"Jos Smolders (Deurne, The Netherlands, October 20th, 1960) studied architecture at the Delft Technical University but quit and continued the musical tape experiments of his childhood. He started musicological studies of electronic and recorded music, was six years co-editor of Vital Magazine. Active in the underground electronic scene, founding member of the renowned Dutch electroacoustic ensemble THU20, he released his own music on cassette, LP and CD. He now works as a sound designer and composer in Tilburg (The Netherlands). Founder of online magazine and mp3 label Earlabs. Owner of EARLabs Studios."

Harco Rutgers: "About me and my work

I graduated in interior architecture and furniture design at the art academy, but now work in a much broader creative field, combining different disciplines, refining new skill sets and collaborating with others.

For me, art is primarily another way to engage in 'conversation' or provoke thought and contemplation. The concepts that form the basis of my work can be abstract or very concrete, but always spring from personal fascination. I make use of overlapping properties of visual art, design, sound, music, language and media.

In design I focus on a variety of objects and media, ranging from furniture and other 3D objects to graphic design and websites. My comfort zone is the grey area between art and design.

When designing and developing for the web I can offer the best of two worlds; I look at a website from a designer point of view ánd from a developer point of view, which is actually a rare combination. Design and code are equally important to me. I'm experienced in communication & marketing for the cultural/music/arts sector and will use this knowledge to your advantage, if you let me. I often collaborate with other artists, designers or developers when needed.

Esc.rec. is my own (small, but critically acclaimed) record label and platform for adventurous music, founded in 2004. I develop and support a variety of Esc.rec. related events, like the long-running Ass-crack Stage-hack (ACSH) concert series and The Diamond Exchange.

De Perifeer is my platform for music, art, performance and experiment; an intimate venue and project based residency. De Perifeer is situated in my own atelier and has room for about 20-30 visitors, depending on the program.

From 2005-2012 I was a member of WILLIE; a wild artist collective and the number one cultural hangout in Deventer. WILLIE doesn't exist anymore, which is a bit sad. But I learned a lot here. And the demise of WILLIE paved the way for De Perifeer, so it's not all bad.

Havenkwartier Deventer is the place where I work (and live). Be sure to check the Havenkwartier agenda for all other activities in the area. Since 2006 I'm the resident publicity facilitator of Havenkwartier Deventer, with activities ranging from website design & development and social media management to preparation of communication strategies and working closely with the communication team of the city of Deventer.

Since 2010 I am a certified Kunstenaarcoach, catalyst in improvement of creative climate and innovation processes in businesses. This sort of happened 'by accident' when I was invited into a pilot project, but my coachings have proven to be extremely well received and have genuine impact.

I never pictured myself as a teacher, because speaking in front of an audience scares me a bit. But I do make exceptions, when intrigued by an invitation. I have ocasionally been a guest teacher in several projects with (gifted) children or (master) students. Rewarding work! As far as lectures go: you can always ask...

Sometimes I get invited as a (guest) curator for exhibitions or festivals. For me these projects function as umbrellas which allow me to convincingly combine and explore several areas of my expertise.

I started DJ-ing in 1992. And I still do, although not always in the same 'party-all-night-and-set-the-dancefloor-on-fire' mode I started with back then. Most of the time I actually prefer playing DJ sets that make you go quiet and just listen. I'm also a founding member of DJ collective Tromgeroffel and DJ duo Vehikel. Starting in 2018, I make radio shows for Concertzender."

Guido Nijs is a Netherlands saxophonist, known for the band Jazzinvaders. In 2021 he released his solo album Train of Thought.