Lustrum festival
Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht are hosting a celebration to mark their Lustrum, and you’re invited!
Over the weekend of 12–13 September, the University Library (Binnenstad) will be transformed into a vibrant festival hub. Both the historic building and the courtyard will provide the backdrop for a cultural festival brimming with music and socialising.
What can you expect?
🎭 Performances by (student) music and dance groups
📚 Discover the rich history of the University Library building and the Special Collections
🎓 Exhibitions, talks and a book market
🍷 A cosy terrace with snacks and drinks
Everyone is welcome
The festival is free to attend for everyone from the city and the wider region. Whether you’re a student, staff member, local resident or curious passer-by, this is the perfect opportunity to get to know the many facets of Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht.
Programme
Programme for Saturday 12 September
Grote Podium Square
- 11.30–12.15: Spuit 11
- 12.45–13.30: Score
- 14.00–14.45: Hillsback Brass Band
- 15.15–15.45: Score
- 16.30–18.00: USBB
Small Stage Square
- 12.15–12.45: Catching Cultures Orchestra
- 13.30–14.00: Catching Cultures Orchestra
- 14.45–15.15: Tzigane
- 15.45–16.00: Hillsback Brass Band
- 16.00–16.15: Poetry competition prize-giving ceremony
- 16.15–16.30: Hillsback Brass Band
Square / terrace
- 11.00–16.15: Ongoing Poetry competition exhibition
- Experiments at the University Museum
- Utrecht Reading Benches
- Portraits of Human Rights
Lodewijk
- 11.00–11.30: Odevare
- 11.30–12.15: Catching Cultures Orchestra
- 12.45–13.15: Odevare
- 14.00–14.30: Tzigane
Also:
- 11.00–16.00: Open Monument Day information desk and starting point for guided tours
Grande Galerie
- 11.00–13.30: Discussions on AI
- 14.00–16.30: Discussions on AI
Also:
- 12.30–13.00: In conversation with visitors – Being a University
- 1.30 pm–2.00 pm: In conversation with visitors – Being a University
- 3.30 pm–4.00 pm: In conversation with visitors – Being a University
And:
- 11.00 am–4.15 pm: Ongoing exhibitions: Special Collections, University Library
- ‘Being a University’ tapestry exhibition
Grande Galerie Staircase
- 12.00–12.30: Tzigane
- 14.45–15.15: Capella con Sensus
Chapel
- 12.45–13.15: LOF Dance Crew
- 14.00–14.30: LOF Dance Crew
- 15.30–16.00: Capella con Sensus
Anteroom
- 11.15–16.00: Book market
Programme for Sunday 13 September
Square / terrace
- 13.00–13.45: Utrecht Student Choir and Orchestra
- 14.15–15.00: Utrecht Student Concert and Medusa
- 15.15: Start of poetry walks
Throughout the day:
- Utrecht Reading Benches
- Catering
| Gesprekken over AI (conversations about AI) | Join a discussion with AI researchers from Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht. Share your concerns and/or expectations and find out more about what AI can and cannot do. |
| Capella con Sensus | Capella con Sensus is a vocal ensemble led by Joep de Bont. We sing for people who are unable to attend a concert themselves but who do enjoy music: in care homes, prisons or psychiatric hospitals. Our repertoire consists of polyphonic a cappella music, a mix of classical pieces, evergreens and pop. |
| Being a University | In conversation with art: What do you see when you look at the tapestry ‘Being a University’? And how does this fit with your image of the university? Come and view this remarkable work of art together with fellow city residents. Discover how others view the university and share your own perspective in an open discussion. |
| Spuit 11 | SPUIT11 is the anniversary band of the Orca University Rowing Club. With energetic covers and their student anthem Dromen Over Morgen (Dreaming of Tomorrow), written especially for Utrecht University, they’re sure to get the party started. |
| USBB | Steamy beats, brilliant solos and rousing rhythms: the Utrecht Student Big Band turns every occasion into a party. Nineteen students blend jazz, soul, funk, Latin and pop into something truly unique: a fresh take on jazz music that resonates with a wide audience. They can be seen at festivals, galas and their own major concert projects. |
| Universiteitsmuseum (University museum) | Would you like to know what a cat looks like on the inside? Test whether you’re stronger than air? Or find out if you can do two things at once? Explore this and more at the UMU (Utrecht University Museum) research square! |
| Bijzondere Collecties (Special Collections) | The University Library’s Special Collections reflect Utrecht’s 390-year history as a student and university city. Delve into student life of yesteryear through student almanacs from the 19th and early 20th centuries, admire high-quality reproductions of masterpieces, and explore the collections interactively using the Experience Table. |
| Catching Cultures Orchestra | Catching Cultures is an innovative, intercultural ensemble from Utrecht, driven by the belief that tradition is the fuel for the sound of the future. By bringing together diverse musical cultures – from Arabic and Nigerian to Kurdish, Chinese and Latin American – they fuse global narratives into groundbreaking compositions and arrangements ranging from danceable festival pop to understated modern classical pieces. The music is a sincere and forward-thinking dialogue between cultures. |
| Odevare | Odevare is a three-piece band comprising multi-instrumentalists Ide Cornelissen, Pieter Wattel and Michiel Dutilh. They met whilst studying at the conservatoire in Utrecht. Using violin, mandolin, guitar, double bass, keyboards and vocals, they explore the sound of the new Dutch folk. Based in Utrecht, we take you on a journey with quirky instrumental pieces and heartfelt, evocative songs that paint a world in pastel colours, where the edges are slightly less sharp and you can catch your breath for a moment. |
| Gedichtenwedstrijd | Celebrate the power of Utrecht through words! At the ‘Utrecht: Your place, your words’ awards ceremony, we’ll be congratulating the winners and listening to readings of the four winning poems or spoken-word pieces. Be inspired by poetry about home, identity and a sense of belonging, and discover how language enriches our view of the Utrecht region. |
| Score | Sixteen voices, one sound. SCORE is a vocal group from Utrecht that moves its audience with warm harmonies, surprising close-harmony arrangements and infectious energy. With a distinctive sound, a diverse range of musical styles and a strong focus on the individual strengths of each singer, SCORE delivers a performance brimming with musicality, quality and enjoyment. |
| Experimenting and learning together in the neighbourhood | You want to do something to improve, for example, the quality of life, sustainability, biodiversity or safety in your neighbourhood. You want to try something out, test it and then (if successful) develop it further. How do you get something like this started and how do you build on it? In the city of Utrecht, initiatives of this kind – also known as ‘testing grounds’ or ‘living labs’ – are more common and widespread than you might think! At ‘Experimenting and learning together in the neighbourhood’, professionals and experts by experience will discuss what you can do in your own neighbourhood. Start small, think big. At ‘Experimenting and learning together in the neighbourhood’, professionals and experts by experience will discuss what you can do in your own neighbourhood. Start small, think big. |
| Open Monument Day guided tours | The University Library Binnenstad building on the Drift has been home to many different kinds of residents: clergy, King Louis Napoleon with his wife Hortense and their court, and nowadays, mainly students. They come here to study and meet up with one another. During Open Monument Day, the library staff will be delighted to share fascinating stories with you and show you round the building. |
| Describe your 31st human right | The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) sets out 30 human rights. These include the right to education, the prohibition of slavery, equal treatment and the right to vote. This Declaration was drawn up more than 75 years ago and needs to be updated, as today’s world faces challenges that could not have been foreseen in 1948. Human rights are not an abstract theory; they shape the everyday reality of citizens. Be inspired by stories from residents who explain how a specific right affects them in their daily lives, and let us know which right you think should not be missing! |
| L.O.F. Dance Crew | L.O.F. Dance Crew from Utrecht is bringing a contemporary dance performance to the chapel of the University Library. Inspired by the generations of students who come here to learn, gain knowledge and grow, the dancers portray a story of movement, development and new chapters. |
| Tzigane | Tzigane is a music ensemble from the Utrecht Student Corps, founded in 1910. They perform Gypsy music, Gypsy jazz, waltzes and tangos all over the world, having learnt these styles from Gypsy musicians in Budapest. The line-up on 12 September consists of alumni from Utrecht University. |
- Start date and time
- End date and time
- Location
- Utrecht University Library, Drift 27 Utrecht
- Entrance fee
- Free of charge