Art in public spaces: street art & sculptures

Street art to discover yourself

More and more street art fills the streets of Rotterdam. The colourful murals are made by top local, national and international street artists and are located in and around the centre.

You can easily discover the streetart yourself, using the Rewriters App. It contains 11 routes and areas to choose from. The murals of the Rotterdam Street Art Museum art projects, West Kruiskade, and Rotterdam Art Ride (ROAR) in Rotterdam Zuid, are a part of these routes.

If you’re interested in an organised tour, check the Art Index Rotterdam for tours or join the Free Street Art Walking Tour from hostel Ani & Haakien.

Visual arts in public spaces

The impressive collection of sculptures from Sculpture International Rotterdam with the three figureheads of Rotterdam – the Zadkine, the Gabo and the Moore – can be admired for free every day. This international collection, part of which can be found on the Westersingel, is part of Rotterdam’s entire collection of artworks, the City Collection. The collection is managed by Beeldende Kunst & Openbare Ruimte (BKOR). For the complete overview of visual art in public spaces, check the BKOR website.

Tours and routes

You can find a map of the walking route past the 65 unique works of Sculpture International Rotterdam at Rotterdam Tourist Information Coolsingel. Or pick up a map for the Rotterdam Light Route. It takes you past strikingly illuminated artworks, glowing architectural city icons and poetry that lights up in the dark. Download the Rotterdam Routes App and choose the Art & Poetry route for a personal story from city poet Hester Knibbe and artist Gyz La Rivière which passes a special selection of sculptures.

ALL CAPS Street art festival Rotterdam

Don’t forget to visit street art festival ALL CAPS (formerly known as POW! WOW!) in September. ALL CAPS is the most important street art festival in The Netherlands. Internationally renowned contemporary, street, and graffiti artists create beautiful murals in Rotterdam South.

One of the most important goals of ALL CAPS is to make high-quality art easily accessible. ALL CAPS is an open-air museum without an entrance fee or closing time. The focus is on the neighborhood and having a positive impact on the living environment. In addition, the festival is both a meeting place for creatives and platform for inspiration and innovation in the large field of street art. Young talent receives extra attention.

Art projects

There are also numerous art projects spread across the city that should not be missed. Don’t forget to go to the Markthal where the ‘Horn of Plenty’ decorates the interior; the largest work of art in the Netherlands, with an area of 11,000 m2. AVL Mundo’s Sculpture Park in the Merwe-Vierhavengebied (M4H) provides a spacious environment for people to walk, breathe deep, and explore the outdoor sculpture exhibition Uomo Analyticus.