Housing:
The summer course does not provide housing as part of our organisation. We do provide a support system for housing by collecting sublets in Amsterdam from people who are leaving their flats or rooms for the summer. You can go to this page to find updates of sublets we have collected. Please do not share this link to anyone who is not registered for the Improvisation Summer Course.
There are guest rooms in the OT301 building that can be rented. The guest rooms at the OT301. These guest rooms are usually used for housing musicians and/or artists who are performing in the Studio 1. It contains four beds with access to the private showers in the building. We are hoping to collect more housing options in the OT301 building this year. To book the guest rooms at the OT301 building you need to come to me (katie@katieduck.com).
I will begin to send to you, by email, the lists of sublets we find in Amsterdam by May right up to when the Summer Course opens August 3, 2020.
There are never enough sublets for all of the participants of the summer course. If you can independently find a housing option in Amsterdam we suggest you pursue this.
Locations:
OT301 Cultural Center, Overtoom 301, 1054 HW Amsterdam.
Studio 1 ground floor / BAR ground floor / The Gallery ground floor / bodlabot301 first floor
Attic studio, (Alexander lessons, one to one music sessions, tutorials) Wilhelminastraat 139-3, 1054 WC Amsterdam (Around the corner from the OT301, 4th floor).
History of the OT301 Cultural Centre
Meals:
Lunch is served at De Peper Monday to Friday from 13:00 to 14:30 and dinner on Mondays at 18:00. De Peper is located on the bottom floor of the OT301 building right next door to the Studio 1 where the daily work takes place. They serve a healthy vegan meal with a policy for their patrons to donate what you can afford for your meal rather than a set price. You need to sign up in advance for your meal each morning on your way to Katie’s workshop at the restaurant so they know numbers for the lunch and Monday dinner. De Peper serves lunch and the Monday dinner for the Summer Course participants only. They will be open to the public for dinner at 18:00 on the Fridays and Saturdays before the Freakatoni Witchy Weekend performances. You need to sign up in advance for the Fridays and Saturday dinners as well.
The Neighbourhood:
The OT301 is located in the old west Amsterdam. There is a small street directly in front of the OT301, Jan Pieter Heijestraat where you can find many restaurants of all international cuisines, coffee shops , grocery shops and wine bars.
The Vondelpark is one of the largest parks in Amsterdam. It is directly behind the OT301 where you can have an outdoor picnic on breaks.
People in Amsterdam ride bikes. You can rent a bike:
https://www.cycle4you.nl/rent-a-bike-in-amsterdam-oud-zuid
http://yourcitybike.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4-2ziPij3AIVyU0YCh0ewwtAEAAYASAAEgJDUPD_BwE
Or if you use trams, tram 1 or 11 stops right in front of OT301. Trams 3, 12 and 7 stop very near OT301. You need to get a tram card at a tobacco shop or at the Albert Heijn (grocery shops). If you go on a tram they do not accept cash. They only accept bank cards or public transport cards.
The RULES in the OT301 building:
The Doors / The Keys
We have a person from the OT301 building who will be doing all of the opening and closing of the street doors, Studio 1 and BAR doors.
The front door needs to be closed most of the times, especially when we will be working in the studios. We will open the door in the morning before the movement workshop at 10:00 if you wish to come early to warm up. If you are late you will need to call Katie to be let in (her number will be on a board in the Bar area).
The door will be open again in the breaks.
We can access the front yard in the breaks, please be quiet in the yard after 22:00 the neighbours are quite sensitive.
Bikes need to be parked outside of the building, even if there are racks in the yard. Those are for the residents of the OT301 building only. It has to do with neighbour disturbance.
Please be respectful of all spaces of OT301. It is a cultural centre where many activities take place throughout the year, many artists are working there and some of them live in the building. Please always be quiet in the corridor of each floor and don’t access any of the balconies or terraces on the roof. Please be careful with sound in the outside areas of the building in the evenings for the neighbours.
Studio Bodlabot and the Gallery (wooden floors):
If you are working with music (live or recorded) please close the window after 21:00. No food, drinks or shoes are allowed in these studios. Please do not use any objects that could damage the wooden floor. If you need a chair inside you could place it on an old yoga mat.
The keys to the studio Bodlabot will need to be coordinated with Izabella for rehearsal schedules.
Studio 1:
Please do not play with the sound system unless one of the Amsterdam Crew are with you.
The floor in studio 1 is cement but very smooth and clean. We suggest that you bring alternative shoes to test out in the space.
Please do not leave food or drink items in the studio once you have finished your work there. Replace food items in the BAR area.
Bar:
Drinks will be served at the bar during the Freakatoni Witchy Weekends by staff from the OT301 crew.
During the week you can bring drinks and food. There is room to store food and drink in the bar area fridge. We have a kettle to make coffee or tea. We recommend you use De Peper for your daily lunch meals. The Bar is not a kitchen facility.
You can smoke just outside the BAR area or in the small garden in the front of the building.
In the evenings, please be careful with sound when you are using the outside areas of the building. We do not want to disturb the neighbours who live in and around the OT301 building.
Welcome. Looking forward to the work!