AMSTERDAM.- On 29 July 2015 it will be exactly 125 years since Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) died. The Van Gogh Europe Foundation, a collaboration of around 30 organisations is seizing this opportunity to honour the Dutch artist under the theme ‘125 years of inspiration’. The stimulus for this is that the artist inspires many people to this very day and that he is still very much ‘alive’, even 125 years after his death.

Activities will be organised throughout the year in various towns in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and England that featured in the life and work of the artist: prominent exhibitions, cultural events, apps etc. Never before has there been cooperation on this scale between the organisations (museums and heritage sites) which are actively engaged in preserving and promoting Van Gogh’s heritage.

Munch : Van Gogh at Van Gogh Museum
The Van Gogh Museum will unveil its ambitious exhibition Munch : Van Gogh (25 September 2015 to 17 January 2016). Despite the many striking parallels in their works and artistic ambitions, plus the fact that they are regarded as each other's counterparts, these great masters have never before been brought together in one exhibition. To mark the anniversary year, the Van Gogh Museum in collaboration with the Munch Museum will change all that.

Other events and exhibitions:

• From 24 January to 17 May 2015 the Mons 2015 Foundation, in its role as European Capital of Culture will stage the exhibition Van Gogh in the Borinage, the birth of an artist in the BAM Museum (Museum of Fine Arts).

• In the Kröller-Müller Museum Van Gogh & Co will take place from 25 April to 27 September. The exhibition will concentrate on the traditional genres at the end of the 19th century: still life, vista/perspective, nature, cityscape and portrait.

• The North Brabant Museum (Het Noordbrabants Museum) is in discussion with the internationally acclaimed artist, designer, entrepreneur and pioneer Daan Roosegaarde (b.1979) about an exhibition (June to August 2015) inspired by Van Gogh.

• The 2014 cultural season (5 April to 31 August) in Auvers-sur-Oise where Van Gogh died and was buried already has a Van Gogh theme under the name In the footsteps of Van Gogh and this theme will continue into 2015 and 2016.

• Also throughout 2015 activities inspired by Van Gogh’s life and work will be organised at locations in Brabant where Van Gogh lived and worked.

More programme details will be announced during 2014.