Main information
- Artistic field(s): Sound arts, interdisciplinary practices
- Setting: Urban
- Number of available artist in residence spots: 2 artists in residence as part of the Nouveau Grand Tour NL
- Dates: 1 – 30 April 2025
- Duration of the residency: One work period of 1 month
About
Located in Den Bosch, Willem Twee Studios is an internationally renowned workspace for electro-acoustic music. It consists of four spaces; a 50s and 60s test and measurement equipment studio, a 70s and 80s modular synthesizers studio, a small project studio and the Toonzaal concert hall. It is the perfect space for composers and any sound-exploring artists.
The instruments you find in Willem Twee Studios are the very same as were used when the first electronic sounds were made. Working with this hardware will make you listen to, and work with, music in a different, unique way. Instead of working with a mouse and screen you work hands-on with real instruments. It is a highly intuitive work method that produces surprising, challenging results again and again.
The Willem Twee Studios team comprises experts in sound design, production, composition, and sound art, who are available to assist resident composers, musicians, and artists in their creative process when needed.
Location
Willem Twee Studios is located in the heart of Den Bosch (officially ‘s-Hertogenbosch), a vibrant, historic city in the South-West of the Netherlands. Known for its medieval architecture, cultural heritage, and artistic atmosphere, the city’s well-preserved old town is characterised by narrow cobblestone streets, the iconic Gothic-style St. John’s Cathedral, and picturesque canals that invite exploration. Den Bosch is a hub of creativity, with numerous galleries, art studios, and cultural festivals and it is the hometown of one of the most notable painters of the early Dutch School, Hieronymus Bosch.
Only an hour’s train-ride from Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp, Den Bosch is at the intersection of creativity. Surrounded by nature reserves like the Het Bossche Broek, its inhabitants can find tranquility in the landscapes just outside the city.
Who is this residency aimed at?
This residency is aimed at two artists working in the fields of music composition, sound art, digital art or cinema.
This residency is for you if you require the following elements:
- Professional connections
- Immersion in an urban culture
- Artistic and technical guidance
- Honing your knowledge of specific techniques and/or materials
- An interdisciplinary setting
Types of eligible projects
This residency welcomes artists who wish to create new sounds, research sound, explore new compositional ideas, and experiment.
Practical information
- Working languages: Dutch, English.
- Number of artists in residence: There will not be other artists in residence alongside the Nouveau Grand Tour NL artists in residence. However, Willem Twee Studios is frequently visited by Dutch and international artists.
- Accessibility: Willem Twee Studios is accessible to those using a wheelchair.
- Hosting of family members: The Nouveau Grand Tour NL artists in residence can welcome a family member in their private rooms, if needed.
- Travelling to and from the train station: Willem Twee Studios is only a 10-minute walk from the Den Bosch (’s-Hertogenbosch) Central Station, which is well connected, with trains to and from Amsterdam every ten minutes.
- Access to supermarkets: As Willem Twee Studios is located in the city centre, there are many shops around and a supermarket just a 5-minute walk away.
- Cultural institutions close by: Het Noordbrabants Museum; Design Museum; Jheronimus Bosch Art Center
Support and guidance
In addition to the financial, administrative, human and professional support provided by the Institut français NL, the residency offers the following support:
- Artistic guidance: The Nouveau Grand Tour NL artists in residence can easily request guidance from the Willem Twee Studios team. The team is composed of sound and music professionals, with expertise in sound design, composition, sound, media and visual arts.
- Material guidance: A list of the equipment and instruments present on site can be requested.
- Technical guidance: Technical guidance can be provided by the Willem Twee Studios team.
- Accommodation: A shared apartment is available for the Nouveau Grand Tour NL artists in residence. They will have their own private bedroom and will share the kitchen and bathroom.
- Workspace: Willem Twee Studios offers access to three studios. The main two studios are home to an extensive collection of vintage electronic instruments. Studio 1 features a large array of test and measurement equipment from the early 1950s, with a focus on the creation and production of electronic sounds. Studio 2 hosts a remarkable collection of early analogue synthesizers, including an ARP2500, a large Serge modular system, and an EMS VCS3, among others. In addition to the studios and accessible on request, Willem Twee Studios also has a concert hall, Toonzaal, located in a former synagogue, equipped with a small church organ and a Steinway C grand piano. The hall is ideal for acoustic recordings, which can then be processed and manipulated in the studios. Upon their arrival, the Nouveau Grand Tour NL artists in residence will be given a tour of the three studios, after which they will have a 24/7 access to them.
- Professional guidance: The Willem Twee Studios team is connected to a large network of local, national and international professionals and organisations, and can facilitate connections when appropriate.
- Public programme: The Nouveau Grand Tour NL artists in residence have the opportunity to give a presentation of their work to the public, depending on their project and research. Moreover, the Nouveau Grand Tour NL artists in residence will be able to attend Willem Twee’s programmation for the public including concerts, exhibitions and presentations, which sometimes take place in the Toonzaal.
Contact information
- Address: Prins Bernhardstraat 6, 5211HE ’s-Hertogenbosch
- Website: Willem Twee Studios
- Programme coordinator: Rikkert Brok, coordinator (Willem Twee Studios)
