Searing post-punk, intimate performances, and unexpected encounters: this was MOMO Festival 2025
Three days of discovery at the beating heart of Rotterdam
Motel Mozaïque’s 25th anniversary transformed Rotterdam into a vibrant stage for music, art and performance. From April 17 to 19 visitors gathered to experience a rich, boundary-blurring program where multiple voices and creative crossovers took center stage.
A unifying mosaic of art, people and the city
Motel Mozaïque sees the world as a mosaic: every piece unique and valuable, but only truly meaningful when connected. This vision came to life during the anniversary edition. Over three days, the mosaic was enriched with new perspectives and urgent stories — from intimate shows to packed concert halls, a sun-drenched, two-day free MOMO Playground program at Schouwburgplein, and a cultural introduction for children through My First MOMO.
Pushing musical boundaries
Audiences embarked on a genre-spanning musical journey. At a packed Perron, electro-wizard and poet of the everyday Antony Szmierek fused hip-hop, house, spoken word, and rave. Post-punk sensation Squid wrapped their tentacles around Theater Rotterdam and didn’t let go, storming through a groovy, adventurous set. In the intimate setting of the Waalse Kerk, folk singer Anna B Savage captivated with a powerful voice and raw, vulnerable lyrics. Rising star Nectar Woode delivered a smooth, feel-good blend of soul and R&B. Kuduro icon Pongo closed the programme in Theater Rotterdam with an explosive finale of high-energy beats and irresistible rhythm.
Healing and activism
The premiere of my sweet nasty lunacy by Hélène Vrijdag and the Bubbling Baby expo curated by Sharine Rijsenburg offered fresh perspectives on sexual freedom. A thread of healing ran through the Art Motel sleepover, the dreamlike swings of Playful Dreamscape, the musical quest Gowtu Pretu, and the transcendent experience by Joep Beving & Maarten Vos — inviting visitors to check in, in their own way, to the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Kay Slice’s Listening Session lifted the audience to a higher plane with a transcendent journey through sound and the rich culture of the Afro-diaspora. In the audiovisual art residency The Liminal by Alaa Minawi, visitors became part of a compelling work in progress.
During this electrifying edition of the multidisciplinary festival, Rotterdam became the stage for a constantly moving whole that brought together artists, visitors, venues and makers through art and encounter.