S’porean founders of music venue in Amsterdam open up about racism against Asians

AMSTERDAM: In today’s world, having a community space for non-locals in a major European city can certainly be challenging, even somewhere as progressive as Amsterdam.

And yet, Singaporeans Lincoln Lim and Jaye Foo are making it work, and PARLOUR Amsterdam, the grassroots music and community venue they founded in 2024, is thriving, hosting more than 280 concerts and events in its first year and supporting independent artists with free backline, sound support, marketing assistance, and fair ticket splits.

But the journey has been far from smooth, and the attitude against them has often been downright hostile just because they’re Asians.

The ethos behind PARLOUR Amsterdam is this: Music. Community. Empathy, and the duo wanted it to be a space without gatekeeping or financial exploitation for artists.

Artists from Singapore, Korea, New Zealand, Ireland, the United States, and other countries have been featured at the venue, and PARLOUR Amsterdam also hosted a sold-out Singapore National Day event in Amsterdam in collaboration with Singapore Global Network and McDonald’s Singapore.

Lincoln, a musician and educator, and Jaye, an artist and entrepreneur, have opened up for the first time about what it has cost them to see this vision come to reality, and are wondering how long they can keep it going.

 An underreported reality

Living in a city where you don’t look like most other people isn’t easy, but it’s a reality that Jaye and Lincoln face every day. Landlord disputes, neighbour hostility, subtle but persistent xenophobia, and physical violence are only some of the things they’ve encountered.

Just a few weeks ago, while Lincoln was out in the city, he was hit on the head by an object thrown by a stranger.

“Locals don’t really talk about racism against Asians here; it’s almost invisible. When I tell people what we’ve experienced, they’re genuinely shocked or even struggle to believe our stories. But for us, it’s become part of daily life,” said Lincoln.

He’s asked himself why he’s given so much in building a sense of community somewhere that doesn’t seem to want him around. And instead of concentrating on growing the venue, he and Jaye have had to focus on their safety and fundamental rights.

Lincoln added, “If things don’t change, we might not be able to sustainably do this forever. But before we even think about walking away and giving up, we want to give it everything we have.”

He is speaking of his experiences now to shine a light on the underreported reality of racism against Asians.

Lincoln grew up in Singapore thinking that the biggest barriers to success are things within a person’s control, but his experiences of late have caused his views to change.

“I’ve found, even with the most honest intentions to build community and showcase rising artists with a strong business plan, that being reduced to just the colour of your skin is something you cannot simply ignore, especially when the livelihoods of others are on the line.

If sharing our story helps start more honest conversations about the realities of starting businesses overseas, with all its potential pitfalls, then it’s worth it.”

Learn more about PARLOUR Amsterdam here. /TISG

Read also: Playwright Alfian Sa’at unpacks ‘ironic racism’ and the @sharonliew86 account