During the summer, I organised VLIEGBURG*, an inspiring community project that combined art, education, and sustainability.
From August to October, I hosted 6 creative workshops in which over 40 children crafted kites from recycled materials collected through the EcoQuest initiative. Children helped clean the streets and green spaces of IJburg—collecting and sorting waste, returning bottles, and donating items for reuse.

The workshops, organised at IJburg’s beach and community houses, combined art and STEM learning. Children explored principles of aerodynamics and balance while designing and testing their unique kites.

The project culminated in the Kite Festival as part of Amsterdam Clean Up Day, which gathered over 200 participants in Theo van Gogh Park. The sky above IJburg filled with colours, music, and joy—showing how small actions and shared creativity can inspire a cleaner, more connected, and sustainable community.

The project was realised with the support of the Municipality of Amsterdam Oost, in collaboration with VrIJland, Dynamo, and Laterna Magica School.

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* Vligeburg – The Flying Neighbourhood is a wordplay in Dutch combining IJburg (a district in Amsterdam) and vliegen(to fly), or kites.