We are going to build a new Bijlmer Park Theatre at Anton de Kom Square. The current theatre is an important breeding ground for talent in the city but is too small in the long term. The new building will have multiple halls, rehearsal rooms, spaces for creators, and hospitality in a prominent location in the Amsterdamse Poort.
The Southeast district is growing rapidly, but cultural facilities have long lagged behind. In recent years, we have invested heavily to catch up on that backlog, both in creators and institutions and housing. Building a new and larger theatre is a logical next step.
Why new construction?
The Bijlmer Park Theatre is important for the development of young talents from the entire city and plays a major role in cultural education and social programming. But the current building is too small to fulfill that role well in the future. Therefore, we have researched possibilities for expansion. It turned out that new construction at Anton de Kom Square was actually the only long-term solution.
Theatre for the future
The new theatre will be a future-proof cultural facility in a prominent location in Southeast. There will be multiple halls, spaces for creators and rehearsals, and a base with a foyer and hospitality, fitting the Amsterdamse Poort. A place where residents can meet and talents can develop.
25 million euros
The city council is making 25 million euros available for the construction of the new theatre. And 2.5 million euros for the design of the building and the square, participation with residents and partners, and the development of a financial plan.
Preserving current building
The current building of the Bijlmer Park Theatre will be preserved for the cultural sector in Southeast, as a space for presentations and creators. In 2024, 5 million euros was made available for the renovation and sustainability of the building.
Next steps
Before the building comes, we must first go through the design phase. This starts now. During this phase, the redesign of Anton de Kom Square and the development of the theatre building will be worked out in conjunction. At the same time, we are working, together with the Bijlmer Park Theatre Foundation, on an exploitation and financing plan and setting up a participation process with residents, entrepreneurs, and cultural partners.