The Ambacht in Beeld Festival has existed since 2013 and has grown into a major event that introduces a diverse audience to craftsmen from home and abroad. What is unique about the festival is that the focus is not on selling products, but on exchanging knowledge and skills.
Our mission is to draw attention to craftsmanship in a sustainable and inspiring way, to enable all kinds of encounters and cross-pollination, and to create appreciation for craftsmanship among many people of all ages.
The Ambacht in Beeld Festival is an initiative by Wendy van Wilgenburg and is organized by the Ambacht in Beeld Foundation (Cultural ANBI).
Festival Director Wendy van Wilgenburg: “Through the festival I want to share the beauty and value of artisanal mastery with the public. But the ambition is higher: with the event we contribute to the retention of professional knowledge and the intake of craft vocational training courses. The festival also provides a more conscious view of the world, by focusing on products that are sustainably made and can be repaired. These objects have a story and are made with love and attention by artisan makers. All of this is – especially now – of great value and we have been committed to this for years.”
Wendy van Wilgenburg, Director Ambacht in Beeld Festival. Photo: Arne Verbrugh
“The sector needs a positive billboard that presents craft from strength and shows that as a society we desperately need these skilled makers The festival gives an enormous boost to a new appreciation of crafts and their practice by the general public. By highlighting craftsmanship in an interactive and educational way, we foster appreciation and improve the image and visibility of artisanal masters while also promoting the preservation and passing on of artisanal expertise as intangible heritage.”