Why Amsterdam is excellent for students’ independence: a Creative Arts trip to Amsterdam
Looking for a destination that’s first-trip friendly for your Creative Arts students? Why not consider Amsterdam? The capital of the Netherlands is an ideal choice for a Creative Arts trip thanks to a variety of artistic museums and interactive exhibitions which are all a short distance from one another.
It’s the perfect short-haul destination for first-time flyers or first-time party leaders. With a flight time of under two hours from major UK airports and easily navigable streets, an Amsterdam college trip is a brilliant opportunity for young people to experience independence outside of a classroom environment. The capital offers a huge array of cheap public transport, as well as the free three-minute ferry which is an experience in itself!
But what does a college trip to Amsterdam really look like? We sat down with Andy Bossom at the University of Creative Arts to discuss why a Creative Arts trip to Amsterdam is a perfect opportunity for students to gain independence and inspiration simultaneously. Andy came to Travelbound wanting a tailor-made trip, and as experts at building trips to any destination, we knew Amsterdam was the perfect location!
Why did you decide to offer an international Creative Arts trip to your students?
“Each year the Games & Creative Technology department undertake an international study trip, in recent years to either Berlin or Amsterdam. This takes place during an inter-semester break when no teaching is taking place. We take students from multiple degree courses, which is great for departmental networking and bridge building.
By annually offering international study trips, my aim is to expand the students’ horizons, offer the opportunity to travel, and to expose them to other cultures, creativity, architecture, art and music.
Each year we find there are students who have never flown, who have never been abroad or have never been away without their family, making the university trip an interesting rite of passage and opportunity for growth. The trip presents an opportunity to engage in a safe adventure, and to explore with your peers.”
“Amsterdam offers a fantastic, vibrant and safe location to a small easy-to-navigate city. It is steeped in history and atmosphere around every corner.”
How do you ensure that your trips are an opportunity for university students to explore a new city independently, whilst maintaining a safe environment?
“Being university age students, none of our museum or gallery visits are mandatory. The students thoroughly enjoyed the exciting and varied offer of artwork and historical insights, both in central Amsterdam, Amsterdam Noord and the NDSM Wharf.
“From chatting to students during meet up points, they thoroughly enjoyed the abundant range of modern work showcased at the Stedelijk, much of it from the 20th century. Being adult students, we allow a lot of freedom to roam and explore at their own pace. There are so many opportunities for creative exploration on a Creative Arts trip to Amsterdam.”
Were there neighbourhoods, murals or installations that sparked interesting conversations within your group?
“We thoroughly enjoyed the abundance of street art and galleries found in central Amsterdam like the Moco Museum, as well as enjoying the free ferry to the EYE and the extraordinary work in and around the NDSM Wharf with the Straat Museum or NXT Museum. The students enjoyed all of these for their wide range of exciting, contemporary, challenging work.”
How did exploring the city and its architecture influence your students’ creative thinking?
“Amsterdam is an amazing location for a Creative Arts college trip. It’s easy to navigate, friendly and engaging. Amsterdam’s historic and iconic tall buildings frame the waterways, which is just beautiful to see. What’s not to love about the central canal network and the old leaning architecture of Amsterdam?”
Did your group encounter any local creative practices that broadened their understanding of what art can be today?
“The extraordinary co-working spaces at the NDSM Wharf stand out. It is great to see how a post-industrial landscape can be preserved and reimagined for small businesses, not just large developers. Not to mention the wonderful dockyard concrete structures laden with graffiti. It was a feast for the eyes for our students, something they wouldn’t have experienced back at home.
A key focal point of the trip was to visit the Little Chicken Games studio in Amsterdam. CO-founder, Yannis Bolman, spoke to our degree students about the games they make and studio culture. It was an excellent opportunity for our students to see how their studies can be put into practice in later life.”
Looking back, is there one area that felt like the perfect example of Amsterdam’s “old meets new” character?
“I think that would have to be the north bank and the Wharf. Taking a forgotten post-industrial landscape and allowing it to be transformed by artisans and designers into something new, edgy and colourful. The free ferry to the EYE is a great place to start.”
Finally, what would you say to another Art or Creative Media teacher thinking about Amsterdam for their next school trip?
“Amsterdam offers a fantastic, vibrant and safe location to a small easy–to–navigate city. It is steeped in history and atmosphere around every corner. There is so much to see and do. It’s an inspiring place”
As you can see, Amsterdam is a great destination for those party leaders who want their students to explore on their own terms, gaining a sense of independence alongside creative exploration.
Did you know that we can tailor-make your trip to any destination?
Start an enquiry to learn more about your options from our expert team today!
Check out top museum recommendations in Amsterdam:
Moco Museum
With immersive light, digitalised interactive exhibits, the Moco Museum is a perfect addition to your itinerary if you really want to capture your student’s attention. With many eye-catching modern twists, as well as several Banksy master pieces, it is a frequent choice of our previous party leaders.
Stedelijk Museum
The collection of modern and contemporary art is separated into three sections, ranging from 1950 to the present day. The Stedelijk is a crowd favourite due the contrast between the historical architecture of the building itself, combined with the extensive exhibitions of contemporary artwork.
FOAM Photography Museum
Set on the beautiful canals of the city, the photography museum hosts a diverse range of photographic medium. A key collection which can open the eyes of your art students, is the emerging talent area, showcasing young photographers which can leave your own arts inspired!
