Stichting ACBN

What Stichting ACBN does

Stichting ACBN (full legal name: Stichting ACBN Evenementenbureau Nijmegen) is an independent Dutch non-profit foundation (stichting) founded in 1966 and headquartered in Nijmegen, Gelderland, with approximately 10-12 employees. The organization is best known as the entity behind the Vierdaagsefeesten, the largest free-access event in the Netherlands, which draws over 1.5 million visitors across seven days and features more than 1,000 performances on 40+ stages during the third week of July. Beyond the flagship festival, ACBN produces and co-produces a portfolio of recurring events including the Nijmeegse Winterweken, Nijmeegse Kunstnacht, Lifeport Festival Circulair, the 80th-anniversary commemoration of the 1944 bombardment, and CultuurCadeau, alongside one-off productions such as the Giro d'Italia stages and Velo-City.

The organization's service portfolio is structured around three revenue mechanics. First, professional event organization services covering advice, permits, traffic planning, production, marketing, and project management, delivered primarily to the Gemeente Nijmegen and secondarily to cultural organizations, foundations, and event promoters. Second, city marketing services including the co-curated IntoNijmegen.com visitor platform, the Walk of the Town permanent 7+ km walking route with info boards and public art, and the "Old City, Young Vibe" thematic campaign. Third, transactional city-dressing rentals: approximately 60 banner flag poles priced at €8-11 per mast per week (A-locations command €11, B-locations €8) with hanging fees of €11.25 per banner, plus span cable rentals on Augustijnenstraat (5 cables at €110/week) and Burchtstraat (8 cables at €175/week) with application fees of €155 and installation/removal fees of €1,150-€2,650. The organization uses Mailchimp for newsletters and Eventbrite for ticketing.

The business operates as a regional non-profit with a quasi-public role, working "for and with the city" of Nijmegen, the Provincie Gelderland, and a network of cultural, educational, and commercial partners. It is governed by a Director-Bestuurder (Joris Bouwmeister) and a 5-member Raad van Toezicht. A wholly-owned subsidiary, Stichting Vierdaagsefeesten Nijmegen, manages the flagship festival separately. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the customer base is anchored on a single dominant municipal counterparty, with smaller, episodic commercial clients.

Name

Stichting ACBN

Legal name

Stichting ACBN Evenementenbureau Nijmegen

Website

https://acbn.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stichting ACBN is a Dutch non-profit foundation (est. 1966) that organizes large-scale public events and city-marketing campaigns in Nijmegen, most notably the Vierdaagsefeesten — the largest event in the Netherlands — on behalf of the municipality, cultural organizations, and regional partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Management Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sponsorship, Exhibitor & Partnership Management Services (THAHACAK)

Keywords

• Event management services
• City marketing services
• Public festival organization
• Urban banner advertising
• Event project coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Nijmegen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Event Organization Services: Professional services for organizing events, from advice and support to complete event execution. Includes project management, permits, traffic plans, production, and marketing.
2. City Marketing Services: Marketing advice and practical support for marketing and communication. Services include banner flag rental and banner installation in public spaces.
3. Project Coordination: Project coordination for the Nijmegen city center, including city marketing coordination, gathering merchant wishes, and converting them into execution.
4. Banner Flag Rental: Rental of over 60 flag poles on major entry roads and notable locations in Nijmegen. Revenue generated through weekly rental fees and installation/hanging fees.
5. Banner/Spandoek Rental: Rental of span cables in Augustijnenstraat and Burchtstraat for event promotions. Revenue from cable rental per week plus installation/removal fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stichting ACBN is an independent non-profit event bureau that organizes, markets, and facilitates large-scale public events and city marketing activities in the Nijmegen region. Its core work spans full-service event organization (permits, traffic plans, production, marketing, project management) and city dressing services such as the rental of 60+ banner flag poles and span cables. The flagship offering is Vierdaagsefeesten, the largest free-access event in the Netherlands.

Product overview

ACBN Evenementenbureau is an independent project organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of event management and citymarketing services in Nijmegen. The core offering centers around organizing major public events, with the Vierdaagsefeesten (the largest event in the Netherlands) as the flagship product. Additional flagship events include Nijmeegse Winterweken (winter festival with light sculptures), Kunstnacht (art night), Lifeport Festival Circulair (circular economy festival), and Herdenking Bombardement (bombardment commemoration). The service portfolio includes Into Nijmegen visitor platform, Walk of the Town city walking route, Old City Young Vibe citymarketing campaign, ROC CityGame app, Baniervlaggen (banner flag rental), Spandoeken (banner cable rental), Huis voor de Binnenstad coordination, and general event organization services. The organization operates as a non-profit foundation providing services for government, cultural, non-profit, and commercial parties with a focus on events with social impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vierdaagsefeesten Annual free-access festival held during the third week of July featuring over 1,000 performances across more than 40 stages, with emphasis on sustainability, innovation, and social impact. Organized by ACBN for over 50 years and attracting 1.5+ million visitors over seven days.
• Nijmeegse Winterweken Annual winter festival during the Christmas holiday season featuring illuminated light sculptures, walking routes through the city, activities for all ages, and cultural programming in the Stevenskerk church.
• Nijmeegse Kunstnacht Annual art night combining Nijmegen's art institutions in an accessible festival format with cross-disciplinary collaborations. Co-organized by ACBN and Stichting Hubert from 2022 onwards.
• Lifeport Festival Circulair Festival for entrepreneurs, knowledge experts, and policymakers focused on circular economy innovation, connecting networks and bundling development power in the Rijk van Nijmegen region. Organized for RvN@ (Circulaire Raad).
• Herdenking Bombardement Commemoration event marking the February 1944 American bombing of Nijmegen that killed nearly 800 people. Features Lichtherinneringen (light memories) projections and Brandgrenswandeling (fire boundary walk).
• 75 Jaar Vrijheid Commemoration of the 75th anniversary of freedom, marking the crucial phase of World War II with events including the Sunset March with 7,500 participants and military vehicle displays.
• CultuurCadeau Initiative bringing professional Nijmegen artists to perform in care homes, backyards, botanical gardens, churches, or community centers — supporting cultural makers while gifting performances to those who could use it.
• Event Organization Services Full-service event organization service covering advice on permits, traffic plans, production, marketing, and project management for events with social impact in Nijmegen and surrounding areas. Sold to government, cultural, and commercial clients.
• Citymarketing Services Marketing advice and practical support for marketing and communications, including professional visibility solutions for Nijmegen events through banners and flags.
• Baniervlaggen (Banner Flag) Rental Rental service for approximately 60 banner flag poles placed at major entry points and notable locations in Nijmegen. Flags are 300x100 cm and rented per week (€11 A-location / €8 B-location per mast) for non-commercial events and activities.
• Spandoeken (Span Banner) Rental Span cable rental service in Augustijnenstraat (5 cables, €110/week) and Burchtstraat (8 cables, €175/week) for street-spanning promotional banners. 450x80 cm banners for non-commercial public events, with installation/removal and security deposit.
• Huis voor de Binnenstad Project Coordination Project coordination service for Nijmegen's inner city, focusing on increasing visitor numbers to the downtown area through economic support for culture, hospitality, retail, and events sectors.
• Into Nijmegen Visitor Platform Visitor website (intonijmegen.com) covering entertainment, culture, tourism, shopping, and events in Nijmegen, including an agenda, blogs, tips, and practical visitor information. ACBN sits on the editorial board as part of a joint initiative with other city partners.
• Walk of the Town Permanent green walking route through Nijmegen's city center featuring info boards with historical facts and artworks. A 7+ km discovery route consisting of two loops through upper and lower city, commissioned by Gemeente Nijmegen.
• ROC Nijmegen CityGame App Innovative mobile app developed for ROC Nijmegen's student introduction week, allowing students to explore the city via QR-code scanning and answer questions about Nijmegen, their studies, and each other. Co-developed with ROC Nijmegen students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.5+ million visitors during Vierdaagsefeesten over 7 days
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Gemeente NijmegencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government client and collaborator for city events and marketing initiatives. Works closely with ACBN for event permits, city marketing, and urban development projects.
• Provincie GelderlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial government collaboration on regional events and initiatives, including European Green Capital and mobility conferences.
• ROC NijmegencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership for student involvement in events. Co-developed ROC Nijmegen CityGame app for student introduction week.
• Huis voor de BinnenstadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation focused on increasing visitors to the city center. ACBN provides project coordination and city marketing services.
• De 4DaagsecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe International Four Day Marches organization that runs parallel to the Vierdaagsefeesten event organized by ACBN.
• RabobankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFinancial partner contributing to events like CultuurCadeau and various city marketing initiatives.
• Stichting KunstnachtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for organizing the Nijmeegse Kunstnacht art event from 2022 onwards.
• Stichting HubertcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint organization of Nijmeegse Kunstnacht since 2022, replacing Stichting Kunstvat.
• Into NijmegencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisitor platform for events, culture, history, shopping, and experiences in Nijmegen. Joint initiative with other city organizations.
• RvN@ (Circulaire Raad)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBottom-up movement for innovation and circular economy. ACBN organizes Lifeport Festival Circulair for this organization.
• RotaryClub Rijk van Nijmegen / Nijmegen KlinktminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for CultuurCadeau initiative supporting professional Nijmegen culture makers.
• Lindenberg CultuurhuisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in CultuurCadeau initiative and cultural collaboration projects.
• Bibliotheek De MariënburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic library partnership for cultural events and initiatives.
• NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRailway company collaboration for accessibility to events.
• Production BrothersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProduction partner for event execution and multimedia content.
• Giro d'Italia / RCS SportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosting of Giro d'Italia stages in 2016, including safety plans and VIP hospitality.
• Velo-CityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal cycling conference hosted in Nijmegen in 2017. ACBN handled partner acquisition and exhibition.
• Green Deal Circular FestivalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for sustainable festival initiatives in alignment with Green Capital objectives.
• Poelmann van den Broek AdvocatenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLegal firm providing financial support for CultuurCadeau initiative.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Rotterdam Partners: Rotterdam's city marketing and events organization responsible for promoting Rotterdam and organizing major public events. Most directly comparable to ACBN as a Dutch city-level event bureau and city marketing organization with similar mandate to coordinate municipal events, attract visitors, and manage city-level branding initiatives.
• Eindhoven365: Eindhoven's city marketing and events organization (formerly Eindhoven Marketing). Comparable to ACBN as a Dutch city-level foundation coordinating major public events (Glow, Dutch Design Week support) and city marketing activities, with similar bridge function between municipality and cultural/commercial sectors.
• The Hague Marketing: The Hague's city marketing and event bureau. Comparable to ACBN as a Dutch foundation coordinating municipal events, city branding campaigns, and visitor marketing for a major Dutch city, with similar intermediary role between municipality, cultural institutions, and commercial partners.
• Utrecht Marketing: Utrecht's official city marketing organization. Comparable to ACBN as a Dutch municipal-affiliated entity organizing and marketing city events, festivals, and visitor campaigns, with overlapping mandate to drive foot traffic and city branding for inner-city stakeholders.
• Amsterdam & Partners: Amsterdam's official city marketing and events organization, formerly operating as amsterdam marketing. Comparable to ACBN as a Dutch municipal-affiliated foundation coordinating major events (King's Day, Amsterdam Dance Event support, cultural programming) and city marketing infrastructure for the municipality of Amsterdam.

Regional players

• Deventer Marketing: Deventer's city marketing organization. Comparable to ACBN as a smaller Dutch city marketing organization with similar functions in event coordination, city dressing, and stakeholder bridge-building, though operating in a smaller municipality than Nijmegen.
• Breda Marketing: Breda's city marketing organization. Comparable to ACBN as a Dutch regional city marketing foundation with similar mandate to promote events, festivals, and visitor experiences in a mid-sized Dutch city, though operating in a smaller market than Nijmegen.
• Visit Brussels: Brussels' official tourism and city marketing organization. Comparable to ACBN as a Benelux city-level event and city marketing bureau coordinating major public events, cultural programming, and visitor campaigns, though operating at a larger national-capital scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/acbnevenementen
• Instagraminstagram.com/acbnevenementen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stichting-acbn

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 ACBN