circular economy

In 2025, the cultural programme Arcadia organises a 100-day festival in Fryslân. From 17 May to 24 August, there will be performances, projects, installations and other expressions of art and culture. With this, Arcadia aims to stimulate a creative and resilient region working together on the major social transitions of our time. The (literal) centre of Arcadia is Bouwurk; an impressive building that is averse to all rules. A structure full of new ideas and first times. With walls of Fryske soil, sustainable produce and creative building blocks from all over the province. Everyone is allowed to help build the Bouwurk. And that also may be done by the initiatives from the surrounding villages and towns. Here, an enthusiastic community works together with visitors on projects around the themes of culture, climate and health.

The fish migration river will be a circular icon project of international stature, creating a new ecological connection between the Wadden Sea and the IJsselmeer. It will re-use raw materials such as sand, clay and basalt blocks. These raw materials are released when the Afsluitdijk is reinforced.

The NTCP (National Testing centre Circular Plastics) is a non-profit organisation and the first independent test centre in Europe. At their centre in Heerenveen, they conduct research, tests and experiments to contribute to a closed plastic cycle.