PROGRAM 26 SEPTEMBER

DEBATE & Q&A – THE VALUE OF WORDS

Time: 12:00 – 13:30

Location: Slachthuis Café

Host: Remco van Eijndhoven, Culture-crazed caterpillar who likes to make things happen | International Relations Coordinator at Conservatorium Haarlem

Also available as a podcast

How much influence does a song have? When does a lyric become political? And what is an artist's responsibility in times of injustice?

During this conversation, we delve into the meaning of words in protest music. Together with artists, writers, and thinkers, we explore how language functions as a weapon, a mirror, and a cry. What does a lyric do when the stage suddenly becomes a platform? How do poetry, activism, and the performing arts relate to each other?

We will discuss concrete examples from the past and present, and reflect on current events in which the artist's voice was either muted or amplified.

Featuring: – Maria Alyokhina (Pussy Riot) – …and others

This session will also be recorded and released as a podcast afterward, for those who missed it or want to relive it.

Admission is free, and you can drop in anytime.

DEBATE & Q&A – WHO DARE TO BOOK?

Time: 15:30 – 17:00

Location: Slachthuis Café

Featuring:

– Programmers from leading venues and festivals

– Representatives from booking agencies

– Artists who have dealt with these issues

– …and you, the audience

Host: Misha van der Winkel, Artist | Producer | Founder of INI Movement | Project Lead of OSHI | Creative bridging music, culture & community

Also available as a podcast

What does it mean to program a distinctive artist in times of polarization? How much room is there left for activism on stage? And who decides what goes too far?

This debate is about the responsibility—and sometimes the risks—of bookers, programmers, and festivals when they choose activist artists. We'll discuss artistic freedom, reputational risks, cancel culture, and the power of the stage as a public space.

With high-profile examples from today—from Pussy Riot to Kneecap, from Sophie Straat to Bob Vylan—we'll delve into the dilemmas behind the scenes. What's going on behind the scenes at festivals, both large and small?

This conversation will be recorded and available as a podcast starting in October.

Admission is free, and you can join anytime.

FREEDOM LECTURE WITH JIP VAN DEN TOORN

Time: 10:30–11:30 & 14:00–15:00

Location: Slachthuis Café

How can you protest with an image? In her Freedom Lecture, cartoonist Jip van den Toorn (de Volkskrant, Vrij Nederland) demonstrates how drawings can irritate, challenge, and disrupt, thus becoming a powerful weapon in public debate.

The Freedom Lectures inspire young and old to reflect on the value of freedom, with personal stories from well-known speakers. During World Protest Song Day, Jip will share her vision on the role of visual art in activism, humor, and resistance.

Speaker: Jip van den Toorn

Admission is free, drop-in is possible at any time.

EXHIBITION: IMAGE, VINYL & RESISTANCE

Time: 09:00 - 17:00

Location: Rooms 1 & 2

The World Protest Song Day exhibition takes you through decades of music as a tool for change. From vinyl covers that made history to posters that made walls speak: protest has always been both visual and audible.

Original vinyl covers of protest albums worldwide – from Boudewijn de Groot to Kendrick Lamar

Posters with a story – historical and brand-new designs by artists from Haarlem, among others

Activism Design Assignment – with the winning design printed as a screen print and t-shirt

Book Table – browse books about the history of protest songs, from folk to hip-hop

Unique: you can listen to the original protest vinyls in the exhibition on-site via the turntable, accompanied by our host. Let the covers come to life with sound or engage in a conversation about them.

The exhibition is open throughout the festival and offers space for reflection, recognition, and inspiration. Each object tells a story of resistance—sometimes poetic, sometimes confrontational, but always poignant.

Admission is free, and you can drop in at any time.

PROTEST SQUARE: The Entrance to World Protest Song Day

Time: 09:00 – 17:00

Location: Outdoors

As soon as you enter Slachthuis Haarlem, you'll find yourself in Protest Square: the beating heart of World Protest Song Day. This place is more than just a reception – it's a vibrant meeting place where words, images, sounds, and ideals converge.

At Protest Square, you'll find:

Stands from impactful partners such as TMT-Music and Amnesty International

A vinyl sales corner with special releases

A meeting space for artists, programmers, activists, and visitors

And of course: live music, conversations, and spontaneous performances

The perfect place to start your day, exchange ideas, or catch your breath between program components.

Admission is free, and you can drop in at any time.

Films & Documentaries – Protest in Beeld & Geluid

Time: 09:00 – 17:00

Location: Slachthuis Bovenzaal

In collaboration with Beeld & Geluid, we present a carefully curated selection of short and longer documentaries that highlight the power of music as a form of protest. These screenings provide historical context and demonstrate how protest music has been used worldwide and throughout the years as a weapon of change.

Showings include:

What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)

Pete Seeger: The Power of Song (2007)

Freedom Songs: A Documentary

Rebel Dread (2022)

The Times of Harvey Milk (1984) – featuring “The Times They Are A-Changin’”

The Protest Playlist (VPRO Dorst / 3FM)

Het Klokhuis: Protest Songs – educational segment for young audiences

Armand – Rebel met een groene geest (2Doc Kort)

Other Times: Protest Songs of the Sixties

The Story of ‘Strange Fruit’ (BBC)

The Power of Protest Songs

The upstairs room of SLachthuis will be transformed into a cinematic listening space full of context, depth, and imagination. Between the clips, there will be time for discussion or a moment of silence.

Admission is free, and you can drop in at any time.

CONCERT - PUSSY RIOT: RIOT DAYS + SUPPORT

Time: 19:30 – 22:30

Location: Slachthuis Café

TICKETS

Pussy Riot: Riot Days

Not just any show, but an explosive mix of concert, theater, and political happening. Riot Days is based on the memoirs of Maria Alyokhina (Pussy Riot) and tells the story of resistance, oppression, and revolution. The internationally acclaimed performance has already been performed over 200 times worldwide.

Slachthuis Café | 9:00 PM

Support: Eric J. Breitenbach (New Age Doom)

Canadian drummer and producer Eric J. Breitenbach (New Age Doom) provides support. His solo drum performance is a raw, experimental mix of percussion, drone, rock, dub, and jazz—a hypnotic live show that surprises musically and visually.

DJs – PROTEST RECORDS TO THE LAST NOTE

Time: 22:30 – 00:00

Location: Slachthuis Café

We'll close out the evening with a selection of DJs from the Slachthuis network. Expect activist grooves, rousing protest tracks, and rare vinyl gems—from classical to contemporary, from soul to punk. Dance, listen, or chat: the protest beat doesn't stop until closing time.