Open Jazz Session

Tumult is the new name for VRIJDAG, the house for amateur arts in Groningen. After years of being spread over three locations, the organisation consolidated into a single building on the Sint Jansstraat, at the foot of the Martinitoren and next to the Forum. The new premises open to the public on 26 September 2026, bringing music, theatre and visual arts together under one roof in the middle of the city. The name change was a deliberate one. According to director Pim Luiten, VRIJDAG was often mistaken for an insurer or an employment agency, and the organisation wanted to be rid of that association. Tumult was chosen because art is allowed to chafe and stir things up. The mission itself stays the same: everyone in Groningen should be able to take part in art and culture. Luiten describes the aim as a central, lively breeding ground where people walk in to make things, discover things and meet each other. Much of what happens at Tumult is participatory rather than purely a matter of watching. The building offers lessons, courses and workshops in music, theatre and visual arts for all ages and levels, and it also has a role in music groups for people with disabilities. Alongside this educational and community work, Tumult is listed as a place where touring artists play. The Dutch act Lumï, for example, is scheduled to appear there in January 2027. For concert goers it is best understood as a community arts centre with a live programme, a place where amateur practice and public performance share the same address.