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International literature and music festival

Festival

Crossing Border is one of the oldest and most innovative music and literature festivals in Europe, and the leading international festival of its kind in The Netherlands. Since 1992, we have been welcoming the biggest names in music and literature, as well as showcasing new and exciting talent from The Netherlands and beyond. In 2022, Crossing Border will return to Antwerp after an absence of 9 years. The Antwerp edition takes place in the same week as the festival in The Hague and is organized in collaboration with De Studio, Arenberg, Trix and Antwerpen Boekenstad.

We create a space where the borders between audiences, artists and disciplines disappear, and where visitors are invited to venture outside the boundaries of the familiar.

Every November, the historic city centre of The Hague is taken over by more than 80 contemporary writers, poets, musicians, spoken-word performers and other storytellers in 12+ venues, fusing genres and art forms for an unforgettable festival experience.

International music and literary stars including Salman Rushdie, Sally Rooney, Colson Whitehead, Nick Cave, and Hilary Mantel have all stepped onto the stage at Crossing Border over the last three decades. But we are equally excited about the raw talent we help promote, welcoming artists from every background in an inclusive space giving voice to diverse experience.

From the world of literature, guests have included:
Isabel Allende, Michael Cunningham, Dave Eggers, Allen Ginsberg, Germaine Greer, Michel Houellebecq, Karl Ove Knausgård, Elmore Leonard, Norman Mailer, Hilary Mantel, Ian McEwan, Marilynne Robinson, Sally Rooney, Salman Rushdie, David Sedaris, Colson Whitehead

Crossing Border also features an extensive live music programme with artists from different genres of alternative pop music. There are also performances of multidisciplinary artists and cross-overs. Here are some of the top-class musical artists who have joined us over the years.

Coldplay, Boubacar Traoré, David Byrne, Nick Cave, Fleet Foxes, Bob Geldof, PJ Harvey, Emmylou Harris, Lou Reed, Mumford & Sons, Ed Sheeran, St. Vincent, Patti Smith, Kate Tempest, The National, The Black Keys, Rufus Wainwright

"It was the first European arts festival I’d attended, and since then I’ve never been to a better one, anywhere. It was electric, eclectic, fun-loving, and highly democratic."

- Dave Eggers

"For many, many writers, musicians and artists, Crossing Border Festival IS Holland and the Netherlands – it is what we associate the country with: an engine of meeting and discoveries and memorable concerts and book events.”

- Alan Warner

History

It all began in 1991, in a small bookstore in Amsterdam

Bookseller Louis Behre had a small Amsterdam shop that was always well-stocked with a diverse range of titles from around the world, and the eclectic selection and welcoming vibe made it a favourite haunt of writers including the Dutch poet Simon Vinkenoog.

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Organisation

Crossing Border is organized by Stichting Other World Productions, a non-profit organization which aims to promote literature and reading through compelling live events in which audiences can interact with writers from all over the world.

In addition to the main Crossing Border festival, we organize other literary events throughout the year including the regular BorderKitchen.

Past events include Het Voorwoord, Walk the Line Festival, The Music in My Head, Crossing Border Antwerpen, Crossing Border Enschede, and Words on Fire (Crossing Border Maastricht).

Team

Michel Behre, Director

Mark Boulas, Digital communication

Maren Flunkert, Communication & Website

Charlotte McDonald-Gibson, Communication and copywriting

Daniëlle Zawadi, Programmer You'll have to scream LOUDER - danielle@crossingborder.nl

Amanda Steck, Programmer Kids' Programme - amanda@crossingborder.nl

Louis Behre, Programmer special events

Sara Halbertsma, Production

Remco Cornelissen, Technical Production

Fabiene Soeters, Production

Ryan Patterson, Production & Artist management

Anna Eble, Coordinator The Chronicles

Elinor Archer, Coordinator education

Mara Wasiuta, Coordinator booksales

Mina Javadian, Coordinator The Addict

Supervisory board

Louis Pirenne, Chairman

Michaël Roumen, Treasurer

Gwen Peroti, General member

Special Festival Events

The Chronicles

Paul Auster once said “translators are the shadow heroes of literature” – but often they do not get the recognition they deserve for their craft.

So Crossing Border is delighted to collaborate on The Chronicles, a talent development program for young writers and translators in residence.

Each day of the festival, an up-and-coming writer works on a blog of that day’s events, with their words simultaneously translated live into several languages.

The aim is to showcase the skills and talent of both the writer and translator and show how collaboration underpins this vital process.

The Chronicles is linked to a masterclass in literary translation supported by the Letterenfonds and the Vertalershuis and with the Master’s in Literary Translation at Utrecht University and the Master’s in Translation at KU Leuven.

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The Addict

The Addict is an informal networking event for national and international publishers, agents and other book professionals, which takes place at the same time as Crossing Border. It began life organically eight years ago, when the many international guests from the publishing world sensed a great moment to get together in a relaxed atmosphere.

Each year, around 250+ professionals from more than 15 countries join us for The Addict, with word-of-mouth recommendations making it an essential date on the calendar of leading figures in the publishing industry.

“The Addict removes the formal elements of a conventional book fair and instead provides an immersive experience at the leading edge of literary and pop culture.”
– Lee Brackstone, Independent Publisher

European Literature Prize

The European Literature Prize is awarded annually to the best contemporary European novel published in Dutch translation. The prize is unique in that both author and translator are honored, and the award ceremony takes place during Crossing Border.

Partners of the European Literature Prize are the Netherlands Foundation for Literature, Spui25, De Groene Amsterdammer, Athenaeum bookshop and Crossing Border.

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You’ll have to scream LOUDER

You'll have to scream LOUDER is a special festival evening celebrating Dutch language talent., whether it be in poetry, propose, spoken word performance or music. In 2023 the evening will take place in Zaal 3 and NEST in the Electriciteitskwartier neighborhood.

Year round events

BorderKitchen

Throughout the year, Crossing Border hosts internationally acclaimed authors and new literary talent at our BorderKitchen talks and events, which take place on our own BorderKitchen stage in the Kerkstraat or other venues across The Hague.
BorderKitchen keeps the unique spirit of Crossing Border alive beyond the annual festival in November.

Highlights include:
Salman Rushdie, Isabel Allende, Warsan Shire, Julian Barnes, Jonathan Safran Foer, Dave Eggers, Stephen Fry, Karin Slaughter, Madeleine Allbright, Karl Ove Knausgard, Orhan Pamuk, Paul Auster, Ian McEwan and many more

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Contact details

Stichting Other World Productions

Address

Kerkstraat 11, 2514 KP Den Haag

Telephone number

+31 (0)70 346 2355

KvK-number

41157202

ANBI

Crossing Border has a pending application to obtain the status of a Cultural ANBI (Public Benefit Organization with Cultural Status).

Donors of an ANBI are allowed to deduct their donations from income tax or corporate tax. To be eligible for the deduction of periodic donations, the donor and the ANBI must record the donation in an agreement.

For donors to cultural ANBIs, there is an additional deduction for donations. Individuals can multiply their donation to a cultural ANBI by 1.25 in their income tax return and deduct it as a donation. Corporations subject to corporate tax can deduct 1.5 times the amount of such a donation in their corporate tax return.

Here is the link to the form for the publication obligation of an ANBI.

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