ABOUT

Since its founding in 1998, The Notorious IBE festival organized by The Notorious IBE foundation (non profit), has served as a platform dedicated to celebrating the authenticity, creativity, and innovation of the global hiphop and urban dance community.

Set across multiple days in both indoor and outdoor venues in the heart of Heerlen, the festival provides a uniquely immersive environment. Each year, the festival is brought to life through close collaboration with partners from around the world. These partners are empowered to curate their own programs, invite their own guests, and engage with diverse audiences, all while gaining visibility within the broader spectrum of urban dance disciplines.

The scale and scope of support offered to community partners are exceptional. The quality, relevance, and diversity of the programming are underscored by the festival’s consistently high attendance—welcoming over 10,000 visitors annually from 40+ countries.

Foundation The Notorious IBE

Foundation activities
At IBE we believe the strength of hiphop and street culture lies in community engagement. Everyone has a role to play, is needed, seen, and is valued-whether as a practitioner of one of the Hip Hop disciplines or as a creative contributor. IBE plays an active role in strengthening the community.

We are committed to connecting our core activity—the annual Notorious IBE festival —to our new all year round talent development project ‘Enablers’ project “Mogelijkmakers for the 2025-2028 period.

These “Enablers” are often also practitioners (or at least passionate fans) of one or more hip hop disciplines, but their creative talents often manifest in other ways as well. They may be skilled organizers, designers, writers, videographers, technicians, or connectors. Such talents remain too rare within the community and receive too little guidance.

Foundation management
The foundation is governed by a board comprising a Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer, who hold overall administrative responsibility. Operational leadership is provided by a Business Director and an Artistic Director, acting under the board’s mandate. The management board oversees a core team of six staff members responsible for the foundation’s two main initiatives: the IBE Festival and the Enablers Project.

Foundation Boardmembers
-K. Regterschot : Chair
-H. Wolting : Treasurer
-J. Bruinsma-Muller : Secretary
-P. Reijns

Management board
-J. Knols : Managing Director
-T. v.d. Meer : Artistic Director

Core team members
-M. Walden : Project Assistant & Music Programmer
-Y. Driessen : Sales, Facilities & Relations Manager
-R. Fernandes : Visual Creative Designer
-C. Kerkhof : Corporate Communications Genie
-R. Wagemans : Production Manager
-A. Soyer : Logistics & Hospitality

Festival staff
The festival is organized with the help of 30+ partners organisations, suppliers and 75+ volunteers.

Foundation funding
The Notorious IBE foundation receives structural support from:

Regional funding by: The City of Heerlen, The Netherlands (since 2008)
State funding by: The Province of Limburg (currently in its second consecutive four-year funding cycle since 2021)
National funding by: The Cultural Participation Fund of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (currently in its third consecutive four-year funding cycle since 2017)

2025-2028 cultural & community partners
National
– Kool Cult – Heerlen
– HipHopHuis – Rotterdam
– Foundation – Amsterdam
– Let it Happen – Maastricht
– Oxygen Academy – Maastricht
– Freedom City Festival – Utrecht
– Nederlandse Dansdagen – Maastricht
– Sally Dance Company – Maastricht
– Via Zuid – Maastricht
– Podium Nieuwe Nor – Heerlen
– Parkstad Limburg Theater – Heerlen
– Mad Skills- Weert
– Schritt_macher Dance Festival – Heerlen
– Creative College – Utrecht
– Shady Siblings – Eindhoven
– Perfect Beat – Rotterdam
– Crashfest – Zeist
– HustleDanceNL – Amsterdam

International
– Imagination Circle – Uganda
– Streetopia – Brazil
– Funky Ladies – France
– Footworkerz – France
– Kapela Marna – France
– Lady Rocks – France
– Hip Hop Cinefest – Italy
– FlowMo – Finland
– Dance Adjudicators Network – UK
– Fujifilm Instax Undisputed – UK/Japan