Kunstbende finalists day 2026: meet the makers

In between the workshops and info sessions, a number of finalists talk about the work they’re creating for the final, what Kunstbende means to them, and their dreams for the future as makers.

Mara, 19, Flevoland preliminary round, Film category

Mara is working on her installation 'Stories for You': three photographs, a mirror and a child’s chair. Each photograph tells a different story.

‘My life has gone through different seasons, and somewhere along the way I lost the Mara from season one - the innocent, carefree Mara. I wanted to do something to find her again. I hope that when people look into the mirror, they reconnect with their younger selves too. We should all still carry that younger version of ourselves somewhere. Otherwise, life becomes far too serious.’

A Kunstbende coach helped Mara put her ideas into words.

‘Kunstbende gives you the space to be yourself and to grow. It’s a shame you can’t take part once you turn 20. They should really create a Kunstbende 2.0 for people who are older.’

Mara is currently studying at Cibap and hopes to continue her education at St. Joost School of Art & Design.

‘Through my work, I want people to reflect on themselves and on mental health. I also want others going through similar experiences to know they’re not alone.’

Denzel, 18, Drenthe preliminary round, Film category

Denzel and Kunstbende go way back. He also reached the final last year, competing in the Language category and taking second place in Film.

‘This year I entered three categories: Film, Language and Expo. I made it to the final with Film. The short film I’m showing is about a friend of mine who suddenly lost his father. It explores how he keeps himself constantly busy, almost as a way of running from his feelings.’

Denzel is currently applying to programmes in film and graphic design.

‘I hope one day my film will be shown in a sold-out cinema. I want to tell stories that show what it means to be human. There’s already enough AI.’

Wynonna, 18, Gelderland preliminary round, Music category

Wynonna was nervous about entering Kunstbende at first, but decided to go for it anyway.

‘I’ll be performing two songs I wrote myself, just me and my guitar. It’s acoustic rock, inspired by Jeff Buckley and Pearl Jam. The composition, the lyrics - I created everything myself.’

She also reached the final two years ago after winning her regional preliminary round.

‘That led to all kinds of opportunities. I was featured in local newspapers and got booked for a programme. It was my first paid gig.’

Through Kunstbende, Wynonna has received coaching in performance, pronunciation, singing and guitar playing. She has also met many new people along the way.

‘I’d love to share my songs with an audience. Having a band around me one day would be amazing. I think I can take this quite far. Recently someone said to me: “I'll be hearing a lot more from you in the future.”’

Band members Sem (16), Jenna (16), Javier (15), Milan (19), Maïza (17) and Juan (18)
Flevoland preliminary round, Music category

Band members Sem (vocals and guitar), Jenna (bass) and Javier (lead guitar) tell their story.

Sem: ‘We make rock music. The jury at the preliminary round called it pop rock, but we see it more as indie rock, with some jazz influences. The song we’ll be performing in the final is called Dissonance.’

Jenna: ‘Kunstbende has given us the opportunity to perform and show people what we can do. I really enjoy expressing myself through music. I find performing scary, but taking part in the competition has helped me open up more.’

Javier: ‘This was my first time performing in front of an audience. It’s much more fun to create a song together than to sit alone in your room. For me, Kunstbende is a way to share my talent with others.’

The band is being coached by musician Zac Chapman.

Sem: ‘He’s helping us polish the song and figure out how to really let loose on stage.’

Javier: ‘If we were to win Kunstbende this year, it could be a stepping stone to something bigger. I love making music, and whether I end up studying it or not, it’s something I’ll always keep doing.’

Kunstbende Young Creators Festival

Inspired by the stories of these young creators? On Saturday 27 June, the Kunstbende Young Creators Festival takes over Melkweg and Jimmy Woo in Amsterdam. With around 90 acts on the programme, you can experience Dance, DJ, Expo, Fashion, Film, Music, Language and Theatre throughout the day.