brainwash festival
the shape of us
29 october – 1 november 2026 • tolhuistuin amsterdam
We’ll be back this October. With an exclusive opening night featuring Deborah Levy on Thursday, 29 October, followed by a festival weekend on Saturday, 31 October and Sunday, 1 November, we’ll once again be challenging the status quo alongside philosophers, writers, scientists and artists. We’ll be reviewing our beliefs, overturning assumptions and striding optimistically into the future.
At Brainwash Festival 2026, we will explore this year’s theme, the shape of us, from a variety of perspectives. Through performances, talks, lectures, films and encounters that make the new conceivable.
Will you join us this year? Tickets for the exclusive opening night with Deborah Levy on Thursday, 29 October, as well as for Brainwash Festival on Saturday, 31 October and Sunday, 1 November, are now available.
Keep an eye on our instagram, so you don’t miss a thing!
the theme this year: the shape of us
who we are and what comes next
Before our eyes, a world that long felt self-evident is shifting. Political systems are under strain, technology is pushing deeper into our daily lives, and autonomy turns out to be far less stable than we assumed. It is not just the world around us that is changing — it is the way we live together.
Can we still think in terms of a “we”? Shared values, a shared story? Or have we quietly unlearned how to do that?
As much we like to believe we can manage on our own, we need each other. Perhaps more than ever, in a world shaped by forces that pull us apart. It is precisely in the fractures that new perspectives emerge. Visions of the future that set us in motion.
During Brainwash Festival, we give shape to this search through performances, talks, lectures, films and encounters that unsettle, challenge and make the new imaginable.
read all about the theme and the subthemes >>
Would you like to join us? Tickets for Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November 2026 are now available.
opening night
with Deborah Levy
During the opening night of Brainwash Festival, we welcome acclaimed author Deborah Levy, one of the leading voices in contemporary literature. In the intimate setting of Skatecafé Amsterdam, we explore the shape of us: how do freedom and connection, individuality and the collective, relate to one another? Expect an open conversation filled with sharp insights, followed by music, drinks, and space for new encounters.
new festival venue:
tolhuistuin amsterdam
This year, you’ll find us on Saturday and Sunday at our fantastic new festival venue: Tolhuistuin in Amsterdam-Noord. On Thursday evening, we’ll kick off the festival as usual at Skatecafé Amsterdam.
Read more about why we’re moving to our new location.
what is there to do and when?
OPENING NIGHT WITH DEBORAH LEVY
Thursday 29 oktober 2026
Skatecafé Amsterdam
BRAINWASH SATURDAY
Saturday 31 oktober 2026
Tolhuistuin Amsterdam
BRAINWASH SUNDAY
Sunday 1 november 2026
Tolhuistuin Amsterdam
get your tickets here >>
line-up
The first names have been announced! Here’s who you’ll encounter at the Brainwash Festival. Click below to read all about the philosophers, writers, artists, and scientists!
Saturday 31 october
Sunday 1 november
These are only the English-speaking speakers. Check this page for the full line-up, including both English- and Dutch-speaking speakers.
about the tickets
We offer a range of ticket types, so you can choose the one that suits you best.
- Under 30ticket
Are you 30 or under? Then you’ll get a discount on the standard price. - Standardticket
The standard rate applies to visitors over 30. - Passepartout
Want to immerse yourself in new ideas over the weekend of 31 October and 1 November? A passepartout gives you access to both days of the festival. - Supportticket
Would you like to support Brainwash Festival a little extra? Then you can opt for a support ticket. You pay a small amount on top of the standard price. This helps us to continue creating space for thinkers, creators and conversations that matter in the future.