For several years now Frans van Lent has been engaged in what he describes as Unnoticed Art.

In 2014 and 2016 he organized two festivals in two Dutch cities (Haarlem and Nijmegen). The festivals proceeded in secret, without announcements, invitations or any kind of publicity. The performances took place in a variety of inner-city locations and often went unnoticed, or were not identified by passers-by as artistic performances.

For these Unnoticed Art Festivals artists worldwide had submitted concepts. Their submissions were very diverse in form and content and their participation was motivated by very different objectives. However, the possibilities of the festival were widely recognized and exploited.

During the festival, all work was carried out by a number of volunteers, often inexperienced, but always highly motivated. They stayed at a campsite nearby, as a secret group with a common goal.

The festivals were a success. Especially for the less experienced performers it proved very attractive to experiment with the concepts without being judged by a watching audience. It gave them space without having to be answerable for their artistic decisions. In fact, they only had to account to the integrity of the concept and they were very aware of that.