Join City Talks at ITA's Bookshop on January 15 from 6pm-7pm. City Talks is ITA’s monthly 60-minute sip-and-talk show with inspiring discussions and performances, which takes place in The Bookshop.

Let's talk about A City That Holds Us

In a world where systems often fail the very people they’re meant to support, we turn to the power of care that thrives in communities, friendships, kitchens, neighbourhoods and chosen families. This edition of City Talks explores how everyday acts of care become radical forces - shaping resilience, belonging, and the possibility of a city that truly holds us all.

Meet the guest speakers at the next edition of City Talks

Debra Barraud is a photographer and writer, and the founder of Humans of Amsterdam, a storytelling platform followed by over 800.000 people. Since 2012, she has been documenting lives on the streets of Amsterdam, sharing personal stories that reveal the social realities behind everyday life. Her work has also sparked concrete acts of care, with community-led fundraisers raising over €100.000 to help people rebuild, reunite with family, or get back on their feet.

Eva de Rooij is the initiator of Villa Buitenlust, a social enterprise hidden in the green of Amsterdam’s Westerpark that brings care, rest, and connection together under one roof. Created together with De Regenboog Groep, the villa offers respite stays for caregivers and people in vulnerable situations, alongside spaces for work, gatherings, and celebration.

Nabil Tkhidousset is a theatre maker and creator whose work explores care, friendship, and healing. Together with Lev Avitan, he co-created the podcast Echtemannentakkies, which they turned into the stage performance 7sheb 3lik (“counting on each other”). Their work reflects on masculinity, absent fatherhood, growing up in a single-parent household and, above all, the power of friendship.

Inspired by ITA Ensemble The Prophet Song

This edition’s theme is loosely inspired by ITA Ensemble’s The Prophet Song - a vivid portrait of how fragile our freedoms can be, and how human connection becomes essential when familiar structures feel less certain (playing until January 25, 2026).

Details about the next edition of City Talks

Mark your calendars:

• What: City Talks Amsterdam: A City That Holds Us
• Date: January 15, 2025
• Time: 6pm-7pm (doors open from 5.30pm)
• Tickets: 7,50 euros (includes a free drink)
• Find out more on the ITA website 

About City Talks Amsterdam

Every last Thursday of the month, you're welcome at The Bookshop in Internationaal Theater Amsterdam for City Talks Amsterdam. For this monthly talk show, there are special guests, from scientists to artists and from journalists to economists, who come to talk about a social topic or urban trends. Together, they dive into a theme and ask how it affects Amsterdam and its residents.

City Talks Amsterdam takes place at The Bookshop, ITA's new cultural living room on Amsterdam’s Leidseplein. This compact stage offers a space for innovation, reflection and new perspectives. Here, makers, performers and visitors meet for special programmes, from experiments to intimate performances. 

Order a ticket and get a free beverage

Tickets cost 7,50 euros (5 euros for a concession ticket), and this includes a free drink! Book your tickets on the ITA website.