De Nieuwe Vorst in Tilburg
A listed 1870 villa in central Tilburg where theatre, dance and performance share the bill with a 144-seat hall, a cafe and a garden, ten minutes from the station.
Photo credits
The Grote Zaal of De Nieuwe Vorst, the main performance hall, with its wooden floor and retractable tribune: De Nieuwe Vorst / Joep Lennarts
Quick answers
- Capacity
- 144 seated; up to 212
- Address
- Willem II-straat 495038 BD Tilburg
- Tickets
- €19 standard; €10 under 25
- Nearest station
- Tilburg, 12-minute walk
- Parking
- Pieter Vreedeplein, 5 min
- Entrance
- Girostraat, around the corner from Willem II-straat
- Wheelchair access
- Yes: step-free entrance and a lift
- Contact
- +31 13 532 85 20
De Nieuwe Vorst agenda: upcoming events
Tonight, this week and the months ahead at this venue in Tilburg.
Last night at De Nieuwe Vorst: Toneelleesclub013, I Like Art and Art Likes me
May 2027
June 2027
- Wed16Jun
Free - Fri25Jun
Free
Plan your visit to De Nieuwe Vorst
How many people fit in De Nieuwe Vorst?
The Grote Zaal seats 144 people in its standard theatre layout and takes up to 212, which makes De Nieuwe Vorst an intimate house beside Tilburg's much larger stages.
The hall covers 325 m² and has a retractable tribune. For a seated theatre show the layout is 144 chairs; with a smaller stage, or without the tribune, the room grows to 212. The stage in the 144-seat layout is 13.10 m wide, 11.50 m deep, under 7 m of clear height.
The scale is the point: 013 in Tilburg holds 3,000 people and the Koning Willem II Stadion 14,637, while the Grote Zaal here holds 144 to 212 and the smaller halls 60 to 80.
| Venue | Type | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| De Nieuwe Vorst (Grote Zaal) | Theatre and performance hall | 144 seated; up to 212 |
| 013 | Pop venue | 3,000 |
| Koning Willem II Stadion | Football stadium | 14,637 |
Seating at De Nieuwe Vorst: no fixed seat numbers
There are no fixed or numbered seats: you choose your place when you go in, and the Grote Zaal's retractable tribune gives a raked view for theatre.
The Grote Zaal has a retractable tribune and a floating wooden floor. In the standard theatre layout there are 144 seats; for standing or cabaret-style shows the room takes up to 212. Smaller shows use the Rode Salon (80), Kleine Zaal (60) or Balkonkamer (8).
Because seats are unnumbered, arrive early: the box office and bar open an hour before the start, and you pick your spot when you go in. If you want to sit at the front, tell the venue in advance: it lets you into the hall first so you can choose.
- The tribune gives the clearest full view of the stage; the flat floor is easier if you need to move around or use a wheelchair.
- Wheelchair users enter through Girostraat and stay on the ground floor; ask for a place on the flat floor when you book.
- The box office and bar open an hour before the start.
Food and drink at De Nieuwe Vorst: cafe, bar and garden
The cafe and foyer serve coffee, tea, local beer and juice, the bar opens an hour before each show, and the garden is open in good weather.
On show days the bar opens an hour before the start, so you can have a drink before the theatre. The cafe and foyer are open to everyone on Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 16:00, with self-service coffee and tea.
The cafe page lists drinks (local beer, coffee and juice) rather than a food menu, so eat before you come.
- Cafe and foyer
- Tue-Fri 10:00-16:00; self-service coffee and tea
- Bar
- From an hour before the performance
- Drinks
- Local beer, coffee, tea and juice
- Garden
- Open in good weather
Tickets for De Nieuwe Vorst: prices, booking and passes
Regular tickets are €19; students and visitors under 25 pay €10, and Fontys Academy of the Arts students get half price. Buy online until 30 minutes before the show, or at the box office from an hour before.
Reservations are not possible unless a show says otherwise. Tickets for the day itself cannot be returned, though you can pass them on. Payment online is by iDEAL/Wero, Bancontact or credit card; at the box office by pin or with the Podium Cadeaukaart.
The VorstVrijpas costs €150 for a year of unlimited regular performances. We Are Public costs €20 a month, or €15 if you are under 30, and covers selected shows.
- Standard ticket
- €19
- Students and under 25
- €10
- Online sales
- Until 30 minutes before the show
- Box office
- From an hour before the show
- Cancellation
- Up to one day before, €2.50 administration
- VorstVrijpas
- €150 for a year of regular shows
Accessibility at De Nieuwe Vorst: entrance, lift and seats
The Girostraat entrance is step-free and leads to the Grote Zaal and foyer; a lift connects the foyer to the cafe, Kleine Zaal and Rode Salon. The cellar and first floor are not wheelchair accessible, and the halls have no hearing loop.
There are no fixed seats anywhere in the building. Tell the venue in advance if you want to sit at the front or need a ground-floor place: it lets you into the hall first so you can choose. Call 013 532 85 20 from Tuesday to Friday, 10:00-15:00, or email [email protected].
There is an accessible toilet. The Grote Zaal and foyer are reached from the step-free Girostraat entrance; the cafe, Kleine Zaal and Rode Salon are up the lift, but the cellar and first floor are not accessible to wheelchair users.
- Entrance
- Step-free on Girostraat
- Lift
- To cafe, Kleine Zaal and Rode Salon
- Not accessible
- Cellar and first floor
- Seats
- No fixed seats; ask for a ground-floor place
- Hearing loop
- None in the halls
- Toilet
- Accessible toilet
House rules at De Nieuwe Vorst: bags, cameras and smoking
Bags can be inspected when safety requires it, photo and recording equipment needs written permission, and smoking is only allowed in designated areas.
- Management may ask to inspect bags and hand luggage when safety requires it.
- Do not bring photo, video, film or sound equipment without written permission from the theatre.
- Smoking is allowed only in the areas the theatre designates.
- Visitors must follow the instructions of the theatre staff.
- Tickets for the day itself cannot be returned; tickets for the venue's own programme can be cancelled up to a day before for €2.50.
Getting to De Nieuwe Vorst from Tilburg station
Tilburg station is a 12-minute walk (about 870 m); buses 1, 2, 7 and 8 stop at Heuvelring, 6 minutes from the door. The public entrance is on Girostraat, not the Willem II-straat front.
From the city side of Tilburg station, turn left onto Spoorlaan and take the second street right, Willem II-straat. After about 400 m the theatre is on your right. The venue says ten minutes; the measured street route is 870 m, about 12 minutes.
Five bus stops are within 600 m. From the station, buses 1, 2, 7 and 8 run to Heuvelring, Piusplein and Schouwburgring; buses 1 and 2 also stop at Bisschop Zwijsenstraat and Piusstraat.
By bike, the closest guarded shed is at Pieter Vreedeplein, entrance on IJzerstraat. It is free and open until 01:00.
Parking at De Nieuwe Vorst: five garages and what they cost
The theatre has no parking of its own. Pieter Vreedeplein is the closest garage, 5 minutes' walk (340 m); 013-Tivoli is the cheapest for a long evening at €10 a day. Five public garages are within a ten-minute walk.
From Pieter Vreedeplein, take the Pieter Vreedeplein exit, turn right onto Tuinstraat and take the first left into Willem II-straat; after 20 m the theatre is on your right. That garage has a 1.90 m height limit. Koningsplein's is 1.85 m and it has a lift, but you can only enter from Bisschop Zwijsenstraat. The small Stadhuisplein 120 facility (360 m, 5 min) is not in the table: the municipality points garage information to P1, whose Tilburg list has no entry for it, so no tariff could be verified.
Pieter Vreedeplein, Emmapassage, Koningsplein and Schouwburg charge €2.50 an hour on weekdays and €3.50 at weekends, capped at €25 a day. 013-Tivoli charges €2.20 and €2.50, capped at €10 a day, with a 24-hour maximum stay.
| Garage | Address | Walk | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emmapassage | Paleisring 27-29, 5038 WD | 5 min (310 m) | €2.50/hr Mon-Fri; €3.50 weekend; €25/day |
| Pieter Vreedeplein | Magazijnstraat, 5038 BP | 5 min (340 m) | €2.50/hr Mon-Fri; €3.50 weekend; €25/day; 1.90 m |
| Koningsplein | Bisschop Zwijsenstraat 2, 5038 VB | 7 min (500 m) | €2.50/hr Mon-Fri; €3.50 weekend; €25/day; 1.85 m |
| Schouwburg | Louis Bouwmeesterplein 2, 5038 TN | 8 min (570 m) | €2.50/hr Mon-Fri; €3.50 weekend; €25/day; 1.90 m |
| 013-Tivoli | Achter de Heuvel 3, 5038 CW | 9 min (670 m) | €2.20/hr Mon-Fri; €2.50 weekend; €10/day |
- 013-Tivoli is the best value for a full evening: €10 a day against €25 at the four closer garages.
- The nearest guarded bicycle shed is at Pieter Vreedeplein, entrance on IJzerstraat, free and open until 01:00.
The halls: four spaces in the villa and what fits in each
De Nieuwe Vorst has four rentable spaces: the Grote Zaal for 212 people, the Rode Salon for 80, the Kleine Zaal for 60 and the Balkonkamer for 8.
| Room | Capacity | Floor area |
|---|---|---|
| Grote Zaal | 212 (144 in theatre layout) | 325 m² |
| Rode Salon | 80 | 70 m² |
| Kleine Zaal | 60 | 70 m² |
| Balkonkamer | 8 | 25 m² |
Contact and opening hours: café, box office, bar and office
Opening hours differ by service. The café and foyer are open Tuesday to Friday 10:00-16:00, the box office and bar open an hour before each performance, the phone is answered Tuesday to Friday 10:00-15:00, and office visits are possible 10:00-12:30. The theatre is at Willem II-straat 49, 5038 BD Tilburg, with the public entrance on Girostraat.
- Address
- Willem II-straat 49, 5038 BD Tilburg
- Public entrance
- Girostraat
- Café and foyer
- Tue-Fri 10:00-16:00
- Box office
- An hour before performances
- Bar
- An hour before performances
- Phone
- Tue-Fri 10:00-15:00
- Office visits
- Tue-Fri 10:00-12:30
- [email protected]
Official links
De Nieuwe Vorst: from an 1870 villa to a theatre
The theatre occupies a monumental villa built in 1870 for cloth manufacturer Adriaan Pieter Ledeboer, the first house on what was then Comediestraat.
It was the first house built on the street then called Comediestraat, now Willem II-straat, and it stands free of its neighbours. In 1879 councillor and cloth manufacturer Vincent Bogaers moved in; later the house became the Chamber of Commerce office, with a larger conservatory and a second storey on the veranda.
In 1996 the house was converted into Theater De Vorst by architect P. van Hoogmoed, keeping the monument and its interiors intact and adding an entrance on Girostraat and the theatre hall. Atelier Pro renovated the theatre in 2007, with interiors by Maurice Mentjens.
The 2025-26 renovation added a new foyer and entrance on Girostraat, a new bar and box-office unit, a wooden staircase up to the cafe and a lift. The Grote Zaal was back in use for performances from May 2026.
Photos
Photo credits
The Grote Zaal of De Nieuwe Vorst, the main performance hall, with its wooden floor and retractable tribune: De Nieuwe Vorst / Joep Lennarts
The front of De Nieuwe Vorst, a free-standing 1870 villa on Willem II-straat in Tilburg: De Nieuwe Vorst · CC BY-SA 4.0
The cafe of De Nieuwe Vorst, with tables, chairs and the bar where drinks are served before shows: De Nieuwe Vorst / Jostijn Ligtvoet
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Frequently asked questions about De Nieuwe Vorst
Where is De Nieuwe Vorst in Tilburg?
At Willem II-straat 49, 5038 BD Tilburg, in a free-standing 1870 villa in the city centre. The public entrance is around the corner on Girostraat, not the Willem II-straat front.
What time do shows at De Nieuwe Vorst start and finish?
Most evening shows start at 20:30, with the box office and bar open an hour before; some performances, including matinees, start at 14:00. The venue does not publish end times, so check the show page or ask at the box office.
How much are tickets for De Nieuwe Vorst?
A regular ticket costs €19. Students and visitors under 25 pay €10, and Fontys Academy of the Arts students get half price. The VorstVrijpas gives a year of regular shows for €150.
Can I park at De Nieuwe Vorst?
No: the theatre has no parking of its own. Pieter Vreedeplein is the closest garage, 5 minutes' walk (340 m), at €2.50 an hour on weekdays and €3.50 at weekends, capped at €25 a day. 013-Tivoli is cheaper for a long evening at €10 a day.
How do I get to De Nieuwe Vorst from Tilburg station?
It is a 12-minute walk of about 870 m: turn left onto Spoorlaan from the city side, take the second street right into Willem II-straat and walk about 400 m. Buses 1, 2, 7 and 8 also stop at Heuvelring, 6 minutes away.
Is De Nieuwe Vorst wheelchair accessible?
Yes. The Girostraat entrance is step-free and leads to the Grote Zaal and foyer, and a lift connects the foyer to the cafe, Kleine Zaal and Rode Salon. The cellar and first floor are not accessible, the halls have no hearing loop, and there is an accessible toilet.
Do I have to print my ticket for De Nieuwe Vorst?
No. The theatre scans printed tickets and tickets on a phone or tablet. Online sales run until 30 minutes before the performance; from an hour before, you can also buy at the box office.
Can I cancel or exchange a ticket for De Nieuwe Vorst?
Tickets for the venue's own programme can be cancelled up to one day before the performance, with €2.50 administration costs. Tickets for the day itself cannot be taken back, but you can pass them on to someone else.
Is there food and drink at De Nieuwe Vorst?
The cafe and foyer serve coffee, tea, local beer and juice on Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 16:00, and the bar opens an hour before each show. The garden is open in good weather. The cafe page lists drinks rather than a food menu, so eat before you come.
What is De Nieuwe Vorst?
A multidisciplinary theatre in a listed villa in central Tilburg. Its programme mixes theatre, lecture, presentation, festival, performance and exhibition, with an emphasis on experiment and new makers.
How many people fit in De Nieuwe Vorst?
The Grote Zaal seats 144 people in its standard theatre layout and takes up to 212. The Rode Salon holds 80, the Kleine Zaal 60 and the Balkonkamer 8.
When is De Nieuwe Vorst open?
The café and foyer are open Tuesday to Friday 10:00-16:00. The box office and bar open an hour before each performance, the phone is answered Tuesday to Friday 10:00-15:00, and office visits are possible 10:00-12:30. There is no single all-day opening time.
Has De Nieuwe Vorst reopened after the renovation?
Yes. The renovation ran from October 2025 to May 2026 and added a new foyer and entrance on Girostraat, a bar and box-office unit, a wooden staircase and a lift. The Grote Zaal has been back in use for performances since May 2026.
What is on at De Nieuwe Vorst?
The programme mixes theatre, lecture, presentation, festival, performance and exhibition. The agenda on denieuwevorst.nl/programma lists every show with its start time, and Evenitto lists 91 upcoming performances.
Sources: De Nieuwe Vorst: zaalverhuur (October 30, 2026) · De Nieuwe Vorst: Grote zaal (October 30, 2026) · De Nieuwe Vorst: toegankelijkheid (October 30, 2026) · De Nieuwe Vorst: route en parkeren (October 30, 2026) · De Nieuwe Vorst: cafe en foyer (October 30, 2026) · De Nieuwe Vorst: ticketinfo (October 30, 2026) · De Nieuwe Vorst: bezoekersvoorwaarden (October 30, 2026) · De Nieuwe Vorst: historie (October 30, 2026) · De Nieuwe Vorst: contact (October 30, 2026)
