigate how individuals navigate a world marked by climate stress, online hostility, and political uncertainty.
The central theme of the night questions what it means to feel truly secure. It will delve into the spaces people seek for refuge and reflection, while also examining the necessity of engaging with discomfort and conflict. The program brings together a range of artists, writers, and thinkers to discuss the balance between protection and collision, and between individual autonomy and communal connection.
Program Highlights Across Multiple Spaces
The event will unfold across several of RADION's distinct spaces, each offering a different lens on the core theme.
Main Hall: Performance and Sound
The main stage will feature a series of performances that physically and sonically interpret the night's themes. Theatre maker Amir Vahidi will present 'We Sleep Among Demons', a visual piece that confronts internal fears. Dancer Fernando Troya’s 'A PELO' is a raw duet that challenges the concept of safe spaces by exploring how love and desire can disrupt bodily autonomy. Providing a musical counterpoint, Miss Mazzy x Laurence will blend classical strings and vocals with electronic elements to create a genre-defying soundscape.
Expo Hall: Philosophical and Literary Discussions
This space will host a series of in-depth conversations. Journalist Frida Boeke will moderate a discussion with Lena Bril and Simoon Hermus on navigating an overstimulated society. Political philosopher Ivana Ivkovic and critical race researcher Nawal Mustafa will analyze the work of Angela Davis and Michel Foucault, questioning whether the pursuit of safety can inadvertently create systems of exclusion and control. In another session, writers Ellen Deckwitz and Haroon Ali will discuss how literature can serve as a tool against cynicism and despair.
Dark Room: Intimacy and Vulnerability
In a more intimate setting, author Alma Mathijsen will read from her book Onderland. The session is designed as an open conversation in near-darkness, encouraging attendees to share personal stories and reflections on vulnerability when the usual social barriers are lowered.
Upstairs Hall: Poetry and Film
Curated by Mandy Emadi, this program reinterprets Virginia Woolf’s century-old essay 'A Room of One’s Own'. Poets and spoken word artists Pelumi Adejumo, Roan Kasanmonadi, Halima Ikane, and Mees van Rijswijk will present personal works on themes of belonging and self-expression.
Between performances, a selection of short films curated by Movies that Matter will be screened:
- Mute Utopia (2024): A documentary on Brazil's longest-running independent radio station and its fight for free expression.
- Teacups (2024): An animated film about Don Ritchie, who spent years helping people in suicidal crisis near his home.
- My Uncle Tudor (2022): A filmmaker confronts her uncle about childhood abuse during a family gathering.
Café: Music and Connection
The night will conclude on the dance floor, with a DJ set from Siem (Super Sonic Jazz, Paradiso). The café will also host a book market, offering works from the evening's speakers and other related titles, providing a space for attendees to connect and continue the conversation.
Event Details:
What: Brainwash Night: Safe and Sound
When: 12 March 2026
Where: RADION, Louwesweg 1, Amsterdam
Tickets and the full schedule are expected to be available in early March via the event's official channels.
