— LOCAL GEMS
W139 is a leading production and presentation space for contemporary art in the centre of Amsterdam that has been paving the way for experimentation and new modes of autonomy, self-organisation, and collectivity within the arts for 44 years. As a platform for dialogue and encounter, W139 supports artistic dissent and facilitates radical imagination and solidarity. Our programming includes large-scale exhibitions and public events—initiated and organised in collaboration with a diverse group of makers—as well as projects selected via open calls.
Location
Warmoesstraat 139, 1012 JB Amsterdam
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Van Ostadestraat 354, 1073 TZ Amsterdam
{“Monday”: “Closed”, “Tuesday”: “6pm-12am”, “Wednesday”: “6pm-12am”, “Thursday”: “6pm-12am”, “Friday”: “6pm-12am”, “Saturday”: “6pm-12am”, “Sunday”: “Closed”}
Schimmelstraat 44, 1053 TH Amsterdam
's-Gravesandestraat 55, 1092 AA Amsterdam
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Step into W139 on Warmoesstraat and enter Amsterdam’s most rebellious art space—a former theater turned contemporary art powerhouse that has challenged artistic conventions for over four decades. Founded in 1979 when five young artists squatted this monumental building, W139 remains a vital platform for experimental art, radical imagination, and creative dissent in the heart of Amsterdam’s increasingly commercialized center.
More than just a gallery, W139 is a living manifesto against the commodification of art. This artist-run space provides crucial breathing room for experimentation, offering emerging and established artists the freedom to take risks, push boundaries, and create work that might never find a home in commercial galleries or traditional museums.
In October 1979, five artists occupied an abandoned theater at Warmoesstraat 139, declaring it “a movement against the closed world of commercial art and museums.” The number became the name—W139—and a legend was born. What began as an act of creative defiance evolved into one of Amsterdam’s most important cultural institutions, all while maintaining its rebellious spirit.
The squat represented more than just free studio space; it embodied a radical reimagining of how art could be created, presented, and experienced. By removing commercial pressures and institutional hierarchies, W139 created space for genuine artistic experimentation.
Today, W139 celebrates over four decades of providing artists with time, space, and freedom to explore. While the building is now legally occupied and professionally managed, the founding principles remain intact: artist autonomy, experimental freedom, and resistance to art world conventions.
Housed in a grand, high-ceilinged former theater, W139’s architecture amplifies its mission. The raw, industrial space spans multiple levels, offering:
The unpolished aesthetic—exposed pipes, concrete floors, industrial lighting—creates an atmosphere where art feels alive, urgent, and unmediated by commercial gloss.
W139’s programming responds to contemporary issues while honoring its radical heritage. Recent exhibitions like “Gym of Absolute Technology,” “Shifting Spaces,” and “UU&ME” exemplify the space’s commitment to addressing urgent social, political, and technological questions through art.
The gallery operates on principles of:
W139’s exhibitions defy easy categorization. You might encounter:
Each exhibition is carefully developed, often over months or years, allowing artists to create ambitious works impossible in commercial contexts.
Beyond exhibitions, W139 hosts:
Warmoesstraat 139, 1012 JB Amsterdam
W139’s location on Warmoesstraat—Amsterdam’s oldest street—embodies fascinating contradictions. This historic thoroughfare sits at the edge of the Red Light District, surrounded by coffee shops, tourist bars, and increasingly upscale developments. W139 stands as a beacon of authentic culture amid commercialization, offering “a rare yet accessible stage for experimental contemporary art” in an area where genuine cultural spaces are rapidly disappearing.
True to its democratic principles, W139 maintains accessible pricing. Most exhibitions offer free or donation-based entry, ensuring art remains available to all. Some special events may have modest fees to support artist fees and production costs.
W139 operates independently, relying on a mix of public funding, private support, and community contributions. This financial independence allows the space to maintain artistic freedom without commercial pressures or corporate influence.
Support W139’s mission through:
In an art world increasingly dominated by market forces and institutional politics, W139 stands as proof that alternative models remain viable and vital. This space doesn’t just show art—it incubates movements, nurtures dissent, and provides a platform for voices that might otherwise go unheard.
For over four decades, W139 has demonstrated that art’s greatest power lies not in its commodity value but in its ability to imagine different worlds, challenge power structures, and create communities of resistance. In Amsterdam’s rapidly gentrifying center, W139 remains a crucial space where art retains its revolutionary potential—where experimentation trumps marketability, where process matters as much as product, and where the next generation of artistic rebels finds the freedom to create without compromise.
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