Entering the Field: From Observer to Participant My experience at SAMA has only just begun, yet the first days have already reshaped my understanding of what it means to work in culture. Before arriving in Amsterdam, I had worked in cultural institutions where much of my time was spent behind a desk — planning, coordinating, communicating from within an office. At SAMA, however, that model quickly proved insufficient. Street art cannot be understood from a distance. It demand

Where are you from? What are you doing in Amsterdam? I am originally from Italy, and I came to Amsterdam with a clear intention: to strengthen my English and deepen my communication skills in an international cultural context. This opportunity emerged through an unexpected yet meaningful encounter with Anna Stolyarova, founder of the Street Art Museum Amsterdam (SAMA). I first met Anna in my hometown of Scandiano, when she visited Italy to present the Toolkit for Youth Worker

Where are you from? What are you doing in Amsterdam? Hi I'm Tessa, I'm 15 years old and I'm from Amsterdam myself and live nearby. I was born here and spent my childhood in Amsterdam. My dad is also from Amsterdam west and grew up around here. My dad told me stories about how west used to be and about what it looked like when he was a child. I find it funny how me and my dad for example in the summer went to the same beach when I was slightly younger or how we played in the s

Amsterdam, as a Living Canvas How Urbanites United turned the city into a shared artwork In September 2025, something subtle but powerful happened in Amsterdam. Walls started talking. Streets began listening. Neighbourhoods recognised themselves in colour, line and story. Urbanites United: Amsterdam, as a Living Canvas  was never meant to be a festival you “visited.” It was something you walked into . Something you stumbled upon . Something that unfolded while you were on you