The Hague Storytellers and Treasure Seekers

The Hague Storytellers and Treasure Seekers
Are people themselves intangible heritage? What can we learn from each other, preserve, and pass on?
In the The Hague Storytellers and Treasure Seekers art project, Topaze explored these questions alongside a diverse group of participants—young and old, from various cultural backgrounds—translating their reflections into art.

At the Topaze workshop in Transvaal, people come together to create. As they work, they share stories about their families, traditions, and life experiences. This inspiring space is where personal histories and cultural practices intersect. These unique encounters and the curiosity about one another’s backgrounds were the driving forces behind this project.

With The Hague Storytellers and Treasure Seekers, people were encouraged to explore their own heritage and express their stories in a creative way. The result is a remarkable collection of artworks—touching, colorful, and deeply personal. From family recipes and traditional hairstyles to memories of places of origin, each participant has visualized a part of their history in their own unique way. Themes of migration, war, and loss, but also connection and pride, emerge in the works. The outcome is a series of triptychs that invite the viewer into the personal world of each creator. 

A special element of the project is the communal practice of batik, a craft with deep roots in the Indo-Dutch community. At the request of this community, participants reconnected with this symbolic and meaningful art form, bringing it back to life. 

Come, see, listen, and immerse yourself in these extraordinary stories! 

Topaze: From Festival Stages to Community Art
What began as an artist collective creating spectacular stage designs and decorations for festivals like Lowlands, North Sea Jazz, and The Hague Jazz has grown into a driving creative force in The Hague’s neighborhoods. Topaze has worked with renowned venues such as Paard van Troje, Paradiso, and Melkweg, crafting visual worlds for artists like Anouk and Cesar Zuiderwijk.

With the belief that art connects people, Topaze shifted its focus from large festivals to the dynamic heart of the city. Today, the organization runs a vibrant studio in Transvaal, The Hague, where young people and local residents engage in daily creative activities. Through inspiring art projects focused on cultural participation and education, Topaze uses art as a powerful tool to tell stories, bring people together, and make creativity accessible to all, such as with various exhibitions in the Atrium City Hall in recent years.

Made possible by 
The Hague Storytellers and Treasure Seekers is an initiative by Stichting Topaze and is supported by the Dutch Fund for Cultural Participation (Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie).