Every autumn, Bergen turns into one big gallery for ten days. Studios open their doors, living rooms become exhibition spaces and you come across art in the street where you least expect it. That is the Kunst10Daagse, literally “Ten Days of Art”, the village’s biggest art event. We are right in the middle of it; this is how to go about it.
In short
- When: ten days in the second half of October; in 2026 from 16 to 25 October
- Where: more than 130 locations in Bergen and Bergen aan Zee
- Who: more than 300 artists, galleries and emerging talent
- Cost: most locations are free to visit
- Next edition: October 2027; as soon as the dates are known, we will post them here
What you will see
Paintings and sculpture, but also installations, film, photography, prints and ceramics. Many artists exhibit in their own studio or living room, and are there in person. There are also workshops, dance and theatre, and for ten days the Ruïnekerk resounds with concerts by Kunstgetij. In a single walk you see the work and the people behind it.
Why Bergen
Bergen has been an artists’ village for well over a century. Around 1915 the Bergen School was born here, and to this day a remarkable number of artists live and work in the village. The Kunst10Daagse is the moment you are invited inside. Read more about that history in a day in the artists’ village of Bergen.
For ten days, every front door in Bergen can be a gallery.
How to go about it
Choose a route. You will not see a hundred and thirty locations in one day. Pick a few studios in the centre, around the Ruïnekerk, and walk from address to address. Or cycle through the woods to Bergen aan Zee and visit the locations there.
Come on a weekday. At the weekend it is busy; on a Tuesday afternoon you have the artist to yourself.
Leave the car at home. The centre is small and parking is limited; by bike you can get anywhere.
Dress for the weather. October on the coast: a coat, and afterwards something warm.
A break at Fabel’s
We are directly opposite the Ruïnekerk, right on the route. Come in for coffee with cake from Patisserie Roos, an onion soup at lunchtime or a drink on the heated terrace. The art on our walls changes regularly too, so the exhibition simply continues.
Fabel’s tip
Start the morning with us over coffee, visit three or four studios, have lunch, and finish the afternoon on the terrace as the church lights up. Coming with a group of six or more? Book ahead and we will keep a table for you.
Good to know
When is the Kunst10Daagse in Bergen?
Every year for ten days in the second half of October. In 2026 it ran from 16 to 25 October; the dates for 2027 will follow.
Is the Kunst10Daagse free?
Most studios and exhibitions are free to visit. For some performances and concerts you buy a ticket.
How many artists take part?
More than 300 artists, galleries and emerging talent, at more than 130 locations in Bergen and Bergen aan Zee.
Where can you take a break during the Kunst10Daagse?
At Fabel’s, directly opposite the Ruïnekerk, in the heart of the village. Open from 09:30, with a heated terrace.
Written by the team at Fabel’s eten & drinken, Oude Prinsweg 9, Bergen (NH), the Netherlands. Last updated on 9 November 2026.