From Concept to Festival Stage: Inside Mark Rietveld’s Approach to Live Entertainment Design
Mysteryland 2023
Mark Rietveld’s Two-Decade Career Connects Major Global Festivals Through Creative Production and Stage Design
From Tomorrowland and Mysteryland to EDC Las Vegas, the Co-Owner and Creative Director of 360 Show Design has contributed to internationally recognized productions, record-setting events, and award-nominated projects.
The spectacle audiences witness at major music festivals represents only the final stage of a far more intricate undertaking. Months of design development, technical coordination, and creative decision-making determine how a venue will look, function, and respond to the energy of a live performance. Mark Rietveld has spent nearly 20 years working within this demanding field, contributing to productions that have become established fixtures of the international entertainment calendar.
As Co-Owner and Creative Director of 360 Show Design, Rietveld has developed an extensive professional background in stage architecture, creative direction, visual design, and large-scale event production. Operating internationally, 360 Show Design specializes in creating live environments that integrate artistic concepts with technical execution. The company works with festival organizers, promoters, artists, and entertainment brands to develop productions that bring together lighting, stage design, immersive visuals, and advanced production systems. Within this framework, Rietveld oversees the creative direction of projects that require both artistic originality and the precision necessary for complex live events.
His career includes involvement in Defqon.1 Festival, Qlimax, Mysteryland, Tomorrowland, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Creamfields Chile, Lost Lands Festival, So Track Boa, No Art Festival, Verknipt, EDC Las Vegas, and major entertainment productions across Australia. Spanning different countries, audiences, and event formats, these projects illustrate the breadth of his professional experience and the international scope of his contributions.
Recognition Through Record-Setting and Award-Nominated Productions
Among the notable achievements associated with 360 Show Design is its contribution to a production at the Johan Cruijff ArenA in the Netherlands that secured the Guinness World Record for the largest laser show. The installation incorporated 1,100 lasers, demonstrating the extraordinary technical coordination required to execute an event of this magnitude.
The company’s work also received industry recognition through a 2026 Live Entertainment Production Award (LEPA) nomination for its contribution to the Lost Lands Festival Grand Finale. Together, these projects provide examples of 360 Show Design’s involvement in productions recognized for their technical ambition and creative execution.
For Rietveld, such accomplishments form part of a broader professional objective: ensuring that production design contributes meaningfully to the event itself. His creative decisions consider how architecture, movement, lighting, and visual sequences influence an audience’s perception of a performance. Rather than treating the stage as a decorative backdrop, he approaches it as an integral component of the artistic presentation.
Mark Rietveld
The Creative Leadership Behind 360 Show Design
Rietveld’s responsibilities extend from establishing a project’s creative direction to coordinating with the specialists responsible for its realization. Two central figures in this process are Bart Straver, Head of Production, and Pieter Truijen, Head of Design.
Straver manages the technical planning and production requirements involved in bringing complex concepts into operation. Truijen oversees the development of stage designs, ensuring that the intended visual presentation can be translated into practical structures and environments. Rietveld’s creative direction provides the framework connecting these responsibilities, allowing the team to develop projects with a consistent vision from the planning stages through execution.
Their collective experience encompasses productions in Europe, North America, South America, Central America, Australia, and the Middle East. Working across these regions involves adapting creative concepts to different venues, technical specifications, and production conditions while maintaining the artistic objectives of each project.
A Busy International Production Schedule in 2026
The range of assignments undertaken by 360 Show Design in 2026 demonstrates its continued participation in major live entertainment events. Its projects include Verknipt Ziggo Dome, Don’t Let Daddy Know Amsterdam, Verknipt Warehouse Special Easter, Kingsland Festival, Empire Music Festival in Guatemala, Verknipt Unrestricted, EDC Las Vegas, and Verknipt Festival Utrecht.
Among these productions, the redesign of the Basspod stage for EDC Las Vegas 2026 represents a particularly notable undertaking. As an established destination within the festival, Basspod required a design approach that acknowledged its recognizable identity while introducing a renewed visual concept.
Through 360 Show Design, Rietveld and his colleagues contributed to the stage’s transformation, applying their experience in architectural composition, immersive visual environments, and technical integration. The project adds another prominent American festival production to a portfolio that already spans several continents.
The Basspod redesign also illustrates the demands placed on contemporary creative production companies. A successful stage concept must account for the artistic direction of the event, the technical capabilities of the venue, and the experience of the audience, all while functioning within the practical limitations of a live production.
Creating Experiences Beyond the Stage
Although the scale of these events can be considerable, Rietveld’s perspective on successful production design remains focused on its effect on the audience. The relationship between a creative concept and its final presentation is central to how he evaluates a project.
“Great show design is about creating moments people remember,” says Rietveld. “Every project starts with a vision, but it’s the collaboration between creative ideas and technical expertise that turns that vision into something audiences can truly experience.”
This philosophy has informed his work across festival stages, touring productions, and major entertainment events. It also reflects the importance of collaboration within an industry where artistic ideas must be supported by extensive technical preparation.
As the international live entertainment sector continues to develop, Rietveld remains actively involved in projects that bring together creative direction, advanced production systems, and large-scale event design. His career with 360 Show Design reflects sustained participation in major international productions, supported by a portfolio that includes established festivals, a record-setting event, and award-nominated work.
With new projects adding to that experience, Rietveld and his team continue to contribute to the visual and technical development of contemporary live entertainment.
Career Highlights
- Defqon.1 Festival (2008–2023)
- Qlimax (2008–2019)
- Mysteryland (2010–2023)
- Tomorrowland (2008, 2018)
- FIFA World Cup Qatar (2022)
- Creamfields Chile (2022–2026)
- Lost Lands Festival (2023–2026)
- So Track Boa (2024–2026)
- No Art Festival (2025)
- Verknipt (2025–2026)
- EDC Las Vegas (2026)
- Contribution to Guinness World Record production for the Largest Laser Show — 1,100 lasers at Johan Cruijff ArenA
- 360 Show Design’s Live Entertainment Production Award nomination — Lost Lands Festival Grand Finale
Selected 2026 Productions
- Verknipt Ziggo Dome — Amsterdam, Netherlands — March 6, 2026
- Don’t Let Daddy Know — Amsterdam, Netherlands — March 7, 2026
- Verknipt Warehouse Special Easter — Amsterdam, Netherlands — April 3–5, 2026
- Kingsland Festival — Groningen, Netherlands — April 27, 2026
- Empire Music Festival — Guatemala — May 1–2, 2026
- Verknipt Unrestricted — May 14, 2026
- EDC Las Vegas — Las Vegas, Nevada — May 15–17, 2026
- Verknipt Festival — Utrecht, Netherlands — June 6–7, 2026
Press & Media Inquiries
CCS Agency
Email: co@c-c-services.agency
Mark Rietveld
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-rietveld-amsterdam/
Bart Straver | Head of Production
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bart-straver-a3b0431a/
Pieter Truijen | Head of Design
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pieter-truijen-18b39146/
360 Show Design
Instagram: @360showdesign
