Rightaboutnow

What Rightaboutnow does

Rightaboutnow Inc. (legal form: Stichting RIGHTABOUTNOW INC.; trade name RAN INC.) is an Amsterdam-based interdisciplinary hiphop and urban performing arts production house. Founded in 2014 by Marjorie Boston and Maarten van Hinte, the organization evolved from the 1992 theater group Made in da Shade and the legendary MC Theater. The company describes itself as the only independent Black performing arts center in the Netherlands and positions its work around the intersection of hiphop culture and contemporary theater. Its service to artists and audiences spans production (theater, opera, dance, spoken word, music, fashion, film), curation (the biennial RIGHTABOUTNOW Festival), coaching of mid-career urban makers, community programming (The Cypher open mic, Blockparty x Cypher, Keti Koti commemorations), and preservation (the RAN Archives for Black Performing Arts developed with Allard Pierson, Podiumkunst.net, De Balie and The Need For Legacy). Education and context programs are offered to primary, secondary, MBO, HBO and WO institutions.

The organization operates a small core team of approximately ten members supported by volunteers and interns, working from a headquarters on IJburg (Ben van Meerendonkstraat 57, Amsterdam), Amsterdam's youngest district (~24,000 residents, 32% under 18). There is no technology platform: the offering is entirely event-driven and human-curated, with no APIs, SDKs, or proprietary software. The product surface consists of the biennial RIGHTABOUTNOW Festival (last held December 2024, next scheduled December 3–6, 2026 across CC Amstel, OBA, Cinetol, and Tempel), a touring slate of theater productions (DESIREE, KINGS, Modi, HELDENDAAD, RESET, LENNOX, FUIST, WIENAAMIK), recurring community formats (The Cypher, Blockparty x Cypher), education/workshops, and the RAN Archives.

Revenue is non-disclosed and built on four streams: structural public funding from Amsterdam Fonds voor de Kunst (AFK) and Fonds Podiumkunsten (FPK) commencing January 1, 2025; ticket sales priced from €5 (Stadspas social tier) to €27 (full day festival pass) and €10–17.50 per individual show, distributed via Eventbrite and venue box offices; tax-deductible donations enabled by ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) status; and coproduction or commission fees from institutional partners such as De Nationale Opera for LENNOX. Distribution combines direct ticketing, venue partnerships (De Brakke Grond, The Social Hub, Amsterdam Fringe Festival), educational bookings, and free community events. Marketing is multi-channel via website, newsletter, social, and earned Dutch press (Theaterkrant, NRC, Volkskrant, Het Parool, NPO Radio).

Name

Rightaboutnow

Legal name

RIGHTABOUTNOW INC.

Website

https://rightaboutnowinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rightaboutnow Inc. is an Amsterdam-based nonprofit performing arts foundation that produces hiphop and urban theater, the biennial RIGHTABOUTNOW Festival, education programs for Dutch schools, and the RAN Archives for Black Performing Arts, serving urban artists and Amsterdam audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

Keywords

• Performing arts production
• Hip-hop theater
• Urban arts programming
• Cultural festivals
• Arts education workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Structural Public Funding: RIGHTABOUTNOW INC. receives structural financing from Amsterdam Fonds voor de Kunst (AFK) and Fonds Podiumkunsten (FPK) starting January 1, 2025. This forms the primary base funding.
2. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for theater productions, festival events, and performances. Festival tickets range from €5 (Stadspas) to €27 (full day pass), with individual performance tickets from €10-17.50.
3. Donations and Public Support: Organization depends on donations and public financial support to continue creative projects. Has ANBI (charitable institution) status, making gifts tax-deductible for donors.
4. Coproduction and Commission Fees: Revenue from coproductions with partners such as De Nationale Opera for productions like Lennox hiphop-opera.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rightaboutnow Inc. is an interdisciplinary hiphop and urban performing arts production house that produces theater productions, music performances, a biennial festival (the RIGHTABOUTNOW Festival), open-mic events, educational workshops, and the RAN Archives for Black Performing Arts. It serves as the only independent Black performing arts centre in the Netherlands, providing a platform for emerging urban makers and the IJburg community in Amsterdam.

Product overview

RIGHTABOUTNOW INC. is an interdisciplinary hiphop and urban performing arts production house that operates as a single unified offering with multiple integrated components. The core offering includes the biennial RIGHTABOUTNOW Festival (the flagship platform showcasing multidisciplinary urban arts), ongoing theater productions (DESIREE, KINGS, LENNOX, Modi, etc.), and The Cypher open mic events. Supporting offerings include education/workshop programs and the RAN Archives for Black Performing Arts. Together, these components provide a comprehensive ecosystem for emerging urban artists and creators from diverse backgrounds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RIGHTABOUTNOW Festival Biennial multidisciplinary flagship festival showcasing emerging and established urban makers across hiphop, theater, dance, spoken word, fashion, film, music, talks, expo and art. Targeted at Amsterdam cultural audiences and the national performing arts community.
• Theater Productions Original theater and music-theater productions focusing on hiphop and urban performing arts, produced domestically and internationally. Targeted at theater audiences and coproducing venues.
• The Cypher Open-mic evening for new music and stage talent organized on IJburg in Amsterdam, showcasing emerging hiphop and urban artists. Targeted at local Amsterdam audiences and aspiring performers.
• Blockparty x Cypher Beach Edition Outdoor community event combining live DJs, performances, the open-mic from The Cypher and beach BBQ at Strand van IJburg. Free admission; targeted at IJburg and Amsterdam Oost residents.
• Education & Workshops Program Context programs, workshop programs by professional instructors, lesson packages and performance visits tailored for primary schools, secondary schools, MBO, HBO and WO institutions across the Netherlands.
• RAN Archives for Black Performing Arts The first interdisciplinary, non-institutional hiphop archive for and by Black performance makers, inventorying, digitizing and publicly sharing the heritage of Dutch Black performing arts in collaboration with Allard Pierson Museum, Podiumkunst.net, De Balie and The Need For Legacy.
• Modi Experimental music-theater performance by Charlene Sancho exploring grief, anxiety and control through self-produced electronic music with trap influences. Targeted at fringe festival audiences in Amsterdam.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• Prins Claus FondsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for RIGHTABOUTNOW Festival 2024, bringing national and international hiphop subcultures and performing arts together. Prins Claus Fonds Seed Awards support emerging artists and culture makers.
• De Brakke GrondflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerVlaams Cultureel Centrum de Brakke Grond collaborated as festival venue partner for 2024 10th anniversary edition (December 6-7, 2024).
• The Social HubflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestival venue partner for closing day and ongoing collaboration. Hosted festival programming in December 2024.
• DNA NextminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestival collaboration partner for 2024 edition.
• De Nationale OperaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction partner for Lennox hiphop-opera (cooperation with RIGHTABOUTNOW INC.). Composed composition commission for the production.
• Podiumkunst.netcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchive collaboration partner for RAN Archives for Black Performing Arts, working to inventory, digitize, and make archives publicly accessible.
• Allard Pierson MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchive collaboration partner for RAN Archives for Black Performing Arts.
• The BaliecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchive collaboration partner for RAN Archives for Black Performing Arts.
• The Need For LegacycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchive collaboration partner for RAN Archives for Black Performing Arts.
• Hogeschool van AmsterdamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent collaboration for HvA Take Over program at 2024 festival, with students curating stories from the neighborhood around The Social Hub.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Julidans: Annual Amsterdam-based contemporary dance festival. Comparable as a Dutch performing arts festival focused on contemporary dance and interdisciplinary work; relevant for festival-production benchmarks and Amsterdam cultural-infrastructure context.
• De Brakke Grond: Flemish cultural center in Amsterdam that served as venue partner for RAN's 10th anniversary festival (December 2024). Comparable as a performing arts venue/programmer in Amsterdam that produces and presents contemporary performing arts with cultural-diversity programming.

Direct peers

• Amsterdam Fringe Festival: Amsterdam-based performing arts festival where RAN productions such as Modi are presented. Comparable as a Dutch performing arts festival platform that hosts and showcases independent productions in the experimental and urban arts space.
• Far From The Norm: UK-based hip-hop theater company producing contemporary work rooted in Black British culture. Comparable as a producer of hip-hop and urban performing arts productions, working with emerging artists from underrepresented backgrounds and integrating music, dance, and theater.
• Korzo: The Hague-based performing arts venue and production house for contemporary dance, music theater, and urban arts. Comparable as a Dutch production house programming hip-hop, contemporary dance, and interdisciplinary work by emerging makers from diverse backgrounds.
• Breakin' Convention: International hip-hop dance theater festival founded at Sadler's Wells (London). Most directly comparable as a producer of hip-hop and urban performing arts festivals showcasing emerging Black and urban artists, with similar curatorial philosophy and biennial/multiday festival format.
• De Nationale Opera & Ballet: Major Dutch opera institution and direct coproduction partner for RAN's LENNOX hiphop-opera. Comparable as a large-scale performing arts production entity in the Netherlands producing high-prestige stage works, though operating at vastly larger scale and focused on classical repertoire.

Broad incumbents

• Het Nationale Theater: Major Dutch national theater institution producing a broad contemporary repertoire. Comparable as a Dutch performing arts production house with structural public funding; relevant as a benchmark for institutional scale, though operating across mainstream repertoire rather than hip-hop specialization.
• KVS (Koninklijke Vlaamse Schouwburg): Brussels-based Flemish theater with a strong contemporary and culturally diverse programming mandate. Comparable as a Benelux theater institution with an explicit focus on diversity, urban voices, and contemporary performing arts intersecting with hip-hop and Black cultural expression.
• Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA): The Netherlands' largest repertory theater company. Comparable as a major Dutch performing arts production institution, though at much larger scale and with broader repertoire; relevant as a benchmark for institutional scaling and structural funding patterns.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RANinc_
• Facebookfacebook.com/rightaboutnowinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rightaboutnow-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rightaboutnow