Folly Art Norg
27 jul - 24 aug 2025
Norg, the folly village of the Netherlands
Where art, architecture and design come together in a walking route full of strange structures in the Dutch landscape.
What is a Folly?
An unconventional building with no rules or specific purpose. These structures stand out for their remarkable appearance but are neither logical nor practical. The term "folly" originates from the English word "foolish" meaning silly, absurd, or whimsical. Follies have been constructed since Roman times and saw a revival in Europe from 1700 onward. They were built to adorn the estates of the wealthy, primarily for fun (foolishness) and as a display of prosperity.
Participate
Anyone
can submit a design to participate in Folly Art Norg through an open call. The organization carefully assesses all submissions and selects at least fifteen designs for the folly route.
The follies are designed by a diverse group of participants, including artists, architects and autodidacts. Through this open call, they get the chance to bring their vision of art and architecture in public space to life.
The route invites visitors to experience the Drenthe landscape in a new way and to be surprised by the unique creations along the path.
More on how to participate
Current events
The month of March is all about reading all the beautiful concepts that makers have submitted for Folly Art Norg 2025. This is followed by an invitation to the Pitch Days, where nominees present their design to the organization. The organization is then faced with the difficult task of putting together a balanced route with crazy follies.This proves to be a difficult process every year, because so many beautiful designs are submitted and the Pitch Days bring inspiring encounters. At the end of March, Folly Art Norg will announce the participants, so that the makers can start realizing their concepts.
In addition, the winner of the Prestige project has been announced: Nienke de Bruijn (17) from the Commanderij College in Gemert. With her folly FOR SALE: Rib uit je lijf – a playful block tower with a serious message about the housing market – her design will be given a place at the information point.
The Open Call is now closed and will open again on December 15, 2025.
