WhyNot Festival 2027:
Ancient Futures

Ancient Future: imagining new perspectives through art and performance

What can the knowledge, stories, and perspectives of the past reveal about possible futures? During the upcoming edition of the biennial WhyNot Festival 2027, artists and audiences are invited to explore how different ways of knowing, imagining, remembering and relating to the world can inspire artistic visions on possible futures.

Through a pluriversal lens, the festival moves beyond a single dominant perspective and creates space for multiple voices, cultural viewpoints, and forms of knowledge. Artists investigate how inherited ideas, contemporary realities, and speculative futures intersect — questioning how we understand the body, identity, community, and our relationship with the world around us.

On 15 and 16 January 2027, the historic halls of Felix Meritis in the heart of Amsterdam will become a meeting place for artists, thinkers, and audiences. Through performances, conversations, and encounters, WhyNot Festival creates a space for artistic experimentation, intellectual exchange, and collective reflection.

As a cultural house dedicated to dialogue and imagining the future through diverse perspectives, Felix Meritis provides the ideal context for this exploration. Visitors are invited to experience works that challenge conventions, expand perspectives, and open up new ways of thinking about what the future can be.

Join us for two inspiring days of performance, discovery, and exchange — where artistic imagination connects past knowledge with future possibilities.