Scheppingsdrang

De Dillewijn is a small theater in Ankeveen, a village in the Gooi region of North Holland. It is housed in the former Nederlands Hervormde kerk of Ankeveen, so concerts and shows take place in a converted village church rather than in a purpose built hall. The address is on Stichts End. The programme leans toward live music in an intimate setting. Jazz and swing feature regularly, including afternoon matinee sessions such as a Winter Swing Special with a line up of piano, bass and other players. Guitarist Jan Akkerman, best known as a founding figure of Focus, has played here, and a 2025 date was listed as sold out, which gives a sense of how quickly the smaller shows can fill the room. The theater also welcomes touring acts from abroad, among them Latin music performers who have shared footage of their sets from the stage. Beyond concerts, De Dillewijn is used for musical theater and performing arts productions. The Old School Musical Foundation has staged a matinee show there on a Sunday in December, and future dates on the calendar include a stop on a 2026 live concert tour. That mix of jazz, rock heritage names, musicals and touring productions suits a venue of this scale, where the audience sits close to the performers. Because Ankeveen is a quiet village outside the busier centres of Amsterdam and Hilversum, a night here has a different character from a city club, built around the church setting and the closeness of the room.