3x Culture at Club Chrome

In a month's time, Amsterdam will welcome the global LGBTQIA+ community for WorldPride. For two weeks, Melkweg will transform into Club Chrome: a festival celebrating queer culture in all its colours. From film and photography to comedy and music, here are three cultural highlights at Club Chrome you won't want to miss.

Van 9 July to 20 September, Melkweg Expo presents Beautiful Creatures, a solo exhibition by Amsterdam-based photographer The Sinful Son (Peter van der Wal). Using his iconic Polaroid Big Shot camera and vintage flashbulbs, he spent years capturing visitors to queer clubs in Amsterdam, Berlin and London.

What began with a simple question – “May I take your picture?” – evolved into a remarkable portrait series and a valuable visual record of an international community. Beautiful Creatures presents nightlife as a vital space for self-expression, connection and belonging, while also serving as an urgent archive of venues and communities increasingly under pressure from social and political change. During Club Chrome, Van der Wal will present the project exclusively at Melkweg Expo, alongside the launch of the accompanying photobook on Wednesday 8 July.

Sometimes humour opens doors that serious conversations cannot. That’s why Club Chrome welcomes internationally acclaimed comedian, poet and activist ALOK on 1 August with their latest show, Eat Pray Leave.

In this deeply personal comedy show, ALOK explores themes of love, heartbreak, desire and identity. With razor-sharp observations, self-deprecating humour and a healthy dose of absurdity, they unpack the stories we tell ourselves to keep going in an uncertain world. Effortlessly moving between comedy, poetry and activism, ALOK invites audiences to see gender, connection and the human need to be seen in a new light. Eat Pray Leave is a disarming and hilarious performance that proves there is always room for hope – and a good joke – even in moments of confusion, loss and change.

Every two months, FanClub Centrum hosts a special cinema night, inviting a notable Amsterdammer to present one of their favourite films, followed by a talk exploring why they chose it.

During Club Chrome, one of the guest curators is legendary DJ and longtime Melkweg favourite Joost van Bellen. His pick? Pink Flamingos, John Waters' outrageous 1972 cult classic. This black comedy follows drag icon Divine as she battles to retain her title as the “filthiest person alive” in Baltimore. Fun fact: the original Pink Flamingos trailer contains no footage from the film itself, only the shocked and horrified reactions of audience members stumbling out of the cinema after the screening.

With Club Chrome, Melkweg presents a WorldPride programme that reflects what the venue champions all year round: creating space for queer artists, stories and communities. Curious to see what else is on? Discover the full programme below.