Pioneering, boundary-breaking electronic events producer Audio Obscura announces the return of its flagship Audio Obscura Festival at the UNESCO World Heritage site Van Nelle Factory in Rotterdam. Following its completely sold-out first edition in 2024 the one-off, open-air showcase returns in 2026, marking the next chapter in Audio Obscura’s development as a truly unique cultural platform.

What began as club culture has evolved into an ongoing mission: to place electronic music in contexts traditionally closed to dance music, whether that be highway raves, cathedral house parties or elevated sunrise events. Organisers position Audio Obscura’s locations not as gimmicks, but as unexpected physical statements that give the genre the respect, protection, and cultural recognition it deserves.

So Audio Obscura Festival isn’t a traditional music festival but rather a temporary cultural intervention and installation in the heart of Rotterdam. For this edition, the program will include not only the former factory but the entire outdoor area of ​​the Van Nelle Factory. Lofty halls, brutalist walkways and hidden industrial spaces together form a one-of-a-kind sensory route where sound, space, and architecture amplify each other – an experience that lasts for just one day and then disappears.

Rotterdam remains the original foundation of the Audio Obscura philosophy, the festival specifically designed for the city and its raw industrial heritage. Simultaneously it brings together international and local artists and audiences in a shared, communal experience, where DJs take center stage and blur the lines between concert, rave, and performance.

In keeping with Audio Obscura’s philosophy, impact extends beyond music. A portion of the proceeds from the 2026 Audio Obscura Festival will be donated to the preservation of the Van Nelle Factory as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Tickets are available here.