Stichting Philomela

What Stichting Philomela does

Stichting Philomela is a Dutch non-profit foundation (Stichting) founded in January 2008 by mezzo-soprano Merel Huizinga and headquartered in Amsterdam, with a secondary office in The Hague. The foundation organizes and delivers classical music performances, intercultural choir programs, and music-education workshops through a network of 40+ professional musicians and artists, with the explicit mission of making music accessible to audiences who typically lack access to live classical programming. Its operations are organized around four core production lines: Amour (themed concert series for elderly care institutions, with variants such as Amour Pop, Amour Accordeon, Amour Bella Italia, Amour Tango, Amour Piano, Amour Trio, and Amour Jazz); Zwaluwkoren (intercultural choirs active in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Haarlem, and Den Haag that bring together refugees, migrants, and Dutch locals under professional conductors); Jonge Zwaluwen (music education for newcomer children supporting Dutch language development); and Knuffelconcert / Klassiek in de Zomer (interactive concerts and summer workshops for children and care-home residents). To date, the foundation has delivered over 600 performances reaching more than 60,000 people across approximately 14 production concepts.

The foundation operates as an ANBI-certified public benefit organization, which provides tax advantages for donors and enables legacy/bequest giving. Revenue is sourced from a diversified mix: individual donations (processed via Mollie payment links and direct bank transfer to a disclosed IBAN), corporate sponsorships (notably ASML, Ayvens, LeasePlan, Hemubo), project and operating grants from Dutch cultural funds (Cultuurschakel, Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie, Haella Stichting, Stichting Boschuysen, P.W. Janssen's Fonds, Iona Stichting, AMVJfondsHR, Dioraphte, Fentener, Freek en Hella de Jonge Stichting), and legacies. Go-to-market is event-driven: performances are booked directly with care institutions, schools, refugee centers, and community venues, with awareness generated through social media (Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn), email newsletters, an online agenda, and earned media including NOS national television, NTR Podium Klassiek, and radio programs such as De Muziekfabriek. Distribution is exclusively domestic across the Netherlands, with no international expansion indicated.

The organization is led by Founder and Director Merel Huizinga (Amsterdammer van het Jaar 2019), with a board chaired by Luc Kenter and functional leadership across project lines (Ton van den Hengel for Amour, Lars van der Meer for Zwaluwkoren, Pauline Sparreboom for Jonge Zwaluwen). High-profile ambassadors include Prof. Dr. Erik Scherder (neuropsychology), violinist Liza Ferschtman, and conductor Ed Spanjaard, lending scientific and artistic credibility. The technology stack is minimal and non-proprietary: a WordPress website, Mollie payment processing, Excel/CRM-based donor management, and standard social media platforms. The business is fundamentally a relationship-intensive, labor-driven live performance operation with no disclosed patents, software products, or AI capabilities.

Name

Stichting Philomela

Legal name

Stichting Philomela

Website

https://philomela.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stichting Philomela is a Dutch non-profit foundation that delivers live classical music performances, intercultural choirs, and music education to elderly care homes, schools for newcomer children, refugee communities, and the general public across the Netherlands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts and Music Outreach Services

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

akta.pro primary industry

Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Music (Instruments, Voice, Music Theory) (EDAAAGAC)

Keywords

• Classical music performances
• Community music programs
• Music education services
• Intercultural choir programs
• Care home concerts

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donors can make one-time or recurring donations via Mollie payment links or bank transfer to IBAN NL46 ABNA 0603 1401 06
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Companies sponsor specific productions or the organization generally, receiving visibility on website and at events
3. Foundation/Fund Grants: Cultural and social funds provide project-based or general operating support
4. Legacies/Inheritance: Philomela accepts bequests and legacies as an ANBI-certified organization, exempt from inheritance tax

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stichting Philomela is a Dutch non-profit foundation that organizes live classical and world music performances and music education programs to make music accessible to diverse audiences. Its core offerings include the Amour concert series for elderly care institutions, the Knuffelconcerts (cuddle concerts) for care homes and children, the Zwaluwkoren intercultural choirs for new Dutch residents and refugees, and the Jonge Zwaluwen music education program for newcomer children.

Product overview

Stichting Philomela is a Dutch music foundation that operates a multi-product portfolio centered on making music accessible to everyone. The core offerings include: Amour (a versatile concert series with various themes like Accordeon, Bella Italia, Tango, Piano, Trio, Jazz, and Knuffelconcert variants performed in care institutions), Zwaluwkoren (intercultural choir program active in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Haarlem, and Den Haag bringing together new Dutch residents and locals), Jonge Zwaluwen (music education program for children, especially newcomers), and Klassiek in de Zomer/KidZ (summer music workshops for children). The organization also produces special performances and jubilee concerts. All products are delivered through live performances by professional musicians.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Amour: Concert series bringing live music to elderly care institutions and nursing homes
• Knuffelconcert
• Zwaluwkoren
• Jonge Zwaluwen
• Klassiek in de Zomer
• Klassiek in de Zomer (KidZ)

Products and services

• Amour Concert Series

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached 60,000+ people with 600+ performances since 2008
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Prof. Dr. Erik ScherdercoreOthersAmbassador and Netherlands' most well-known professor of neuropsychology. Provides theoretical backing for the positive effects of music on the brain, supporting Philomela's mission with scientific expertise.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Live Music Now: UK charity founded by Yehudi Menuhin that brings live music to care homes, hospitals, and communities for people who face barriers to accessing the arts. Highly comparable to Philomela's Amour concert series in mission, audience, and delivery model.
• Music & Memory: US non-profit bringing personalized music experiences to people with dementia and other cognitive challenges. Operates in a directly comparable niche to Philomela's Amour and Knuffelconcert programs in care facilities.
• More Music: UK community music charity in Morecambe delivering inclusive music-making across generations and communities. Comparable to Philomela's Zwaluwkoren choirs and broader community-engagement programming, with a similar small-team, donor-funded structure.
• Music in Hospitals & Care: UK charity delivering live music experiences in care settings for people with dementia, mental health conditions, and other vulnerabilities. Closely aligned with Philomela's care-home concert mission and audience.

Others

• Youth Music: UK charity funding music-making opportunities for children and young people facing barriers to participation. Thematically aligned with Philomela's Jonge Zwaluwen newcomer-children program, though Youth Music is primarily a grant-funder rather than direct service provider.

Emerging players

• Sistema Scotland: Scottish music education program inspired by El Sistema, providing free instrumental tuition to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Similar in spirit to Philomela's Jonge Zwaluwen newcomer-children program, though focused on instrumental learning rather than integration.

Broad incumbents

• Residentie Orkest Den Haag: Major Dutch symphony orchestra based in The Hague with extensive education and outreach programs for schools and communities. Shares Philomela's Dutch classical-music-with-social-impact orientation but operates at much larger scale and as an established institution.
• Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra: Prestigious Dutch symphony orchestra based in Amsterdam with education programs and community initiatives. Philomela has performed at the Concertgebouw, indicating a programmatic relationship alongside broader Dutch classical-music industry overlap.
• El Sistema: Venezuelan-founded global music education movement providing free classical music instruction to underprivileged children. Comparable to Philomela's Jonge Zwaluwen and Klassiek in de Zomer programs, but operates at a vastly larger scale and through intensive instructional formats.
• Holland Baroque: Dutch early-music/baroque ensemble performing throughout the Netherlands with educational outreach. Comparable Dutch classical-music organization, though focused on a narrower repertoire and traditional concert venues rather than care/community settings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLCTtZuPQgITuTr6N9ZOK4KhuFGyTGsoZq
• Facebookfacebook.com/stichtingphilomela
• LinkedInnl.linkedin.com/company/stichting-philomela-ams
• Xx.com/stg_philomela

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 Stichting Philomela