​Amsterdam's kanaal40 to close for two years due to renovations

Amsterdam-based music and arts venue, kanaal40, has announced that will close close this summer for a two-year renovation period.

Revealing the news on Instagram, the venue said that it will shutter "due to a renovation of the building,” the final date for which has yet to be announced — though the venue promised it will return “twice as hard" following the building works.

Between now and summer, organisers wrote that they will be experimenting with their programming, inviting “known and unknown faces” in “old and new collaborations” as well as allowing free entrance to most of their upcoming club nights.

Creative director Moktar Nabil told Mixmag, that kanaal40 represents "where the digital and physical world can connect" and therefore it has always been the intention for kanaal40 to establish itself as a "digital channel."

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“kanaal40 is about micropop culture, it's the thing in-between underground and mainstream, so we’re always looking for people that are a little bit in between. It can be music, it can be art or politics. We believe that everything around us is political especially if you come from within a minority group" he continued.

In terms of renovations, Nabil revealed "the intention is to come back in the renovated space, combine those two things and become a digital and physical platform.”

“Its a really old building, they’re going to strip it all down and it will be completely new. That’s quite fun, we can really think with the architect about how it's going to be" he added.

During the renovation period, Nabil reassured kanaal40 will continue to delve into music, art and politics through digital means and that they are excited for this new chapter.

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kanaal40 opened in October 2022 at Warmoesstraat 66, as well as virtually at www.kanaal40.tv.

During this time, the venue hosted a club, bar and restaurant, collaborating with various creative collectives to deliver a cultural programme of artful club nights, fashion, performances, exhibitions and workshops.

Hosting local and global acts, the club nights have seen DJs, musicians and artists perform a variety of genres from R&B, amapiano and Brazilian funk to UKG, hyper-pop, everything in between and more.

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The venue is managed by 40Worldwide Foundation, a radical collective which aims to set up a global network of creatives to exchange inspiration.

This weekend, kanaal40 is set to host a free club night featuring Melis Köke, TiZi and Glabra playing a range of reggaeton, drum and bass and baile funk.

Belle Richardson is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter