Garenspinnerij Cultural Center Hands Over "Zotte Zaterdag" to a New Board

During CRAZY SATURDAY, this coming Saturday, October 17, 2026, Cultuurhuis Garenspinnerij – De Kunstmachine will symbolically hand over the event to a new board. An independent foundation will take over the organization and continue to build the festival’s future in the coming years.

The new board consists of Sjoerd Wennekes (chair), Ciska van Dijk (secretary), Joep van der Werf (treasurer), Suzanne Bakker, and Wim van Beek (board members).

"As a board, we’ve gotten off to a strong start with plenty of energy and enthusiasm. Zotte Zaterdag is getting a fresh start and will now be further professionalized as an independent event. We’re doing this together with the enthusiastic group of volunteers who make Zotte Zaterdag possible and shape it every year. We plan to significantly expand this collaboration." - Sjoerd Wennekes, Chair of the Zotte Zaterdag Foundation (in formation)

A beloved event in Gouda
Zotte Zaterdag began as an initiative by enthusiastic volunteers and grew into a beloved event attracting thousands of visitors from Gouda and beyond. Volunteers, participants, cultural organizations, business owners, and other stakeholders have made the festival a staple on Gouda’s event calendar. The municipality of Gouda also contributes to this by supporting Zotte Zaterdag as a STER event.

Ready for the next step
In recent years, De Kunstmachine and the Cultuurmakelaar van Gouda have been closely involved in the organization and development of Zotte Zaterdag. However, the festival’s growth also called for the next step: an independent foundation with its own board. The formation of the new board is good news for everyone who supports Zotte Zaterdag. The festival can now stand on its own two feet and will remain a fixture in Gouda.

De Kunstmachine remains involved
Following the transition, De Kunstmachine will continue as a partner of Zotte Zaterdag. The Cultuurmakelaar will also support the new board in transferring knowledge, contacts, and experience.

“Zotte Zaterdag has grown thanks to the dedication of many volunteers, organizations, creators, and partners. The fact that a new board is now ready to build further on that foundation is something to be proud of. It shows how an initiative from the city can grow into an event that has become an integral part of Gouda.” — LeonieSchouten, Executive Director of De Kunstmachine