Applications are CLOSED

Applications for the 2023 edition of the Dutch Burlesque Festival are closed

Thanks for all the wonderful videos you've sent in. We'll have a tough time deciding on the line-up. We'll inform everyone before May 16th.

The Dutch Burlesque Festival is a celebration of the weird and wonderful world of burlesque. There's no theme, no competition, just a fabulous feast of the very best burlesque.

Whether your are a seasoned pro or a rad rookie, if you have an act that’s ready for the stage, we want to hear from you! We are looking for the full breadth of burlesque genres: from the most classic beauty to the most oddball nerdlesque and everything in between. Performers of color, queer performers and those with bodies not represented in mainstream media: we would love to have you on our stage and encourage you to apply.

What we are looking for:
- Show us something we’ve never seen before… originality is key!
- We prefer acts that are no longer than 5 minutes
- Sadly, we cannot accommodate aerial, pole or acts with open fire
- We want to our stage kittens to have some fun too, so no fine glitter (confetti is allowed)

Important dates

Applications open: December 15, 2022

Application deadline: Sunday April 16th (23h59 CET)

Notification to applicants: until May 15, 2023

Dates of festival: Friday September 29 & Saturday September 30, 2023

The € 10 non-refundable application fee must be paid in order for your application to be processed.

(it would be great if you can make it a payment to "friends and family")

Additional information for performers

All artists will receive a fee of €100 per act. Duo acts will receive €150.

The Dutch Burlesque Festival takes place in the lovely city of Utrecht, right in the center of the Netherlands, smack in the middle of Europe. There is a direct, 25-minute train from the main airport Schiphol (Amsterdam) to Utrecht. We can advise you on the best way to get to and around Utrecht. You are responsible for your own accommodation, but we will be making arrangements with local hotels and hostels so all performers can have an affordable place to stay close to the venue.

On the day you are performing, you will have enough time for your run-through, and we will be providing dinner and refreshments throughout the night. Your performer pass will also give you access to the show on the night you are not performing, though there might be standing room only.

Before you arrive, you will receive a custom made burlesque city guide, telling you exactly where to buy some last-minute snaps for your costume, where to have the best lunches and where to rent a bike for that quintessentially Dutch experience!

We will do our very best to make sure all performers feel safe while in Utrecht for the Dutch Burlesque Festival. The Netherlands are one of the safest countries in Europe, but if you feel uncomfortable walking back to your hotel at night, we will arrange a chaperone. Throughout the festival, we have a strong anti-racism and -sexism policy. We will throw out anyone, performers and audience members alike, who displays offensive behavior.