We are excited to invite you to come hang out and get involved in BUILDING BLOCKS: A Community Hang on May 22nd. During this evening at BIRD we meet with Rotterdam’s finest from the scene. Together with musical all-rounders we connect, network, talk about the community, the current climate here in Rotterdam and thoughts for the future. We then dive deep into the night with a special jam session edition. A musical playground welcoming musicians and music lovers. Seasoned pros and emerging talents meet in the pit and crush barriers, differences, labels, and genres while improvising.

Building Blocks lays down the foundation for tomorrow’s artists with roots in HipHop, R&B, Jazz, Soul & Electronic ready to showcase their talent to the world! A collaborative effort of Rotterdam-based organisations, including BIRD, House of Knowledge, de Nieuwe Lichting, and Cult North, all dedicated to nurturing musical talent in our city. 

We warm up from 7:30 PM with a meet & greet in the Garden of BIRD, followed by an open conversation with Michelle Kuypers (Program manager North Sea Jazz / Talent booker Mojo), Enoma Amayo (Head of ProgramMotel Mozaïque), Neema Nekesa (Artist), Kay Slice (Artist), moderated by Tasha Slagtand (Co-founder & Creative Director House of Knowledge) reflecting on the current musical climate in Rotterdam. Focusing on artistic co-creation and experimentation, career development, and music communities, we invite you to engage in conversation. From 10:00 PM onward, we’ll be hosting a jam session at the BIRD café, open for everyone to attend. Hosting the session will be Anton de Bruin – keys, Noam Wallé – guitar, Junior Appiah – drums, Aditya Sardjono – bass, Neema Nekesa – vocals, Tasha Slagtand – vocals, Kay Slice – vocals.  This jam session is open to the public.

Your presence means everything; without it, the gathering simply won’t be the same. This is an open invitation to actively engage with the scene, contribute to its vibrancy, and foster its growth. Don’t miss out—your participation is what makes this event truly special!

Event Schedule

Welcome (RSVP only)
Time: 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: Garden of BIRD
Details: Join us for pizza, drinks, and an opportunity to meet and greet.

Building Blocks Talk (RSVP only)
Time: 8:30 PM – 9:45 PM
Location: BIRD
Details: Exploring Rotterdam’s music scene through open dialogue.

Jam Session (open to public)
Time: 10:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Location: BIRD Cafe
Details: Diving deep into the night with a special jam session edition. 

Entrance is free but we require attendants to RSVP before 20 May, spots for the Meet & greet and talk are limited.

Hosted by BIRD, House of Knowledge, Cult North & De Nieuwe lichting this event promises to be a vibrant gathering of creative minds, music, and spirits, dedicated to artists and music professionals in Rotterdam. We hope you can join us to connect, collaborate, and celebrate the richness of Rotterdam’s music community.

Building Blocks: A Community Hang is the first initiative in Rotterdam part of the ‘music hub scheme’. Stages and talent development organisations from the West of the Netherlands have joined forces in a shared initiative known as the ‘music hub’, in which we pursue a common goal to support artists in developing a professional career on a local, regional and national level. Together we aim to build a sustainable infrastructure for talented acts, create a fertile breeding ground for local talent and offer promising acts opportunities to develop further on an artistic, organisational and personal level. The music hub is a collaboration of: Patronaat, Popcentrum Slachthuis, INI Movement, Vanguard, Paradiso, Super Sonic Jazz, PAARD, Orisun Studio, House of Knowledge, and BIRD.