Vision

Buro Stedelijk is a hybrid art space that celebrates community and encourages experiment and boundary-pushing art. As a decentralized observatory, it is attentive to community needs and promotes artistic expression. By fostering collaboration between artists, communities, and institutions, Buro Stedelijk aims to inspire new perspectives and active civic participation.

A place where curators, artists and other makers have the freedom to create and present new work which will give fresh impetus to Amsterdam.

Rita Ouédraogo is Buro Stedelijk’s curator.

From December 2022, Azu Nwagbogu and Rita Ouédraogo collaboratively conceptualized the operating framework of Buro Stedelijk. Their visionary approach resulted in a dynamic institutional structure. Any activity, be it exhibitions, talks, symposiums, essays, or performances, is considered a “manifestation”. Any collaborator is seen as a vital contributor, helping to shape the essence of Buro Stedelijk.

Azu gave Buro Stedelijk a strong international profile, branding it as a network with both a strong local and global reach. As of December 2023, Rita guides Buro Stedelijk into its next phase, introducing new developments and progressions. Together with Project Manager Niels Staats, Rita Ouédraogo has given further shape to an independent platform that operates as autonomously as possible within the museum. The curatorial philosophy revolves around experimentation and forging connections across diverse disciplines. Consistently delving into the ongoing re-evaluation of ideas, Buro Stedelijk is aiming to push the boundaries of one’s own thinking.

The umbrella term ‘manifestations’ is utilized to encompass all projects initiated by Buro. The founding curators purposefully avoid rigid distinctions between exhibitions and essays, choosing instead to treat each project with equal significance. Buro consistently develops innovative and forward-thinking manifestations that engage with pertinent and contemporary themes in diverse formats.

Buro Stedelijk, an initiative by the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, features a central ‘project’ space located within the museum premises. Manifestations unfold not only in the Buro Stedelijk Central Space but also extend to the Studio Space and elsewhere in Amsterdam and beyond (Offsite), catering primarily to a national audience while always considering Amsterdam’s international connections.

Buro Stedelijk is very grateful for Azu Nwagbogu’s invaluable contribution as co-founding curator.