Industry Insider: An interview with Amsterdam Dance Event’s Managing Director, Jan-Willem van de Ven

Jan-Willem is the Managing Director of Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) , a city-wide takeover complete with over 1,000 parties, talks, panels and showcases, which has become a must-attend for the dance music industry and fans alike as it attracts 600,000 visitors every October.

With more than fifteen years of experience across music, innovation and live events, Jan-Willem leads ADE at a defining moment in its history as the organisation celebrates its 30th anniversary.

Having previously served as Festival Manager at ADE and later as Head of Business Development at Paylogic International, Jan-Willem combines a deep understanding of electronic music culture with expertise in technology, audience development and large-scale event strategy.

The philosophy behind it. ADE was created at a moment when electronic music was still finding its place. Buma Cultuur saw an opportunity to bring together artists, labels, promoters, managers, and innovators around a shared culture. Thirty years later, that philosophy is still intact. What inspires me today is the same thing that inspired the people who started it: creating a place where the global electronic music community can meet, learn from each other, build new opportunities and collectively move our culture forward.

Why do you think Amsterdam remains such a vital hub for electronic music?

Amsterdam has a unique combination of openness, creativity and connectivity. The city has always embraced new ideas and new sounds. At the same time, it remains incredibly accessible. You can move from a museum to a conference panel to an underground club night within a few minutes by bike. A lot is possible here, with thanks to our fantastic Amsterdam City Government. What makes Amsterdam special is that electronic music isn't treated as something separate from culture. It's part of the city's identity. Artists, promoters, venues, cultural institutions, technology companies and audiences all contribute to our community. ADE grew alongside the city, which is one of the reasons the relationship between the city and the event remains so strong.

Can you walk us through your journey into the music industry, what were the key moments that defined your path?

One of the defining moments was seeing firsthand how many different worlds come together through electronic music at ADE. It's easy to focus on the artists, but behind every performance there are communities, entrepreneurs, technologists, creatives and cultural organisations shaping the experience.

Another important chapter was my time at Paylogic, where I learned a great deal about audience behaviour, technology and the future of live events. That experience reinforced my belief that innovation should always serve people and communities. Returning to ADE in a leadership role felt like bringing those experiences together.

What is a typical week like for you now, and how has that changed over time?

There probably isn't such a thing as a typical week anymore. Part of my role involves working with our team on strategy, partnerships and long-term development. Another part is meeting people across the industry, whether that's artists, promoters, technology companies, policymakers, cultural institutions or international partners. Earlier in my career, I spent more time executing projects directly. Today, my role is more about creating the conditions for others to succeed. That's a different skillset. You spend less time doing everything yourself, and more time empowering talented people around you.

What are the biggest challenges you face in your role at ADE, and how do you navigate them?

The biggest challenge is balancing continuity and innovation. ADE has grown into a global platform with a strong reputation, but culture never stands still. New communities emerge, technology evolves, audience behaviour changes, and economic realities shift. Our responsibility is to remain relevant to the communities that make ADE what it is, without losing sight of the values that brought us here in the first place. That requires listening carefully, staying curious and creating opportunities for others. ADE has never been about telling culture where to go, it's about helping the people who shape it find each other and giving the grassroots a space to grow.

How do you define success in your work, both for your organisation and for yourself?

For Amsterdam Dance Event, success means remaining the world's most influential platform for electronic music - not only through scale, but through relevance. If ADE continues to bring together artists, entrepreneurs, creators, policymakers and audiences from around the world, while helping shape the future of electronic music culture, then we are succeeding. That means creating opportunities for talent, driving innovation, facilitating meaningful connections and ensuring that electronic music remains a vibrant and accessible cultural force. Scale is important, but it is ultimately a consequence of relevance. The fact that ADE attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors, thousands of artists and music professionals, and activates the entire city is a reflection of the value it creates for the global community.

How important is adaptability or continuous learning in your role, and what have you learnt lately?

It's essential - electronic music has always evolved through experimentation. The people who shaped this culture were often the people willing to embrace new technologies and new ways of thinking. Look at Jean-Michel Jarre, Guest of Honour at our Conference, playing a sold-out show with an album that’s celebrating its 50-year anniversary, but still renewing himself.

What advice would you give to people trying to build a career in music, outside of DJing?

Many successful careers are built through hundreds of small contributions that eventually compound into something bigger. At ADE Lab, our platform for talent development, we see a lot of aspiring DJs, producers and music professionals, all trying to ‘make it’. I would love to say that community is more important than making it big.

How do you balance the business side of your work with its creative side?

The most exciting developments often happen where those worlds overlap. That's one of the reasons electronic music has been such a powerful cultural force. It has always existed at the intersection of creativity, technology, entrepreneurship and community.

I still visit a lot of events, sometimes along with my team. And by nature, I spend as much time as possible speaking with artists, promoters, venue operators, entrepreneurs and audiences. ADE gives us a unique vantage point because so many perspectives come together in one place. Every conversation teaches you something about where culture is moving next.

Are there any technologies or trends you think are overhyped in the electronic music industry right now?

I think every generation believes the latest technology is either revolutionary or overhyped. In reality, most innovations are neither. They are tools. What matters is whether they help artists create, help professionals build sustainable businesses, or help audiences connect more deeply with music and culture. At ADE, we've learned that lasting innovation rarely arrives with the loudest marketing campaign. It usually emerges when creative people discover new ways to use technology to solve real problems or unlock new possibilities. So rather than asking whether something is overhyped, I ask a different question: ten years from now, will this have made our culture more creative, more accessible, more connected or more sustainable? If the answer is yes, it's worth paying attention to.

Artists aside, who were some of your inspirations from an industry figures perspective when you first got involved in the electronic music world?

I've been fortunate to learn from many people throughout my career, and I believe there's something valuable to take away from every conversation. One person who had a particularly profound influence on me was Richard Zijlma. As Director of ADE and a mentor, he taught me the importance of thinking beyond the immediate horizon. His ability to see opportunities long before they became obvious, while staying deeply connected to the culture, was truly inspiring. I've also learned a great deal from working alongside Meindert Kennis as co-director. What I admire most is his ability to take complex challenges, break them down into their essential components, and turn them into clear, actionable steps. It's a skill that has helped me become a more effective leader and decision-maker. Together, these experiences reinforced an important lesson: having a vision is essential, but so is the ability to translate vision into execution.

What traits do you think make a great business person within the dance music industry?

I think that the best people in our industry understand that culture moves in cycles. They don't chase every trend but build trust over time. They also understand that success is rarely an individual achievement, because electronic music has always been collaborative.

What advice would you give to young people hoping to work in the electronic music scene at an events company like yours?

You learn far more from doing, than from waiting for the perfect opportunity! If you start small, by just saying out loud what you’d like to learn, you can reach a lot of goals by just doing it. So go for it!

What's your own relationship with dance music, do you DJ? Collect records? Still hit the dancefloor?

I wouldn't call myself a DJ, we have thousands, if not more, of artists playing at ADE. What continues to fascinate me is the culture around the music and the communities it creates. I’ve always really enjoyed the feeling when you first walk into a club or set foot on the grounds of a festival and get a bit overwhelmed. I think we all know what that feels like.

ADE has hosted influential figures. Which keynote or discussion has had the biggest personal impact on you?

There have been many, but welcoming Grandmaster Flash to ADE during the 50th anniversary of hip hop was a special moment. Hearing one of the pioneers who transformed the turntable into a creative instrument reflect on innovation, community, and the evolution of music culture was incredibly inspiring. More generally, the conversations that stay with me are the ones that connect generations. That's at the heart of what we're celebrating with 30 YEARS ADE, bringing together the pioneers who helped build electronic music culture and the next generation that will take it forward. Jean-Michel Jarre is a great example of that bridge. These conversations remind us that innovation doesn't happen in isolation, every generation builds on the work of the previous one.

ADE has done a lot to normalise discussions around mental health in the music industry. How do you personally stay grounded?

Perspective helps. I always tell my team that ADE is an incredible responsibility, but it's important to remember that no single event or project defines our full lives. I stay grounded through family, friends, colleagues and by making time for life outside of work by going on runs on my race bike. I've also learned the importance of trusting the people around me. Building strong teams is crucial for sustainability and wellbeing.

What's the legacy you hope to leave through your work with ADE and in the electronic music scene at large?

As we celebrate 30 years of ADE, I'm increasingly convinced that legacy is not something you preserve but rather something you pass on. The pioneers who played small rooms in the 1990s became global icons. The responsibility now is to make sure the next generation has the same opportunities to grow, experiment and build something meaningful. If ADE can continue to serve as a bridge between where electronic music came from and where it's going next, I think that's a legacy worth striving for.

What advice would you give to young people hoping to make their mark in electronic music, whether as artists, managers or industry leaders like yourself?

Remember that careers are rarely linear. Most opportunities come from unexpected conversations, collaborations and experiences. Visiting conferences, events or finding your idol can help. If you have a mentor, you’ll learn a lot by shadowing them.