At Draaimolen, we believe that letting go, even of what we love most, is the only way to grow. That’s why we’ve chosen to challenge ourselves by saying goodbye to The Chapel.
Seeing The Chapel in full force for the first time in 2019 – Heleen Blanken
The Chapel was never just a stage. It was a feeling. A space where expectations dissolved, where music could soar or unravel, where artists built entire worlds in a fleeting moment. Sometimes breathtaking, sometimes disorienting. Always transformative.
It was a place where we embraced the unknown, allowing the music to speak for itself – whether it soared or shattered.
From James Holden to Loraine James, from Eartheater to Alessandro Cortini, and from upsammy & Valentina Magaletti to so many more – The Chapel became a sanctuary for live experimentation, nestled in the quietest corner of our forest.
It was first imagined by Heleen Blanken in 2019, debuting as a stark white triangular chapel for our opening concert with upsammy and Plaid. A tribute to the fading beauty of Charlotte Oord, a prelude to our new home at the MOB complex. A big thank you to Wootparts for building and maintaining this chapel, year after year.
“The Chapel was one of the most beautiful projects I’ve ever worked on. It was never just a structure, it became a space for collective experience, a magical place. Seeing it evolve and resonate with so many artists and visitors over the years has been deeply meaningful. Thank you to everyone who brought it to life, who played, listened, and created; its spirit will undoubtedly live on beyond its walls.” – Heleen Blanken
Let us say farewell and reminisce about some of our favourite moments at the Chapel.
2019
Draaimolen Festival 2019 – Frankie Casillo
The first moments of magic.
Barker’s live set left people as confused as they were intrigued. Movements became untethered. In that instant, we knew we had something special going on.
2020
The Chapel in the snow.
A moment frozen in time, as the world stood still.
2021
Bendik Giske and Transcending Bodies during light-years at This is Not Draaimolen Festival 2021
A year of reflection and reinvention.
As the world stood still, we found new ways to move forward. Caterina Barbieri’s opening concert was a beacon of hope, her ethereal soundscapes resonating through the forest like a call to something greater. And then came This Is Not Draaimolen Festival – an act of defiance, an experiment in togetherness, a reminder that even in uncertainty, music will always find a way.
2022
Harps and choirs, pianos and deep electronics.
Sound in its rawest, most intimate form.
When the gates reopened, The Chapel became a refuge for true experimentation.
Lucid was born – our ‘baby Chapel.’
Two alternating stages, side by side, weaving the dancefloor into the performance.
Draaimolen Festival 2022 – Rafael Dimiioniatis
2023
Draaimolen Festival 2023 – Frankie Casillo
Because we like to take risks, we painted The Chapel black, giving it a whole new look against the backdrop of the forest. We introduced a mind-bending Unidentified Object by Daniël de Bruin. And finally, a long-held dream realized: James Holden live at The Chapel.
James Holden live at The Chapel in 2022 – Dammes Kieft, Anaïs Saebu & Léon Hanssens
2024
In hindsight, a beautiful farewell to our Chapel.
Every artist brought their own world, shaped by instinct and honesty. Tilburg’s own A# freely performed in the space between two chapels, and Djrum closed the Friday with an otherwordly three-hour set.
Baraka live at Draaimolen Festival 2024
The Chapel was meant to last one year, yet it became the soul of Draaimolen, spanning five editions and a pandemic. But for the past two years, we’ve been working to carry its experimental spirit beyond its walls. Now, the entire forest is our playground. While our favorite stage may be gone, its essence lingers in every risk we take, every unexpected collision, every moment where sound reshapes itself into something entirely new.
To everyone who played, listened, danced, and created within its walls, thank you! The Chapel was never just ours; it was yours too. And as we write this, we’re reliving its memories with our 5 Years of The Chapel playlist on repeat.
