The Dependance

The Dépendance is Rotterdam's platform for urban culture and public debate.

Rotterdam platform

We work from the premise that the city of Rotterdam is intrinsically linked to international trends – from growing flows of capital, labor, goods and information to geopolitical power shifts and the global climate crisis. To explain, interpret and critically reflect on these transformations, De Dépendance examines how these trends manifest themselves in our cities and urban regions.

We do this by initiating public programs with international speakers who deal with the major urban issues of today. We invite renowned and emerging thinkers for lectures, discussions and interviews to debate the political, economic, social, cultural and environmental challenges of our time. Founded in 2009 by design agency ZUS with the Schieblock as a permanent base, De Dépendance has been traveling through Rotterdam since 2015. With the city as a stage, we want to bring new perspectives, diverse opinions, alternative solutions and (radical) ideas.