No One Magazine #1: Amsterdam

“No One in Amsterdam” starts with a foreword by art historian Manique Hendricks, which contextualizes Amsterdam’s queer scene within the city’s “herstory” and emphasizes the importance of archiving and keeping queer legacies alive.

With stories from long-term collectives like De Trut, Spielraum, and Lesbique, to newcomers like BODY, Club Transmission, and De Reünie, the issue indirectly narrates the evolution of nightlife in Amsterdam: where it is now and where it might head.

Through exchanges with the owners of Bar PAMELA and Club RAUM (same organizers as Spielraum), readers hear about the joys and challenges of starting and running queer businesses in Amsterdam.

Readers also learn about notable efforts to advocate for safety within the night, through interviews with Kimmah (DJ & author of an internationally adopted artist safety rider) and Ramon de Lima (project leader at ClubEthics and former acting Night Mayor).

Equally important to the other features are voices from community members who are shaping the scene by participating, organizing, curating, programming, and more.We hear from multidisciplinary artists DIORA and Val Dechev, who are cultivating much-needed trans-led initiatives in the city. In a takeover by Undocumented, a multi-medium platform that uplifts queer stories in Amsterdam, readers hear a range of stories from active members of the community; like the DJ Irem (I-RO), an awareness team staff member, Youssef (JO.JOE), and party organizer, Ici (HASHASHIN).

While we can’t offer a comprehensive overview of every initiative in the scene, we hope to give a glimpse, and encourage curiosity to find the countless other important initiatives happening in this city.