31 Mar - 1 May 2025
Submit your creation before May 1!
Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is celebrating its 750th anniversary, and the Amsterdam Museum is looking for wishes for the future. What should be done differently? What can be improved? How can we make the Netherlands a better place? Send in your wish and who knows, you may soon be on display in the Amsterdam Museum!
You can depict your wish in any way you like, nothing is too crazy. Do you dream of change in your neighborhood, new ways of living together or innovations in art, work or sustainability? Share it with us! Anything goes. A painting, video, poem, photo, sculpture, design, song or something completely unexpected, your creation shows how you envision the future.
Submit your creation before May 1!
- All submitted wishes for the future will become part of the Amsterdam Museum's digital collection.
- A professional jury will select the 20 most inspiring submissions for the Refresh Amsterdam #3: Imagine the Future exhibition.
- Three winners will receive a cash prize of €750!
Open Call - Image the future
Share your wish, plan or idea that you think will make the Netherlands a better place and who knows, your wish for the future may be part of an exhibition in the Amsterdam Museum!
How do I participate?
- Anyone who feels involved in the future of the Netherlands can submit a wish, regardless of how you identify. By the Netherlands we mean the Kingdom of the Netherlands, so it can also be for the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.
- The form is free: write a letter, make a video, an audio message or a poem. You can also interview someone and turn it into a story.
- Because the form is free, you can also make a digital submission of a three-dimensional wish for the future, such as an installation, sculpture or painting.
- Your wish can relate to any aspect of the Netherlands: social themes, sustainability, culture, education, innovation, or anything else you consider important.
- You can submit a new wish or a future wish you already have, as long as it is about the future of the Netherlands.
- Are you submitting a wish in which a specific person or group plays a role? Ask for permission to share their story beforehand.
- Critical voices are welcome, but offensive or hateful entries will not be included.
- All wishes for the future will be included in the Amsterdam Museum's digital collection.
- A professional jury will select the 20 most inspiring entries for inclusion in the exhibition Refresh Amsterdam #3: Imagine the Future.
- The three entries selected by the professional jury will be rewarded with prizes of 750 euros.
Step 2: Choose a theme
Where should the Netherlands be heading? What change or improvement would you like to see? And why is this important?
Consider themes such as:
- Climate and sustainability
- Education and innovation
- Art & culture
- Equality and inclusion
- Care and welfare
- Urban development and quality of life
- Technological progress
Step 3: Make your wish for the future
Tips:
- Choose a form that suits you: a letter, video, audio recording, illustration, etc.
- Write a letter to the future or speak directly to the Netherlands.
- Include personal experiences or historical developments in your wish.
Useful questions to make your wish concrete:
- What is your vision for the Netherlands in 10, 20 or 50 years?
- What changes are needed to achieve this?
- Who or what can contribute to this future?
- Why is this important to you and to the Netherlands?
Make your wish extra appealing:
- Add images, videos or audio to illustrate it.
- Use royalty-free materials or make sure you have permission.
Submit your wish!
To submit your wish for the future, you will need the following:
- Your name and e-mail address (for possible questions and updates).
- How you would like to be named on the website (anonymous is also an option).
- Your place of residence.
- The content of your wish for the future.
- Any additional files (images, video, audio).
- Links to relevant materials on the web.
- A brief motivation: why is this wish important for the Netherlands?
Refresh Amsterdam #3: Imagine the Future
On Friday, July 11, 2025, the Amsterdam Museum will open an exhibition about the future of the city of Amsterdam: Refresh Amsterdam #3: Imagine the Future.
Refresh Amsterdam is a biennial art event in which the Amsterdam Museum shows work by artists from various creative disciplines on current themes that are currently alive in the city and society.
Refresh Amsterdam is a biennial art event in which the Amsterdam Museum displays work by artists from various creative disciplines on current themes that are currently relevant in the city and society. The theme of the third edition of Refresh Amsterdam is the future. This time, not only professional artists will contribute, but the general public will also have the opportunity to share their vision of the future and be part of it. to make up the exhibition.
Partly made possible by
The Amsterdam Museum receives structural support from the City of Amsterdam, the VriendenLoterij (Friends Lottery) and the ELJA Foundation. The Refresh Amsterdam #3: Imagine the Future project was realized with support from the Vriendenloterij.