Leeuwarden - Friesland Culture Capital of Europe

Leeuwarden - Friesland Culture Capital of Europe

Leeuwarden has became Cultural Capital of Europe in 2018

Leeuwarden
Cultural capital of Europe

Watch this project on Behance
mail@dirkjan.co

For my hometown Leeuwarden, in the north of the Netherlands, I created a wide range of animations, explainers, and commercials.

In 2018, Leeuwarden was named the Cultural Capital of Europe — a major event that brought millions of visitors to the city. To support the campaign, I worked closely with the event team to produce TV spots, online promos, and animated explainers used across broadcast and digital platforms. This page features a selection of the many projects I proudly contributed to during this unforgettable year.

For my hometown Leeuwarden, in the north of the Netherlands, I created a wide range of animations, explainers, and commercials.

In 2018, Leeuwarden was named the Cultural Capital of Europe, a major event that brought millions of visitors to the city. To support the campaign, I worked closely with the event team to produce TV spots, online promos, and animated explainers used across broadcast and digital platforms. This page features a selection of the many projects I proudly contributed to during this unforgettable year.

For the city Leeuwarden in the North of The Netherlands (my hometown) I created a series of animations, explainers and commercials.

Leeuwarden has became Cultural Capital of Europe in 2018. A huge happening with many events and millions of tourists visiting the city. For marketing purposes on television and internet, I proudly created several TV commercials, explainers and promo's in collaboration with the great people of the organisation of the event. On this page I made a selection of the many projects for Leeuwarden 2018.

Client: LF2018 
Animation: Dirk Jan Haarsma
Illustrations: Ryan Todd

Special thanks to: 
Wiesje Procee
Nicole Venema
Jort Klarenbeek
Jacco de Boer
Barry Smit
Sophie Werdmuller

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The Story

Leeuwarden-Friesland embraced its year as Cultural Capital of Europe with boldness and imagination.

In a time of rapid change and growing diversity, the region chose to lead by example, transforming from a close-knit community into an open one. Through creativity, courage, and a willingness to listen and adapt, Leeuwarden-Friesland sparked dialogue, inspired new perspectives, and helped shape change at a local, national, and European level.

Our era is changing. The world has grown and society is more diverse. It takes a great deal of courage, creativity and imagination to deal with those changes. Leeuwarden-Friesland tackles its Capital of Culture year by sticking its head above the parapet. By bringing about change in the province, country and Europe in order to go from a community to an open community.

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Dare to dream.
Dare to act.
Dare to be different.

That’s what
Leeuwarden-Friesland is about.

Watch this project on Behance
mail@dirkjan.co

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Send me a message, i’m always up for a chat!

© 2025, Dirk Jan Haarsma

Last Updated: 6 October, 2025