Jalien van den Tweel

About

Jalien is a social designer focused on night culture and community building. As project leader at the Institute of Night Culture and representative of the Nightmakers in the Amsterdam Night Council, she works toward a future-proof night culture. She addresses topics such as social safety, working conditions for night workers, and the effects of gentrification. With a deep love for the night, she advocates for the power of gathering after dark and exploring liminal spaces. Her projects aim to nurture these experiences and create space for connection and experimentation. Jalien also collaborates with Foundation 10,000 Hours, linking social work with music events. Within this program she teaches young people how to organize events and co-create with an target audiences to foster connection and engagement. Her most recent project, An Ode to the New Church, centers on building collective memory and active mentorship as vital forces for sustaining and strengthening nightlife culture. Drawing on the metaphor of the church as a vessel for continuity, the project explores how the knowledge, rituals, and values of night communities can be preserved beyond their fleeting moments. Through artistic research and co-creative practice, it frames mentorship as a form of intergenerational care, a way for experienced nightmakers to guide and empower the next generation. Through the active archiving of stories, rituals, and collective symbols, An Ode to the New Church envisions nightlife as an ecosystem of learning and remembrance, where mentorship and collective memory stand as pillars of sustainable cultural continuity.