About the Festival

FAQ Festival is a multi-day event dedicated to electronic music, held at various venues throughout the city of 's-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands. The festival explores the full range of electronic sound, from electro-acoustic compositions and experimental performance to more club-oriented genres. Both seated concerts and late-night sessions feature in the programme, reflecting the remarkable breadth of what electronic music encompasses today.

History and Mission

First organised in 2010, FAQ Festival grew out of a desire to bring forward-thinking electronic music to 's-Hertogenbosch. A full overview of previous editions is available elsewhere on this site. The name "FAQ" playfully references the common abbreviation for "Frequently Asked Questions," but here the questions being raised are musical ones: what can electronic sound do? Where is it heading? Who are the voices shaping its future?

Over the years the festival has built a reputation for thoughtful programming that places established pioneers alongside emerging talent. Rather than focusing on a single style or scene, FAQ celebrates the connections between different traditions of electronic music. A visitor might experience a carefully amplified acoustic performance in one venue, then walk to another for a pulsing techno set, all within the same evening.

Collaboration with November Music

In 2021, FAQ Festival joined forces with November Music, a long-standing festival for contemporary composed music also based in 's-Hertogenbosch. This partnership brought the two events together under one roof, with FAQ taking place during the opening weekend of the ten-day November Music programme.

The collaboration has been a natural fit. Both festivals share a commitment to artistic quality, adventurous programming and the belief that audiences benefit from encountering unfamiliar sounds. By combining their resources and networks, FAQ and November Music are able to offer a richer and more varied programme than either could present alone.

November Music is an internationally recognised festival that has been running since 1993. The combined event takes place each year in the first half of November, bringing together contemporary composed music, jazz, improvisation, sound installations, world music and electronic music across multiple venues in the city centre.

Programme Approach

The artistic programme of FAQ Festival is shaped by a curiosity about what electronic music can be. The festival regularly presents work by groundbreaking composers from the early days of electronic music, placing their contributions in dialogue with the newest generation of musicians and sound artists. Film screenings, lectures and masterclasses complement the concert programme, offering audiences deeper context and understanding.

Each edition typically spans three or four days and includes a mix of formats: intimate recitals in a concert hall, large-scale installations in industrial spaces, DJ sets in club environments, and everything in between. More about the festival venues can be found on the dedicated venues page. This variety is one of the festival's defining characteristics and reflects the organisers' belief that electronic music deserves to be heard in many different settings.