Sunday 6 October: Standup Economics | UG experts and comedians take to the stage

On Sunday 6 October, Het Financieele Dagblad and Comedy Central, in collaboration with Het Akkoord van Groningen, will present the first edition of Standup Economics – the festival where economy and comedy come together. On various stages across the city, the wittiest comedians will put well-known economists on the spot, including eight experts from the University of Groningen: Dirk Bezemer, Marijke Leliveld, Tristan Kohl, Roelof Salomons, Marco Haan, Steven Brakman, Harry Garretsen and Karel Jan Alsem.

Alongside the UG delegation, Standup Economics will share the floor with big names, such as Jörgen Raymann, Heleen Mees and Tex de Wit. During surprising encounters, interviews and debates, they will shed light on important economic topics through wit and humour. Standup Economics will take place in venues including the Grand Theatre, Vera, De Puddingfabriek, Brouwerij Martinus and Café De Toeter.

That’s why: Standup Economics!

Making important economic topics tangible and open for discussion: this is what the Standup Economics festival is all about, because the economy is too important to not make jokes about.

What is the impact of gas extraction in Groningen on the economy? Is the end of capitalism near? Can humans still save the climate? Should you buy a house or not? Standup Economics aims to take economics out of its board rooms and ivory towers and make it understandable and open to discussion for everyone. Our economy could use some comedy!

Who, what, where?

Standup Economics is an initiative of Het Financieele Dagblad, BNR News Radio, economic journal ESB and Viacom’s Comedy Central, in collaboration with insurance company a.s.r. The first edition of the annual festival is being organized in collaboration with the Groningen institutes Alfa College, Noorderpoort, Hanze University of Applied Sciences and the University of Groningen as well as the Municipality and Province of Groningen. The festival is inspired by the successful Kilkenomics Festival in Ireland, and will take place in a different city in the Netherlands each year.

Ticket sales

Tickets for Standup Economics go on sale on Monday 2 September via standupeconomics.nl.