“Whether it’s familiar favorites or a band you’ve never heard of, the Rotterdam festival Motel Mozaïque offers an experience that will leave you amazed. A musical tour with the most unique places in Rotterdam as a backdrop.” – 3voor12

About MOMO

Since 2001, Motel Mozaïque (MOMO) has been committed to being a platform and facilitator for artists, venues, and events. MOMO is a dynamic and ever-evolving mosaic of people, art, culture, and music, united by equality and understanding, with a focus on humanity.

The elements of this mosaic stand alone, but are unified through our lens into captivating stories, concerts, or breathtaking performances. We forge new connections between artists, open doors to hidden locations, showcase Rotterdam to national and international guests, and nurture emerging talents.

Our audience observes, thinks, and evolves with us. We present music, art, and performance where visitors hear urgent stories, experience different perspectives, and meet new people. Through art, we learn from each other’s differences and similarities.

History

Known locally as MOMO, the initiative began during Rotterdam’s tenure as the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2001. Founder Harry Hamelink assembled an editorial team to scout and invite artists and performers for the festival’s initial editions. The artists created makeshift beds throughout the city, and guides led visitors on journeys to explore new parts of the program and discover hidden gems within Rotterdam.

More than twenty years later, Motel Mozaïque remains a vehicle for cultural exploration in an urban setting. It’s about discovering new music and art, as well as discovering each other and the city of Rotterdam. Over the past two decades, we’ve gained international acclaim by presenting multidisciplinary programs featuring promising acts that had never been seen in the Netherlands before. We initiated unique projects like Bazar Curieux and MOMO Fabrique, and organized performances in unexpected locations, all in collaboration with numerous venues, organizations, and individuals.

MOMO Today

Nowadays, Stichting Motel Mozaique is a non-profit cultural organization. Our energy is focused year-round on three core activities: MOMO Festival, our three-day multidisciplinary city festival; MOMO Concerts, the Rotterdam concert series; and MOMO Create, which centers on talent development. Through these core activities, we produce and present sounds and stories that represent the current times and inspire the audience.

Read more about these specific activities below!

MOMO Festival

Each year Motel Mozaïque organises the internationally respected MOMO Festival which offers a mix of alternative pop music, performance and visual arts. At special indoor locations in Rotterdam we present a cutting edge program which showcases new and upcoming movements in different art disciplines. The next edition will be in April 2025!

In more than twenty years, we invited some of the most interesting artists from the Netherlands, Europe and beyond and we saw them grow and headline the main stages of many festivals around the world.
Some of MOMO’s former guests are 2ManyDJ’s, Amenra, Amenti Theatre Company, Amon Tobin, Anohni & The Johnsons, Apparat, Aïda Gabriels, Balimaya Project, Big Thief, Black Country New Road, black midi, Damien Jurado, Eefje de Visser, Fever Ray, Fontaines D.C., George Ezra, Ichiko Aoba, James Blake, Jockstrap, Joep Beving, Kate Tempest, Kurt Vile, LCD Soundsystem, Lykke Li, Meskerem Mees, Mogwai, Mumford & Sons, Naaz, Patrick Watson, Scissor Sisters, Shame, Sylvie Kreusch, Tamino, The Notwist, The Whitest Boy Alive, Thundercat, Trentemoller, Voetvolk and many more!

Visit our archive

MOMO Concerts

We organise unforgettable live music experiences all year round, in collaboration with Rotown, Bird and LantarenVenster.

Within this series we’ve hosted artists from all over the world, like Kokoroko, Eefje de Visser, Typhoon, Kaytranada, DJ Shadow, S10, OSEES, Benny Sings, Isaiah Rashad, De Staat, Naaz and The Sniffers. Visit our Concerts page for all the upcoming gigs!

Despite Rotterdam’s rich history of music venues and pop music, the city lacks a large-capacity venue. ‘The City as a Stage’ initiative emerged to give Rotterdam a prominent place in the pop circuit. With ‘The City as a Stage’ and MOMO Concerts, we utilize Rotterdam’s unique concert locations, from Maassilo and Annabel to the Onderzeebootloods, Theater Rotterdam, de Doelen, Galerie Weisbard, and everything in between.

Through MOMO Concerts, we organize over thirty concerts annually in various venues with capacities ranging from 150 to 2,100 attendees, reaching a broad audience. We frequently collaborate with Live@BIRD, Rotown, and LantarenVenster. This partnership strengthens us, extends our reach, and helps us bring relevant and innovative artists to the city of Rotterdam.

Visit our Concerts page

MOMO Create

Motel Mozaïque has been investing in (young) creators and new projects from the very beginning. This includes offering a platform to emerging talent, the Young Talents Club, co-creating productions with various artists, and organizing unique residencies. Since 2021, we have consolidated these efforts into one core activity: MOMO Create.

The approach within MOMO Create is inextricably linked to MOMO Festival; we create space for creators and new ideas and allow them to grow within the MOMO ecosystem.

With MOMO Create, we provide (emerging) talents the space and challenge them to develop. We believe this is essential for the individual growth of the maker and/or artist, the dynamism within arts and culture, and our own innovative power. Projects originating from MOMO Create enhance the pioneering nature of our programming, which manifests in a strong attraction for both artists (“Motel Mozaïque is a unique opportunity for me”) and visitors (“Motel Mozaïque is where it happens”).

In addition to talent development, MOMO Create is about giving creators and the YTC the space to tell their stories. Where do they find their inspiration, and how do they create?

Organisation

Here you can find all the info about Stichting Motel Mozaïque, our organisation’s info, ANBI, board members and partners.

Het Diner - MOMO Fabrique 2022 - By Ruben Hamelink

Sustainability

The greener the better, MOMO believes in that. Sustainability is central to everything we do and we’re constantly seeking the best way to impact our planet.

Young Talents Club

Have you always wanted to work in the festival and are you eager to gain experience? Then the Young Talents Club is the place for you. The next edition of the YTC will commence around the end of September 2025. Read more about the YTC here.