AIR Amsterdam Competitors

Op 30 maart 1968 opende ‘Cosmisch Ontspanningscentrum Paradiso’ haar deuren, met als doel een vrijplaats te bieden aan creatief talent. Het kerkgebouw aan de Weteringschans werd vanaf die dag een trekpleister voor jongeren, publiek en artiesten, uit Amsterdam, Nederland, Europa en ook de rest van de wereld. In de veertig jaar die daarop volgden – in 2008 vierde de stichting haar veertigjarig bestaan - is Paradiso uitgegroeid tot poppodium, nachtclub en cultuurpaleis in één.

Melkweg stands for pop culture in the most broad of senses. Each year, hundreds of concerts, club nights, films and music films, theatre performances, expositions and multidisciplinary events together attract more than 400,000 visitors. The venue is located in the only surviving factory building on the Amsterdam canal ring, a former sugar and, later, milk factory. This historical building houses two concert halls, a cinema, a theatre, and an exposition space, which each can be used separately or combined together. In the Melkweg, established names can be seen alongside new talent and emerging styles get the chance to reach a broader audience. The diversity of its programming and visitors, together with its different spaces and special location, have for years made the Melkweg a unique place.

Once an old sugar factory, now a raw and industrial event location, just a stone's throw from Amsterdam. Welcome to the SugarFactory! With 8,000 m2 of event space, the possibilities are endless. The high spaces with industrial pillars and boilers provide a unique backdrop for a variety of corporate events.