At the moment, Rotterdam is home to more than 250 companies that are industry leaders in the development of games, animation, film and high-end post-production of media. Rotterdam has, since 1993, made a priority of investing in this sector to develop an environment in which all kind of creative companies will thrive.

Creative companies
MCW Studio’s, RANJ serious games and studio Dumbar are just a few of the creative companies in Rotterdam that work extensively in partnership with international companies in South East Asia, the United States and Europe.

Building developments
There are four building developments in Rotterdam specially designed for the creative sector: the Schiecentrale, a former power plant converted to 10,000 m2 (100,000 sq ft) of creative space; The Creative Factory, 6,000 m2 (65,000 sq ft);  The Van Nelle Ontwerpfabriek (The Van Nelle Design Factory), 90,000 m2 (970,000 sq ft); and The Schieblock. Both the “Schiecentrale” and the “Van Nelle Ontwerpfabriek” are equipped with high-speed, fiber-optic communication networks.

Film
In January/February of each year, Rotterdam hosts the International Film Festival Rotterdam. More than 450 different films are screened in the city’s cinemas over the course of ten days. More than 350,000 visitors and more then 10.000 film producers, distributors and financers converge on Rotterdam.

Facts

• Approximately 3,000 companies in the creative sector in the Greater Rotterdam Area.
• Architecture: internationally distinguishing and responsible for 1/3 of the entire employment in the creative sector

Marlies Dekkers, marlies|dekkers group BV: “Being located in Rotterdam is a conscious choice. The city is filled with a vibrant energy, which motivates people to work hard for their goals. You can feel the international vibe in all that is happening in Rotterdam. The city stimulates not only our international business possibilities, but also our knowledge about doing business with different cultures. Each morning when we start the day at our head office next to Rotterdam Central Station, we are proud of the striking architecture, the multicultural shops and the growing amount of international brands, who want to have a store in Rotterdam. The local government of Rotterdam is supporting each company in a very useful way.”