Unusual Suspects is a production office for innovative music and performance projects operating in the Netherlands and internationally. We work closely with artists to produce, curate and programme special projects and events in which out-of-the-box practice is the norm. The creators and joint directors of Unusual Suspects are Neil Wallace and Frank Veenstra, performing arts producers and programmers with a wealth of international experience embracing mainstream and not-so-mainstream genres in music, dance, music theatre and related art forms. Both are festival leaders (Neil @ The Big Sing Haarlem and Frank @ Birds of Paradise Utrecht) and previously held positions as program director at De Doelen (Rotterdam) and Muziekgebouw (Eindhoven).
Projects and artists presented by each of us in the past range from Sufjan Stevens to the Berlin Philharmonic and Nico Muhly to Bob Dylan. Our joint specialism is in finding the right artists to collaborate on signature projects inspired by location, occasion, or simply the sheer thrill of bringing artists together to work in new ways with new partners.
Making the Unsual possible.
ABOUT
Frank Veenstra
Composer, musician, curator/programmer and creative producer. Frank is Artistic and Managing Director of the Birds of Paradise Festival and Programme Manager Music & Performance for the STRP Festival. As Artistic Manager at Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (2005-2021) and Muziekcentrum Enschede he founded genre-busting festivals such as Cross-linx, Tromp Percussion, Storioni Chamber Music Festival, So What’s Next? and many others. Frank has a close working relationship with artists and agencies all over the world. He’s a sought after guest curator for festivals and venues, and active as coach and educationist for various artists and organisations.
Neil Wallace
Active in the international performing arts scene for over 40 years, including Glasgow’s European Cultural Capital programme (1990), founder of the city’s Tramway space, Programme Director of the Doelen, Rotterdam (2006-2019); artistic director International Choral Biennale (Haarlem and Amsterdam); founder / co-director of The BIG IDEA Foundation Rotterdam. Active as co-producer of large-scale international performing arts projects with leading composers and ensembles from around the world. Also active as trainer and moderator in the Netherlands and abroad and adviser on International Affairs to the Dutch Arts Council.
