The Turn Club

What The Turn Club does

The Turn Club is a Dutch non-profit foundation (Stichting The Turn Club) founded in 2017 by composer Merlijn Twaalfhoven and headquartered in Amsterdam. It operates as a curated network and community platform that connects artists, designers, and changemakers with governments, municipalities, schools, corporates, and civil-society organizations seeking creative approaches to complex societal challenges. Its core proposition — the 'kunstenaarsmindset' or artist's mindset — reframes artistic practice as a facilitation methodology for issues such as polarization, intergenerational responsibility ('good ancestor' thinking), dementia, sustainability transitions, and human-nature disconnection.

Its service portfolio comprises distinct programmatic formats: dialogue and participation formats (Plekberaden, Seizoensgesprek), artistic experiences (the De Tegentijdse Tocht audio walk, the 'Het is aan ons' theater college tour, Leap Day symposium), long-duration creative labs (TurnLabs, including the Stil de Tijd and In Our Nature themes), educational programs (Living Labs with VCPS), and commissioned interventions (artistic interventions, workshops, artist-in-residencies, speaker performances). Programmatic sub-brands include De Tegentijd (newsletter and movement), the Academy for Uncertainty Skills (Academie voor Onzekerheidsvaardigheid), and the turnclub.net community platform. Technically, the organization is not a tech company; its 'platform' is a content and community layer (website, newsletter, community platform) sitting atop a project-based service delivery model executed by a small core team (6 per the website; firmographics cite 18 including the extended artist network) and an engaged network of guides and facilitators.

Revenue is generated through a mix of channels: tax-deductible donations (the foundation holds ANBI status, with a stated goal of 300 monthly donors at €5/month), fee-for-service workshops and bespoke commissions (project-specific pricing set in intake conversations with clients such as Vitens, Gemeente Deventer, TAUW, and HvA), ticketed public events (the Meer met Minder symposium priced €60-€180), and grants/partnership funding from Dutch cultural and sustainability funds (VSBfonds, SDG Lokaal, Lab voor Transitie, Vogelbescherming, Just Enough). Distribution is primarily direct — with channel partners including BisC (libraries) and VCPS (schools) extending reach into civic and educational networks.

Name

The Turn Club

Legal name

Stichting The Turn Club

Website

https://turnclub.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Turn Club is an Amsterdam-based non-profit foundation (founded 2017) that connects artists and changemakers with Dutch governments, schools, and organizations to address complex societal challenges through artistic facilitation formats, dialogue programs, and creative interventions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts-Based Social Innovation Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises (BPAGALAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building) (BPAGAHAL)

Keywords

• Arts-based facilitation
• Creative social programs
• Dialogue facilitation services
• Artistic interventions
• Community engagement programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a foundation (Stichting The Turn Club) with ANBI (public benefit institution) status, The Turn Club relies significantly on donations from individuals and organizations. Gifts are tax-deductible. The organization has a stated goal of acquiring 300 monthly donors at €5 each to fund a communications role.
2. Workshop and Training Services: The Turn Club offers fee-for-service workshops, artistic interventions, speaking engagements, and artist-in-residence programs to organizations, schools, and institutions. Pricing varies by format, audience size, and customization level.
3. Event-Based Programs: The Turn Club organizes ticketed events and symposiums, such as the 'Meer met Minder' symposium, which generate ticket revenue from attendees. Ticket prices range from €60 (students) to €180 (professionals) for full-day events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Turn Club delivers arts-based facilitation services for organizations, schools, municipalities, and institutions, deploying a curated network of artists and creatives to address complex societal challenges through workshops, artistic interventions, dialogue formats (Plekberaden, Seizoensgesprek), artist-in-residence programs, TurnLabs, and themed projects. It also operates a community platform (turnclub.net) and weekly newsletter (De Tegentijd) connecting artists with unconventional opportunities, supplemented by public ticketed events such as symposiums.

Product overview

The Turn Club is a network platform of artists, creatives and changemakers offering collaborative services for addressing complex societal questions with an artist's mindset. The core offerings include dialogue facilitation formats (Plekberaden, Seizoensgesprek), artistic experiences (De Tegentijdse Tocht audio walking tour, Het is aan ons theatertour), living labs and structured programs (TurnLabs with themes like Stil de Tijd and In Our Nature), workshops and artistic interventions, and artist residencies. These are complemented by project-based initiatives such as Leap Day, Meer met Minder, Mondriaan Turnlabs, and Purpose Reporting. The organization also maintains a community platform (turnclub.net) and weekly newsletter (De Tegentijd) for member engagement. The portfolio spans arts-based facilitation, participatory design, creative education, and experiential events for governments, organizations, and schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• De Tegentijd: A newsletter and artistic movement under The Turn Club umbrella, focused on creative and inspiring ways to address current crises.
• De Tegentijdse Tocht
• Academie voor Onzekerheidsvaardigheid
• TurnLabs
• Seizoensgesprek
• Plekberaden

Products and services

• Plekberaden

Quantifiable outcome

• The Toekomstverkiezing (Future Election) engaged secondary school students in Zwolle and connected them with municipal council members who signed pledges to consider future generations in decision-making.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• BisC (Bibliotheek Service Centrum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBisC (Bibliotheek Service Centrum) partners with The Turn Club on Plekberaden — a process in which residents think, design, and build the future of their place, neighbourhood, or district together. The library becomes a practice space for active citizenship. This is a flagship co-development partnership.
• Ministerie van de Toekomst (Ministry of the Future)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ministerie van de Toekomst is a recurring partner on multiple programs including Plekberaden and the Toekomstverkiezing (Future Election), which mobilized students and municipal council members around long-term thinking. The partnership embodies The Turn Club's 'good ancestor' philosophy.
• VCPS (Vereniging Cultuurprofielscholen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVCPS is the association of culture-profile secondary schools in the Netherlands. Together with The Turn Club, they organize the Living Labs — multi-day programs for teachers, school leaders, and students to develop school-specific citizenship education formulas. This is an annual recurring program.
• Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HvA) — Lectoraat Legal ManagementsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn partnership with lector Arnt Mein of the Hogeschool van Amsterdam, The Turn Club co-designed a debate series on moral questions in the legal profession, exploring how professionals can apply the 'human scale' in systems-driven organizations in the wake of the Dutch childcare benefits scandal.
• Thrive InstitutesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Thrive Institute and The Turn Club co-developed the Purpose Reporting project, pairing nine organizations leading in impact measurement with artists to translate impact data into emotionally resonant forms. Results were exhibited publicly in Amsterdam in May 2022.
• TwynstraGuddesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwynstraGudde partnered with The Turn Club and Mondriaanhuis on the Mondriaan TurnLabs — 150 days in which three artists explored the societal values of Curiosity, Humility, and Proximity, inspired by Piet Mondriaan's creative journey.
• Huis van de TijdsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuis van de Tijd (a psychiatric care facility focused on dementia) co-produced the TurnLab 'Stil de Tijd' with The Turn Club — an intensive 10-month program in which 8 creative makers developed projects related to dementia, time, and aging.
• Diaconie van AmsterdamminorOthersThe Turn Club's shared workspace is part of the Diaconie van Amsterdam (social services organization). The Diaconie also appears as a funding/partner logo on the website.
• Lab voor Transitie (labtg)minorOthersLab voor Transitie (labtg) is one of the funding partners whose logo appears on the website, providing financial support for The Turn Club's programs.
• Vogelbescherming Nederland (VL)minorOthersVogelbescherming Nederland (Dutch Bird Protection organization) is a funding partner whose logo appears on the website.
• VSBfondsminorOthersVSBfonds is a Dutch cultural fund that supports The Turn Club's work, appearing as a funding partner logo on the website.
• SDG LokaalminorOthersSDG Lokaal is a funding partner whose logo appears on the website, supporting The Turn Club's alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Just EnoughminorOthersJust Enough appears as a funding partner logo on The Turn Club's website.
• MondriaanhuissecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMondriaanhuis (the Mondriaan museum) initiated the Mondriaan TurnLabs in collaboration with The Turn Club and TwynstraGudde, as part of the 150 years of Mondriaan commemoration.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pakhuis de Zwijger: Amsterdam-based cultural platform that hosts public dialogues and programs on societal transitions and urban futures. Comparable to The Turn Club in using events and dialogue formats to engage citizens around complex societal questions, and operating from Amsterdam.
• Waag Society: Dutch nonprofit working at the intersection of art, technology, and social innovation through research labs and public programs. Peer in the Netherlands' creative-social innovation space with comparable methodology of deploying creative practice to address complex societal questions.
• Kennisland: Amsterdam-based nonprofit focused on knowledge innovation and societal learning through programs, research, and partnerships. Comparable Dutch peer operating at the intersection of social innovation, learning, and community engagement with a similar mission-driven structure.
• Dutch Design Foundation: Dutch nonprofit that promotes design as a tool for societal innovation through events, programs, and exhibitions. Direct Dutch peer with overlapping mission of activating creative practice for social impact; business director Ellen Rass joined The Turn Club from Dutch Design Foundation where she was Head of Development.

Broad incumbents

• Het Nieuwe Instituut: Dutch national museum and think tank for architecture, design, and digital culture, running exhibitions and programs on societal futures. Broader incumbent operating with similar creative-and-society orientation but at significantly larger institutional scale.
• Forum for the Future: Global sustainability nonprofit that works with businesses, governments, and educators to accelerate transitions to a sustainable future. Larger incumbent in the same space of using creative, systems-based interventions to drive societal change with organizations.
• Impact Hub Network: Global network of impact-focused community hubs supporting social entrepreneurs and changemakers. Broader incumbent with overlapping mission of building communities around social innovation, though operating at larger scale and different delivery model.
• Ashoka: Global organization supporting social entrepreneurs and changemakers through fellowship and community programs. Broader incumbent with overlapping community-building and changemaker-empowerment approach, though operating globally and across many issue areas.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-turn-club
• Instagraminstagram.com/theturnclub

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 The Turn Club