Het Amsterdamse Bostheater

What Het Amsterdamse Bostheater does

Het Amsterdamse Bostheater (legally Stichting Theater het Amsterdamse Bos) is a Dutch nonprofit foundation operating an open-air theater venue inside the Amsterdamse Bos forest, situated between Amsterdam and Amstelveen. Founded in 1984, the foundation operates seasonally from April through September, staging theater performances (adult and children's), curated film screenings in partnership with Cinetree, concerts programmed with Live at Amsterdamse Bos, and the annual Bosfest theater festival (third edition in August 2026). It serves a broad cultural consumer base — theater enthusiasts and festival-goers, families seeking age-appropriate children's programming (ages 2+ through 12+), and private/corporate event renters during the off-season months of October through April.

Revenue is generated through five channels: ticket sales (processed via Voordemensen for theater/film and Eventim for concerts), venue rental of studios, covered terrace, professional kitchen, and the open-air theater for private events October through April, F&B concessions through partners including Holy Moly Pizza, the Vrienden (Friends) membership scheme, and gift vouchers. The organization does not rely on ticket and rental revenue alone; it is structurally subsidized by the Municipality of Amsterdam and the Municipality of Amstelveen and receives grants from the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts (AFK), Zadelhoff Cultuurfonds, Fonds21, Blockbusterfonds, and Performing Arts Fund NL, supplemented by corporate sponsorships from Schiphol, Hertog Jan, Red Brick, and 178 Aardige Ontwerpers.

The technology footprint is conventional: a WordPress website, online ticketing via Voordemensen and Eventim, email marketing through Brevo and MailChimp, Google Analytics, and outsourced audience research via International Theater Amsterdam and PubliqScan. The foundation is led by Artistic Leader Ingejan Ligthart Schenk and Business Director Emma Punt, with operational teams across production, marketing, hospitality, finance, and volunteer coordination, and a Supervisory Board chaired by Mark de Kruijk. The organization has 11–50 employees, supplemented by seasonal staff and volunteers.

Name

Het Amsterdamse Bostheater

Legal name

Stichting Theater het Amsterdamse Bos

Website

https://bostheater.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Het Amsterdamse Bostheater is a Dutch nonprofit foundation operating an open-air theater in the Amsterdamse Bos, staging theater, children's theater, film screenings, concerts, and the Bosfest festival during a six-month season, and renting its spaces for private events year-round.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Open-air theater and performing arts venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor Amphitheater & Open-Air Venue Operations (MPAGALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers (THAHABAC)

Keywords

• Open-air theater
• Performing arts venue
• Outdoor concerts
• Theater festival
• Cultural events

Headquarters

HQ city

Amstelveen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales: Primary revenue stream from ticket sales for theater performances, films, concerts, and festival events. Theater tickets sold via Voordemensen; concert tickets via Eventim.
2. Venue rental: Rental of indoor and outdoor spaces (studios, covered terrace, professional kitchen, open-air theater) for private events from October through April. Catering and technical support services available.
3. Food and beverage: On-site bar serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Food service partnerships with Holy Moly Pizza for fresh Roman-style pizzas. Also offers catering for private events.
4. Membership/friend program: Friends of the Amsterdamse Bostheater foundation offering membership with special seat reservations and other benefits.
5. Gift vouchers: Gift vouchers available for performances (excluding concerts).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Het Amsterdamse Bostheater is a seasonal open-air theater located in the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Forest) that produces and presents theater performances, children's theater, film screenings (Cinetree), and a concert series (Live at Amsterdamse Bos) during an April–September season, plus the annual Bosfest theater festival in August. The foundation also rents its indoor and outdoor spaces for private and corporate events from October through April and runs an educational program and a 'Friends' membership scheme.

Product overview

Het Amsterdamse Bostheater is an open-air theater venue located in the Amsterdamse Bos forest, offering a portfolio of cultural experiences. The core offerings include Theatervoorstellingen (theater performances in both Grote Zaal and Kleine Zaal), Jeugdtheater (children's theater productions), Cinetree film screenings, and Live at Amsterdamse Bos concerts. The venue also hosts the annual Bosfest theater festival. Supporting offerings include Cadeaubon (gift vouchers), Verhuur (venue rental for private events including studios and professional kitchen), Educatie (educational programs), and Vrienden (friends membership). The theater operates seasonally from April to September, with venue rental available October through April. Tickets are sold through Voordemensen for theater/films and Eventim for concerts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bosfest: An annual theater festival held in August, featuring intimate theatrical performances hidden among roots and leaves in the Amsterdamse Bos. The third edition takes place from August 11 to 22, 2026.

Products and services

• Theatervoorstellingen (Theater Performances) Professional theater productions staged in the open-air setting of the Amsterdamse Bos, featuring Dutch theater companies and touring productions in the Grote Zaal (Large Hall) and Kleine Zaal (Small Hall) during the April–September season.
• Jeugdtheater (Children's Theater)

Named customers3 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

Integration7 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Live at Amsterdamse BoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcert partner that organizes concerts at the Amsterdamse Bostheater under the 'Live at Amsterdamse Bos' brand. Handles concert programming and production. Ticket sales via Eventim.
• EventimcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary ticketing provider for concerts organized by Live at Amsterdamse Bos. Handles ticket sales, processing, and customer service for concert tickets.
• VoordeMensencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline ticketing provider for theater performances and film screenings. Processes ticket sales and handles servicemails to ticket buyers.
• Holy Moly PizzaminorOthersPizza partner that bakes fresh, authentic Roman-style pizzas on-site during performances. No advance booking required.
• De Naeckte BrouwersminorOthersLocal craft brewery from Amstelveen supplying beverages to the theater bar.
• Wine2BminorOthersWine supplier based in Assendelft providing wine to the theater bar.
• Stichting BoslabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation supporting Bosfest festival. Part of the festival's organizational structure.
• International Theater AmsterdamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducts visitor analyses for the Bostheater to measure public reach and diversity, supporting the municipal mandate to serve broad and diverse audiences.
• PubliqScan / Culturele doelgroepenmodelminorOthersConducts research on cultural audience segments. Data used anonymously for audience development.
• Gelderblom.worksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline marketing partner handling email marketing activities. Only uses email addresses for marketing purposes.
• Hertog JanminorOthersBeer brand sponsor providing beverages to the theater.
• 178 Aardige OntwerpersminorOthersDesign agency that created the Bostheater's design and campaign materials.
• Red BrickminorOthersSponsor of the Amsterdamse Bostheater (likely footwear/retail brand).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA): Amsterdam's largest theater company producing major Dutch-language productions. Already a research partner of Het Amsterdamse Bostheater; comparable as a Dutch theater producer presenting critically acclaimed productions, though operating at much larger scale and indoor venues.
• Theater Carré: Iconic Amsterdam theater venue hosting large-scale musicals, concerts, and theatrical productions. Comparable as a major Amsterdam performance venue, though focused on traditional indoor theater versus Bostheater's open-air forest concept.
• Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam: Amsterdam's municipal theater presenting mainstream Dutch theater productions. Comparable as a major Amsterdam theater venue serving similar cultural audiences, though operating indoor year-round versus Bostheater's seasonal outdoor model.
• DeLaMar Theater: Amsterdam commercial theater producing major musicals and theatrical productions. Comparable as a leading Amsterdam theater venue, particularly for the SPINOZA musical-style productions hosted at Bostheater, though operating at much larger commercial scale.

Direct peers

• De Parade: Traveling Dutch summer theater festival featuring rotating tent venues across Dutch cities. Comparable as a summer-only Dutch theater festival presenting intimate productions and serving similar cultural audiences seeking summer arts experiences.
• Oerol Festival: Annual site-specific theater festival on the Dutch island of Terschelling. Highly comparable as a Dutch festival featuring intimate, location-based theater in natural settings; an existing programming partner with Bostheater sharing artists like Monki.
• Openluchttheater Caprera: Open-air theater in Bloemendaal offering summer theater, concerts, and family programming. Comparable as a Dutch forest/nature-embedded outdoor venue with mixed theater and concert programming, similar seasonal model and family-friendly positioning.
• Openluchttheater Vondelpark: Amsterdam's other iconic open-air theater, located in Vondelpark. Directly comparable as a Dutch open-air theater offering summer programming including theater, music, and dance in a natural park setting, competing for similar cultural audiences in the Amsterdam metropolitan area.

Regional players

• Openluchttheater Valkenburg: Open-air theater in Valkenburg, South Limburg. Comparable as a Dutch open-air theater venue operating seasonally, though serving a different regional market (southern Netherlands) rather than competing directly with Bostheater's Amsterdam metro audience.

Emerging players

• Cinetree: Dutch curated film platform and outdoor film screening organizer. Already a core programming partner (Cinetree Forest Festival) of Het Amsterdamse Bostheater; comparable as a Dutch cultural content provider with outdoor screening capabilities and similar audience demographic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hetbos
• Instagraminstagram.com/bostheater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bostheater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Het Amsterdamse Bostheater