about
MUTE shows how voices are amplified, filtered, distorted or erased. People who do not make their voices heard are not absent. Silence can also be a conscious choice: a form of resistance, attention, care or recovery. From these different perspectives, the festival invites visitors to reflect on who is heard, who remains unseen and what role they themselves take within an increasingly digitalizing society.
1 CENSORSHIP & TABOO
Investigates how algorithms, AI, content moderation, platform power, and digital surveillance determine which voices become visible and which are filtered out or disappear unnoticed.
2 UNEXPLAINED
Focus on experiences, emotions, and perspectives that remain unspoken. Shame, vulnerability, care and trauma form the starting point for works of art that invite attention, listening and reflection.
3 ERASED VOICES
It brings together stories that risk disappearing from view due to historical selection, dominant narratives, or digital systems, and shows how art can make forgotten perspectives visible again.
Be surprised by the projects of the exhibition, which for 80% consists of young talents. You will see firsts before they are included in the collections of major museums around the world. They challenge you with a sharp edge, but remain innovative and playful.
Think Robots, E-fashion, Victim Blaming, Body Modifications, Post-Apocalyptic Worlds and more.
- Read more about the interview with Creative Director Viola van Alphen https://www.bno.nl/blog/artikelen-10/dansend-naar-het-einde-2700
Manifestations is a journey into the future, past 'unreal' technological realities.
Theme 2026: mute
Discover new talent here
At Manifestations, you will see things you haven't seen anywhere else. More than fifty artists make hidden problems visible. With their artworks, interactive installations and immersive experiences, they create space: to engage in conversation and critical thinking together.
Art, Tech & Fun!
Robotics, (bio-)Design and e-Fashion. Let yourself be inspired by this socially critical fair. With a free interactive exhibition, performances, emerging talent, meet-ups and youth programming. Manifestations reach a wide audience and ask young and old: to what extent does technology determine your daily life?
Open to all for FREE
An initiative of the Stichting Art & Technology and creative director and curator Viola van Alphen. Guest curators and scouts: Edith Bootsman, Gemma Boon, Gijs Geertzen, Peter Soudant, Gijs Hennen, Mozes, An de Jong, Thies Mensink, Omer van Soldt, Abel Kamps, Lineke Louwers, Aïsha Dingemans, Yolande Willink, Wesley Hartogs, Tom Haakman, Bianca Runge, Agnes van Dijk, René Paré, Erik-Jan Kamerbeek, Marina Toeters.
Art & Technology Foundation
About
Manifestations
Manifestations is the festival of art and technology that will be held through fun, wonder and curiosity celebrates digital activism. A touch rebellious too, with an eye for the uncomfortable and the role of technology in a world that could be better and sweeter.
Thanks to a bold and futuristic focus on the impact of innovation, the festival is one of the most edgy events during Dutch Design Week, which challenges visitors to look more critically at developments. The gaze of artists helps with this. They see new possibilities, new applications, new connections, new scenarios and place unstoppable technological developments in an unexpected perspective.
Springboard for
leading talent
Manifestations operates at the forefront with groundbreaking work that is ahead of its time, speaks to the imagination and has never been shown anywhere else. Every year, the team of curators visits the exam exhibitions of all Dutch art and design schools in search of promising talent. This makes Manifestations an important stepping stone for aspiring creators, who are then noticed by scouts from (international) festivals and museums during the festival. Many talents who exhibited for the first time at Manifestations, has grown into a creative army of established names that have now conquered the art world.
Team
2026
Creative director/curator: Viola van Alphen
Business Leader: Mikki Pepels
Supervision and Superwoman: Agnes van Dijk
Coordinator Floormanagers & Volunteers: Lineke Louwers
Coordinator Tours: Peter Soudant
Floormanagers: Lineke Louwers, Kristina Miltcheva, Zoe Prifti, Evan Broeren, Aisha Dingemans, Sophie Yotova, Phoebe Garsten
External relations: Peter Visser
Social media: Yolande Willink
Staff Assistant and Education: Gizing Khalandi, Aïsha Dingemans, Lisa Machielse
Communication: Mikki Pepels, Nicolet Pennekamp, Gemma Boon
Website and Design: Flora Hellemons, Gudule, Fierman, Nicolet Pennekamp, Oscar Wouterse
Photography and Video: Edwin Smits, Roy te Lintelo, Local Androids, Nadia Hagen, Edwin Smits, Sophie Verstappen, Rudy Betorina, Urban Studio, Studio-H, Marina Provatidou
Exhibition Design: St Lucas College
Tour guides: HannaH Bossers, Ingrid Berleau, Cris Copini, Agnes van Dijk, Katja van der Eijnden, Ralf Graf, Gera Le Mair, Mirjam van der Meij, Lineke Louwers, Peter Soudant
Regular volunteers: Adinda Snelderwaard, Ralf Graf, Cris Copini, Hans Hummel, Marion Kool, Noah Louwers.
Building Team and Light Design: The Fantasts and many others. And many, many volunteers!!!
Close co-"partners-in crime": MAD emergent art centre, Emmaus, Kobane, and others.
Manifestations is an inclusive event.
Administrators
and scouts
» Marina Toeters – Lecturer at HKU and TU/e Fashion Design and pioneer in wearable art
& fashion tech and Fashion Tech Farm.
» Erik-Jan Kamerbeek – Lecturer at Fontys and specialist in talent development at Creative
Industry.
» Agnes van Dijk – Fashion artist. Academy of Arts St. Joost. Founder Agnes
van Dijk Fashion Art (2012). Nominated for the Eindhoven Culture Prize and
S4Fashion Europe/Athens. Recently exhibited at the Parktheater Eindhoven,
International Theatre Centre Eindhoven, Manifestations, Fashion Tech Week
New York, Menga Actua Impacts Barcelona. Specialist fashion, innovation,
sustainability.
» Bianca Runge – Visual artist, Academy of Arts Arnhem
(now ArtEZ) 1989-1994 Vrije Kunst, has been exhibiting from Kabinetten in the
Vleeshal was involved in the Manifestations project, scouted for Museum Le Secet, Bewaerschole,
Willem3 and KULT Toonbeeld. Specialization in fine arts and mixed media. Experienced
Scouted for various presentation settings.
» Tom Haakman – Visual artist, HKU product designer 2021. Researching
The connection between religion and our technological society. Runner-up Young Talent award Manifestations. Worked on the HKU graduation exhibition and in the preparations for the Days head exhibition. Exhibited at Manifestations, Object Rotterdam, Art in Oisterwijk, De Nijverheid and in the Grote Kerk Naarden.
» Wesley Hartogs – Creative Technologist, assistant lecturer at TU/e, teacher
Avans University of Applied Sciences in Communication and Multimedia in Den Bosch. Already worked with
ChatGPT before it became mainstream. Previously exhibited at Manifestations and at Design Museum Den Bosch with his Love Letter generator. Has a good nose for talent. Expert in AI and interactive design.
» Yolande Willink – Scout and curator for PLANETART (GOGBOT and TECART):
Art and music program (2014-2019) that was granted the BIS status. Graduate AKI
(now AKI ArtEZ) mixed media in 1998. Recently exhibited at Möllerwerf and
Manifestations. Specialist in art and music programs.
»Sebastiaan Schoonen – Audiovisual artworks, installations and performances.
Young Talent in 2023. Presents at various festivals. Specialist in installations and
performances.
»Katja Lucas – Fontys, in my Neighborhood, design education for young people, empowerment
of women in the design field.
»Aïsha Dingemans – Fashion Designer. Fontys Hogeschool of the Arts. Young Talent
in 2023. Collections: Fungi in Fashion and Dressed by Nature.
» Joan Bosveld – Art Communication & Design Fontys Academy of Art, Young Talent.
» Tim Nonnekes – Design at FHK Tilburg, Young Talent. Specialization in tech
and innovation in the arts.
» Omer van Soldt, Young Talent KABK Art Science, participant of Manifestations 2024.
»Lineke Louwers – Creative Professional Ceramics from SintLucas, Young Talent,
exhibited at the Museum Prinsenhof in Delft.
» Abel Kamps – Kunstacademie Minerva, Groningen, Young Talent, exhibited at
Among others: Arti Et Amicitiae Amsterdam, DIEP Emmen, Scrumping Amsterdam.
»Frits Achten – cultural promoter, teacher and former head of the CKE project office, specializing in sculptures, fascinated by ethnography, art brut, folk art,
Religious art, street art, pop culture and nature. Basically everything that is outside the
The framework of Great Art falls.
»Thies Mensink – Alumnus of Product Design, ArtEZ Arnhem and participant 2025, interdisciplinary designer driven by co-creation, hybrid future
scenario development and future-oriented thinking. He strongly believes in radical collaborations between different disciplines. He works at Studio Pauline van Dongen, exhibited at Galerie Ron Mandos and Innovate Arnhem.
»An de Jong – Minerva Art Academy, Groningen, participant 2024. Exhibitions in
TAC, Stichting Sign and Kunstgarage Franx, curator at the VHDG in Leeuwarden.
»Mozes (Moos Bedaux) – Rietveld Academy, participant 2025. Ceramicist and painter.
»Gijs Hennen – Art Academy Minerva, Groningen, participant 2025, winner
Minerva Design Award 2025, exhibited at DDW, Noorderzon.
»Peter Soudant – Academy of Fine Arts Maastricht, founder of the agency
Format, lecturer of the New Media Training Program and various guest lectures/presentations
Typography and graphic design throughout the country. Director JekerGalerie
Maastricht and 1A Galerie Heerlen. Also involved as tour guide.
»Gijs Geertzen – Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Initiator of the Art Cafes
Groningen, specialisation 2D, 3D, photography and film.
»Gemma Boon – art historian, curator, writer, director of the Foundation for Castle Day and founder of FRIDA book cafe, winner of the Ignite Award 2026.
»Edith Bootsman – Kunstacademie Minerva, Groningen, participant 2025, investigates how collective care, art, and education contribute to healing social well-being in a society where individualization dominates.
Council of
Supervision:
G.J.W.M. Altena chairman (Pangea Foundation - for society and cultural criticism)
Drs A.B.A.G. Rasing secretary (Odeon Foundation - strengthening cultural infrastructure)
F.C. Manders (Hyperspace Institute - Professional association AR VR MR)
J.D. Huizenga (Head of Department Interactive/Media/Design at Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, Co-Founder European Street Design Challenge, vrml Waag society)
A. de Raad (Notary. Legal, MSX game pioneer)
Advisory board:
J. Wieringa (Business Leader Cultural Centre DOOR Dordrecht)
J. A. Lino (Designer / Professor Media, Interaction and Narration / Theme Leader Creative Economy Fontys, vrml business leader STRP festival, Designhuis)
J. Post (vrml director Philips, Red Cross, chairman KvK Amsterdam)