3FM Serious Request 2021
Dec 2021 | Amersfoort | NPO 3FM
Dec 2021 | Amersfoort | NPO 3FM
NPO 3FM Serious Request is an annual multi-day fundraising event in the week leading up to Christmas. This great initiative is by the Dutch public Broadcaster NPO. Four DJs from radio station 3FM are “locked up” for a week in a custom-built Glass House. They broadcast radio 24 hours a day for 6 days in a row to raise as much money as possible. Two things always change every edition: the good cause and the city where the event occurs.
Listeners and visitors can request songs in return for donations. Celebrities and artists contribute by offering personal possessions and unique meet & greets up for auction. Funds can be directly transferred into the project’s account, while physical visitors can deposit cash and cheques at the Glass House’s special letterbox. Additionally, several initiatives pop up throughout the country. All related to 3FM Serious Request with the aim of collecting as much money as possible.
For 3FM Serious Request 2021, the Glass House was located in Amersfoort from 18 – 24 December 2021. This year’s edition raised money for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to help save and recover the rainforests of South America. A record was set as compared to the year before by raising a whopping two million Euros for the cause. This was all thanks to the efforts of 3FM DJs Sander Hoogendoorn, Jorien Renkema, Rob Janssen, Frank van der Lende, the crew, and everyone who donated.
Backbone was responsible for the technical design, technical production, and production management of the Glass House. This included among other things, the actual design of the Glass House, all the lights, sound, and infrastructure for water and drainage. The team produced everything in the most sustainable and green way possible. For instance, they installed and worked with a local power grid instead of using generators.
Commissioned by NPO 3FM, Backbone produced 3FM Serious Request 2021. The event was held during COVID-19 times, which meant that a limited audience was allowed. The new COVID regulations meant that people needed to vacate public spaces after 5 pm. However, despite the limitation set for spectators, the event was still very vibrant. This also presented itself as an opportunity for the Backbone team to get creative, make quick decisions, and approach an obstacle with a flexible mindset. To offer the DJs the impression that there was still an audience after curfew time, Backbone put up shop window mannequins all over the square.
Event photo credits: Nathan Reinds
