City Talks Amsterdam: The Price we Pay
After a successful first season, City Talks is back! City Talks is ITA's sip & talk show, in which we focus on our city’s talented creatives and change makers. Each edition we will connect one of our theatre performances to social topics, urban trends, and daily life. We invite you to grab a drink, join the conversation, and get inspired!
Location ITA Salon
Run time 60 minutes
Genre perspective
Language English
Questions may be asked in Dutch
Register for free admission and a free beverage
The Price we Pay
While we witness economic growth on one hand, according to the recently published Armoedemonitor [Poverty Monitor] (Onderzoek & Statistiek, Gemeente Amsterdam), wealth inequality in Amsterdam has increased. One in six households is struggling to make ends meet. In response to increased inequality, stimulating upward social mobility is high on research and policy agendas. But is changing policies enough?
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During this edition of City Talks, we question existing hierarchies, introduce a new terminology, and unravel constructs that perpetuate inequality and safeguard privileges. Host of the evening is Geoffrey van der Ven.
This edition's theme is inspired by ITA Ensemble / Rebecca Frecknall's Julie. Frecknall breathes new life into August Strindberg's Miss Julie (1888), bringing it into the 21st century. Themes of class and power, and the consequences of unbridled desires permeate the narrative.
According to economist and metropolitan strategist Najah Aouaki, we should not view economic growth policy separately from social, health, and housing policy. How can we collectively shift to an economy of well being, instead of a system that puts financial growth first? To obtain a sustainable and economical just society, municipalities have several tools to limit excesses on the market, but it requires a major transition - one that we need to create together.
Zooming in on the lifestyles and habits of Amsterdam’s urban elite, journalist Jonas Kooyman - better known as @havermelkelite - has become a nationwide source of counsel when it comes to understanding ourselves and those around us. Captivated by the zeitgeist, Jonas playfully dissects cultural fads among young city dwellers, while offering a humorous yet critical reflection on everyday city life.
Artist Benjamin Fro is an Amsterdam-based singer-song rapper who combines critical lyrics with soulful beats. How do we navigate in a world that seems to value money and status over everything else? With his philosophical and socially critical lyrics, Benjamin Fro calls for a more just society, and aims to get people moving - both literally as figuratively.
Artist and designer Yuri Veerman tackles political and societal issues like the housing crisis, mass tourism, populism, and income inequality trough a visual and textual lens. By making it available in the public domain and having people disseminate it both online as in the streets, his work invites us all to engage with topics that are of collective concern.
community partner Rabobank