As ADE Turns 30 This Week, Its Managing Director Reflects on Dance Music as ‘An Emotions Industry’

Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) marks its 30th anniversary this week, bringing the dance music industry and hundreds of thousands of fans together across the city. Managing director Jan-Willem van de Ven says the event has grown from a trade fair and club festival into a cultural gathering that helps showcase emerging sounds, talent and industry developments.

ADE Pro will host 188 programmes, including 148 panels, and organisers expect 11,000 attendees across its Pro and Lab tracks. Around 600,000 fans are expected at events in 300 venues, including Amsterdam Music Festival, which anticipates 40,000 people at Johan Cruijff Arena. This year’s programme includes a major focus on AI and social impact, as well as research with VibeLab on nightlife in six global cities to support arguments for protecting and funding night culture.