Fantastic Idea Artists Land in Amersfoort is a new social art project in which six artists collaborate with residents of Amersfoort to generate visual solutions for societal issues. In partnership with local organizations and neighborhood networks, we are building an Ideas Library: a growing collection of blueprints—conceptual, social, and artistic proposals—for the city.

This project is an initiative by social artist HIMMELSBACH and curator Arda van Tiggelen, commissioned by the Municipality of Amersfoort. Its source of inspiration is the Himmelsbach Ideeën Bibliotheek: a 15-year collection of concepts, thought experiments, and proposals for civic interventions, previously presented as an interactive installation and soon to be published as a book under its original name: HIMMELSBACH Ideëen Catalogus!

Participating Artists
We are proud to announce the six selected artists: Frank Koolen, Neele Schlette, Rufus de Vries, Naomi Jansen, Teun Castelein, Circus Andersom (Allard Medema / Martijn Engelbregt)
These artists stood out for their conceptual clarity, social engagement, and ability to translate complex issues into imaginative visual ideas.

What’s happening?
In spring and summer 2025, the artists will host interactive sessions at a variety of partner organizations across Amersfoort—ranging from community centers and social initiatives to heritage groups and civic networks. In these sessions, they will engage with residents about their concerns, dreams, and dilemmas. The input collected will be transformed into visual concepts: sketches, manuals, infographics, artistic proposals, or speculative experiments.

All ideas will be translated into blueprint form and compiled in a public exhibition, to be held from January to March 2026 at Bibliotheek Eemland. After the exhibition, the entire collection will be donated to the Amersfoort City Archives as an artistic legacy and source of future inspiration.

Upcoming Dates
Late May 2025
Joint kick-off and working session with all artists

June – September 2025
Public idea sessions at various locations in Amersfoort
(Exact dates to be announced)

January – March 2026
Exhibition of the Ideas Library at Bibliotheek Eemland

Spring 2026
Transfer of the collection to the Amersfoort City Archives

Why an Ideas Library?
We believe in the power of artistic thinking. Through associative and conceptual approaches, artists are able to open up new perspectives and propose unexpected solutions to social challenges. A good idea doesn’t need to be realized to make an impact: a sketch, a suggestion, or a speculative thought can be enough to spark change. With Fantastic Ideas Artists Land in Amersfoort, we make this creative force tangible, visible, and accessible to a broad audience.

Stay in the loop
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Credits
This project is made possible with the generous support of the Municipality of Amersfoort, Stichting DOEN, and Stichting De Zaaier.