WHO WE ARE
ABOUT US
Red Light Arts & Culture is a new organization consisting of young, locally living and working, professional musicians and creative people based in the heart of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Our goal is to increase the liveability of the neighborhood by adding to the rich cultural history and diversity of the Red Light District.
Our first project is classical music concerts where we bring:
*music in unconventional locations
*new & diverse audiences to classical music
*diverse activities & audiences to the Red Light District
The team consists of Galit Zadok (she/her), Nilton Moreira Da Silva (he/him), TJ Leeuwerick (they/them), iara Perillo (she/her), Albert Manders (he/him), Adanya Dunn (she/her), Alex Bulten (he/him).
CONTACT US:
redlightartsandculture [AT] gmail [DOT] com
WHO WE ARE
ABOUT US
Red Light Arts & Culture is a new organization consisting of young, locally living and working, professional musicians and creative people based in the heart of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Our goal is to increase the liveability of the neighborhood by adding to the rich cultural history and diversity of the Red Light District.
Our first project is classical music concerts where we bring:
*music in unconventional locations
*new & diverse audiences to classical music
*diverse activities & audiences to the Red Light District
The team consists of Galit Zadok (she/her), Nilton Moreira Da Silva (he/him), TJ Leeuwerick (they/them), iara Perillo (she/her), Albert Manders (he/him), Adanya Dunn (she/her), Alex Bulten (he/him).
CONTACT US: redlightartsandculture [AT] gmail [DOT] com
Promo Video by Fabio van Elswijk (Avis Media)
Music and performers in the video: Niki de Vlaming, Gioia Kuipers, Wan-Ru Cheng, La Voz Humana, Albert Manders and Adanya Dunn.
Big thank you to Marijn Schulte, Pia Pleijsier, Hinse Mutter, Adanya Dunn, Albert Manders, Fabio van Elswijk, and Niki de Vlaming for making this video possible.
WHO WE ARE
THE TEAM
Alex Bulten (he/him)
Alex is a marketing, PR and communications professional by day and an avid flâneur by night. With a Bachelor of Arts within Cultural Studies and Sociology at UvA in the pocket, he holds a deep love and passion for Amsterdam, urban (sub)cultures and queer life. He has dreams of starting his own initiatives to enrich the (queer) cultural life of Amsterdam for future ventures. In the past he has done production and location managing for initiatives like Stukafest Amsterdam, for which he’s now an active member of the Advisory Board.
The dichotomy between the partying tourists, the tremendous and sometimes horrendous bustle on the streets, and the interesting people, initiatives and stories within the community of the Red Light District are what keeps him fascinated and innately interested in the area.
Adanya Dunn (she/her)
Adanya is a Canadian-Bulgarian operatic mezzo-soprano, living in the Red Light District in Amsterdam for 3.5 years. Her frequent collaborations with composers, librettists and collectives have given her the opportunity to sing during the premiere of more than 200 works. Adanya has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Four Seasons Center in Toronto, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and made her debut at the Muziekgebouw with the Jonge Grote Zangers.
Galit Zadok (she/her)
Living in the historic Wallen neighbourhood for 6 years, just opposite the Oude Kerk was a wonderful experience for me, a musician who centres her career around music of the 15th-18th century alongside contemporary music.
Galit Zadok is an Israeli recorder and historical bassoon player based in The Netherlands. She had completed her master’s degree with Prof. Dr. Donna Agrell and Wouter Verschuren (Dulcian) at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague. Her previous studies were in the Conservatorium van Amsterdamn where she studied historical bassoon with Benny Aghassi, modern bassoon with Jos de Lange, and recorders with Jorge Isaac and Erik Bosgraaf. She was also accepted to the Erasmus programme at the Conservatorio di Milano where she had studied historical bassoon with Prof. Alberto Grazzi. Galit is the (co-)musical director of the early music ensembles we’N band and La Voz Humana.
Photo by: Marijn Schulte Photography
Nilton Moreira da Silva (he/him)
My name is Nilton Moreira da Silva. I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. As a child growing up there I felt right at home in musea, especially those who explore themes of cultural identity and diversity. A lot of it has to do with the fact that I inherited African, indigenous and European ancestry and I learnt about this complex history with the oral stories of my family.
Living in the Netherlands, I learned to navigate the Dutch community while making room for my own complex heritage and how these two relate to each other. I became an artist to further understand how we can create a sense of belonging in relation to our common heritage.
I have successfully completed the visual arts education at Utrecht School of Arts (HKU) and later obtained another degree at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, where I participated in the international class of video artist Nan Hoover. At this stage in my life, I can state I have gained a rich variety of experiences in the world of art and cultural education. As an artist it has always been my goal to involve the viewers in my art projects.
I have often been asked by schools and several education departments of museums and cultural institutions to develop concepts for workshops and creative ways to engage different generations and communities. My purpose is to encourage people to find their own relevance in what we inherit.
Queer Amsterdam, Museum Catharijneconvent, Africa Museum, Boijmans van Beuningen, Dansateliers/Rotterdam, SKVR and Kunstuitleen Utrecht are examples of cooperation partners.
But I consider myself rather an artworker than an artist. If one thing must characterize my artistry it will be that it develops in continuous interaction with the environment.
With that, I allow myself the context I have to deal with to influence my artistic choices. This style, which I characterize as an open and engaging style, derives from my opinion. That being an artist is not just producing art but dealing with the cultural dimension of social processes.
Photo by: Edwin Smits
TJ Leeuwerik (they/them)
TJ Leeuwerik (they/them) is a philosopher and creative. They have a Bachelor of Philosophy from the University of Amsterdam and have written their thesis on “The (universal) subject in Butler’s ethics of precarity”. TJ helped organize the first edition (2021) of Violet Gaze, an Amsterdam-based group that hosts events for FLINTS. TJ worked at the local ‘Skek bar Zeedijk in the Red Light District, where they also performed some of their original music on voice and guitar. TJ enjoys hiking and dogs!
Dionne Gillick (she/her)
Dionne is currently a Masters student of Heritage & Memory Studies at the University of Amsterdam in the Nieuwmarkt area. Originally from Ireland, her background is in Gaelic Studies, specialising in folklore and oral tradition, especially through a colonial perspective. This has led to her interest in exploring the link between storytelling, culture, heritage, and community.
Iara Perillo (she/her)
Iara de Carvalho Perillo (2000) obtained her Bachelor in Classical Flute under the guidance of Marieke Schneemann at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, with whom she also had been studying at the Young Talent Academy since 2015.
She has collaborated with many (project) orchestras and ensembles including the Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands, Jong Nederlands Blazers Ensemble West, Jonge Blazers Nederland, North Holland Youth Orchestra, Klassiek Collectief, Ricciotti Ensemble and Orchestre Partout. She also performed solo with pianist Vital Stahievitch in the Recital Hall of the Concertgebouw.
Iara is active as soloist and leader in various chamber music ensembles, including the Paleia trio (flute/violin/viola) and Duo Dufonte (flute/harp). With this last ensemble she won second prize in the Rosa Spier competition in the ensemble category in 2020. Next to these classical ensembles she also plays in and is part of the crossover ensemble Nachtlicht and interdisciplinary ensemble ‘W O R D S’.
Photo by: Adanya Dunn
Albert Manders (he/him)
Albert Manders is a composer, flutist, artistic and executive director. He moved from the US to Amsterdam in 2006 to study contemporary flute and composition. Interested in all sides of artistic expression and cultural management he has worked in many roles including chamber musician, artistic leadership, financial direction, production, and marketing, and has created a number of music(theater) projects including Eendagsliederen, Passing Sounds and SLOT.
Photo by: Marijn Schulte Photography
WHO WE ARE
THE TEAM
Alex Bulten (he/him)
Alex is a marketing, PR and communications professional by day and an avid flâneur by night. With a Bachelor of Arts within Cultural Studies and Sociology at UvA in the pocket, he holds a deep love and passion for Amsterdam, urban (sub)cultures and queer life. He has dreams of starting his own initiatives to enrich the (queer) cultural life of Amsterdam for future ventures. In the past he has done production and location managing for initiatives like Stukafest Amsterdam, for which he’s now an active member of the Advisory Board.
The dichotomy between the partying tourists, the tremendous and sometimes horrendous bustle on the streets, and the interesting people, initiatives and stories within the community of the Red Light District are what keeps him fascinated and innately interested in the area.
Galit Zadok (she/her)
Living in the historic Wallen neighbourhood for 6 years, just opposite the Oude Kerk was a wonderful experience for me, a musician who centres her career around music of the 15th-18th century alongside contemporary music.
Galit Zadok is an Israeli recorder and historical bassoon player based in The Netherlands. She had completed her master’s degree with Prof. Dr. Donna Agrell and Wouter Verschuren (Dulcian) at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague. Her previous studies were in the Conservatorium van Amsterdamn where she studied historical bassoon with Benny Aghassi, modern bassoon with Jos de Lange, and recorders with Jorge Isaac and Erik Bosgraaf. She was also accepted to the Erasmus programme at the Conservatorio di Milano where she had studied historical bassoon with Prof. Alberto Grazzi. Galit is the (co-)musical director of the early music ensembles we’N band and La Voz Humana.
Photo by: Marijn Schulte Photography
Nilton Moreira da Silva (he/him)
My name is Nilton Moreira da Silva. I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. As a child growing up there I felt right at home in musea, especially those who explore themes of cultural identity and diversity. A lot of it has to do with the fact that I inherited African, indigenous and European ancestry and I learnt about this complex history with the oral stories of my family.
Living in the Netherlands, I learned to navigate the Dutch community while making room for my own complex heritage and how these two relate to each other. I became an artist to further understand how we can create a sense of belonging in relation to our common heritage.
I have successfully completed the visual arts education at Utrecht School of Arts (HKU) and later obtained another degree at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, where I participated in the international class of video artist Nan Hoover. At this stage in my life, I can state I have gained a rich variety of experiences in the world of art and cultural education. As an artist it has always been my goal to involve the viewers in my art projects.
I have often been asked by schools and several education departments of museums and cultural institutions to develop concepts for workshops and creative ways to engage different generations and communities. My purpose is to encourage people to find their own relevance in what we inherit.
Queer Amsterdam, Museum Catharijneconvent, Africa Museum, Boijmans van Beuningen, Dansateliers/Rotterdam, SKVR and Kunstuitleen Utrecht are examples of cooperation partners.
But I consider myself rather an artworker than an artist. If one thing must characterize my artistry it will be that it develops in continuous interaction with the environment.
With that, I allow myself the context I have to deal with to influence my artistic choices. This style, which I characterize as an open and engaging style, derives from my opinion. That being an artist is not just producing art but dealing with the cultural dimension of social processes.
Photo by: Edwin Smits
Adanya Dunn (she/her)
Adanya is a Canadian-Bulgarian operatic mezzo-soprano, living in the Red Light District in Amsterdam for 3.5 years. Her frequent collaborations with composers, librettists and collectives have given her the opportunity to sing during the premiere of more than 200 works. Adanya has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Four Seasons Center in Toronto, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and made her debut at the Muziekgebouw with the Jonge Grote Zangers.
TJ Leeuwerik (they/them)
TJ Leeuwerik (they/them) is a philosopher and creative. They have a Bachelor of Philosophy from the University of Amsterdam and have written their thesis on “The (universal) subject in Butler’s ethics of precarity”. TJ helped organize the first edition (2021) of Violet Gaze, an Amsterdam-based group that hosts events for FLINTS. TJ worked at the local ‘Skek bar Zeedijk in the Red Light District, where they also performed some of their original music on voice and guitar. TJ enjoys hiking and dogs!
Iara Perillo (she/her)
Iara de Carvalho Perillo (2000) obtained her Bachelor in Classical Flute under the guidance of Marieke Schneemann at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, with whom she also had been studying at the Young Talent Academy since 2015.
She has collaborated with many (project) orchestras and ensembles including the Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands, Jong Nederlands Blazers Ensemble West, Jonge Blazers Nederland, North Holland Youth Orchestra, Klassiek Collectief, Ricciotti Ensemble and Orchestre Partout. She also performed solo with pianist Vital Stahievitch in the Recital Hall of the Concertgebouw.
Iara is active as soloist and leader in various chamber music ensembles, including the Paleia trio (flute/violin/viola) and Duo Dufonte (flute/harp). With this last ensemble she won second prize in the Rosa Spier competition in the ensemble category in 2020. Next to these classical ensembles she also plays in and is part of the crossover ensemble Nachtlicht and interdisciplinary ensemble ‘W O R D S’.
Photo by: Adanya Dunn
Albert Manders (he/him)
Albert Manders is a composer, flutist, artistic and executive director. He moved from the US to Amsterdam in 2006 to study contemporary flute and composition. Interested in all sides of artistic expression and cultural management he has worked in many roles including chamber musician, artistic leadership, financial direction, production, and marketing, and has created a number of music(theater) projects including Eendagsliederen, Passing Sounds and SLOT.
Photo by: Marijn Schulte Photography
Dionne Gillick (she/her)
Dionne is currently a Masters student of Heritage & Memory Studies at the University of Amsterdam in the Nieuwmarkt area. Originally from Ireland, her background is in Gaelic Studies, specialising in folklore and oral tradition, especially through a colonial perspective. This has led to her interest in exploring the link between storytelling, culture, heritage, and community.