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, a live recording of Het Filosofisch Kwintet on Friday 30 October and 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.

Curious about the programme? Check out the timetable!

Tickets for Brainwash Festival are now available.

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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.

SOLD OUT

brainwash festival friday:
het filosofisch kwintet met etgar keret

On Friday 30 October, Brainwash Festival will be dedicated to Het Filosofisch Kwintet. Writer Arnon Grunberg will be joined by Israeli writer, filmmaker and activist Etgar Keret.

Absurdist, dark and deeply human, Keret’s short stories depict bizarre, impossible situations filled with recognisable everyday emotions. He uses light-hearted, humorous dialogue to soften heavy themes such as fear, loss and violence. Can painful reality exist alongside a gruesome joke?

SOLD OUT

new festival location:
tolhuistuin amsterdam

This year, you’ll find us at a fantastic new festival location on Saturday and Sunday: Tolhuistuin in Amsterdam-Noord. On Thursday evening, we’ll be back at our familiar spot, Skatecafé Amsterdam. Read here all about why we’re moving to Tolhuistuin.

What’s on and when?

OPENING NIGHT WITH DEBORAH LEVY  (sold out)
Thursday 29 October 2026
Skatecafé Amsterdam

BRAINWASH FESTIVAL FRIDAY: HET FILOSOFISCH KWINTET WITH ETGAR KERET (sold out)
Friday 30 October
Tolhuistuin Amsterdam

BRAINWASH SATURDAY
Saturday 31 October 2026
12.00 – 00:00
Tolhuistuin Amsterdam

BRAINWASH SUNDAY
10.00 – 18.00
Sunday 1 November 2026
Tolhuistuin Amsterdam

get your tickets >>

line-up & timetable

 Here’s who you’ll encounter at the Brainwash Festival. Click below to read all about the philosophers, writers, artists, and scientists!
Curious about the full programme? Check out the timetable!

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.

Change: Unfortunately, previously announced guest Madeline Cash is no longer able to participate in the festival.

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.

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get your tickets here >>