Loesje

What Loesje does

Loesje (Stichting Loesje) is a Dutch non-profit foundation established in 1983 and headquartered in Arnhem, Gelderland, that creates and distributes witty, philosophical posters with short thought-provoking Dutch texts in public spaces and online. The organization operates a community-driven model that combines physical street placement of posters on street furniture (electrical boxes, dumpsters) with a digital footprint comprising an official iOS mobile application (launched 2014), a multi-platform social media presence, and a website. Beyond poster production, Loesje runs creative writing workshops, a recurring "Vrienden van Loesje" membership program, and an e-commerce webshop ("Winkeltje") selling branded merchandise including to-go cups (EUR 24.95), teacher agendas, and conversation cards (EUR 9.95).

The foundation's primary customer segment is the general Dutch public, with secondary engagement through educational institutions, libraries, and cultural organizations. Notable 2026 institutional collaborations include a democracy-themed workshop program with the Gelderse Bibliotheken network across 26 libraries in Gelderland (engaging over 350 residents and producing election-themed poster packages) and an invitation to participate as an artist in the Sonsbeek 2026 art exhibition in Arnhem, with the exhibition title borrowed from a Loesje poster. Revenue is generated through three streams: one-time merchandise sales, recurring membership subscriptions, and donations. No external investors, funding rounds, parent company, or subsidiary relationships have been disclosed.

With 35 employees and over four decades of continuous operations, Loesje has built a recognized cultural brand in the Netherlands anchored on an extensive archive of human-authored poster content and a co-creation community. The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on workshop participation, guerrilla-style physical distribution, and digital channels. The organization operates without disclosed proprietary technology systems, AI/ML capabilities, or external capital, functioning as a self-sustaining foundation dependent on public support and modest commercial sales.

Name

Loesje

Legal name

Stichting Loesje

Website

https://loesje.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Loesje is a Dutch non-profit foundation founded in 1983 and headquartered in Arnhem that creates and distributes witty philosophical posters on street furniture and online. It generates revenue through merchandise sales, memberships, and donations, and serves the general Dutch public with secondary engagement in civic and educational workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Content & Civic Engagement Publishing

NAICS

Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (54185)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Static Billboards & Posters (Roadside, Wallscapes) (BPAFALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Children’s & YA Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAF)

Keywords

• Creative poster publishing
• Community writing workshops
• Nonprofit creative content
• Social messaging campaigns
• Dutch cultural activism

Headquarters

HQ city

Arnhem

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Merchandise Sales: Loesje operates a web store (shop.loesje.nl) selling posters, merchandise items including to-go cups, teacher agendas, and conversation cards. Physical posters are available for purchase, some with download options.
2. Donations and Membership: The organization operates as a non-profit foundation (stichting) that relies on public donations and membership contributions ('Vrienden van Loesje') to sustain operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Loesje creates and distributes witty, philosophical posters with short thought-provoking texts, physically placed on street furniture such as electrical boxes and trash cans in Dutch cities, and shared digitally online. Beyond posters, the foundation conducts creative writing workshops at libraries and schools, sells branded merchandise through an online shop, and runs a membership program ("Vrienden van Loesje") that supports the non-profit's activities.

Product overview

Loesje is a Dutch non-profit foundation that creates and distributes philosophical and witty posters with thought-provoking texts. The core product is the collection of posters, which are physically posted on street furniture and distributed digitally. The organization also operates an iOS app for browsing posters, an online merchandise shop (Winkeltje) selling branded products, and offers creative writing workshops. A membership program (Vrienden van Loesje) provides supporters with benefits in exchange for their contribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Loesje Posters The core product consists of witty, philosophical posters featuring short thought-provoking texts. The posters are physically distributed on street furniture (electrical boxes, trash cans) in Dutch cities and also made available digitally for download via the website.
• Loesje Winkeltje (Shop) An online merchandise store selling Loesje-branded products including a milieuvriendelijke to-go cup (€24.95), the Loesje docentenagenda 2025-2026 teacher's agenda (originally €17.50, discounted to €8.75), and Loesje kletskaarten conversation cards (€9.95).
• Loesje App (iOS) An official iOS mobile application available in the Dutch App Store that allows users to browse and explore the collection of Loesje posters digitally.
• Loesje Workshops Creative writing workshops offered by Loesje, including stimulating writing workshops conducted at libraries and other venues. Contact for booking is [email protected].
• Vrienden van Loesje (Friends of Loesje) An annual membership/support program that allows supporters to contribute financially to the foundation and receive benefits such as participation in activities, co-writing opportunities, and discounts in the webshop.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Sonsbeek 2026flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026Loesje was invited as an artist to participate in the Sonsbeek 2026 art exhibition held at the Sonsbeekpark in Arnhem. The exhibition title was borrowed from a Loesje poster 'Ik hoef geen tuin, ik deel een park'. The exhibition includes murals, window displays at Rembrandt Theater, and posters throughout the park. Mayor Ahmed Marcouch and curator Christina Li attended the opening.
• Gelderse Bibliotheken (SGB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Loesje partnered with the Gelderse Bibliotheken network for a democracy-themed community engagement project. The collaboration involved Loesje conducting writing workshops at 26 libraries across Gelderland province, engaging over 350 residents in creative writing about democracy. 7 posters from this project were included in a municipal election campaign package.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• OBEY Giant: Shepard Fairey's street-art brand combining activist-poster distribution with a merchandise store. Closely comparable to Loesje in pairing thought-provoking street imagery with branded merchandise and a community-driven activist ethos.
• Justseeds Artists' Cooperative: Decentralized artist collective that produces politically engaged posters, prints, and graphics and distributes them through affordable sales and exhibitions. Comparable to Loesje as a nonprofit, mission-led poster-distribution organization.
• Guerrilla Girls: Activist art group using posters, public installations, and bold copy to challenge social and cultural issues. Directly comparable to Loesje in using witty, high-visibility poster campaigns to provoke civic discourse.
• Adbusters: Canadian activist organization best known for its 'subvertising' and counter-message campaigns placed on billboards and in public spaces. Directly comparable to Loesje in using public-facing design and messaging to drive cultural critique.

Broad incumbents

• Banksy: Globally recognized street-art brand using public spaces and limited-edition prints to reach a mass audience. Comparable to Loesje as a culturally iconic street-art phenomenon with significant licensing and merchandise revenue, though operating at a much larger commercial scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LoesjeNL
• Facebookfacebook.com/loesjevdposters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/loesje
• Instagraminstagram.com/loesjevdposters
• Pinterestpinterest.com/loesjenl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Loesje