Greg & Baud Productions, Tobias Becker Hoff and Arie Verstegen win Arts and Culture Awards

The Arts & Culture Prize

The Art & Culture Award goes to a person or group that has surprised Zoetermeer in the field of art and culture. From the 5 nominees, the jury chose Greg & Baud Productions with the self-written performance Taboo: a performance about domestic violence and complex trauma. The jury: "What courage to create a performance about such a difficult subject. The combination of the social theme with singing, acting and educational scenes, makes this a performance you must have seen." Greg & Baud Productions received a check for €750 and the bronze Common tern from Alderman Marijke van der Meer.

Incentive Award

The municipality also presents the Incentive Award with a cash prize of €250. This prize goes to an up-and-coming talent or someone who has dedicated themselves in a special way to Zoetermeer. This year, artist Tobias Becker Hoff received the prize. "As a graffiti artist, Tobias' work can already be seen in many places in the city. With his Urban Arts Studio, he uses this art form to let even more people experience art and culture," the jury said.

First-time Oeuvre Prize

Starting this year, the municipality will also occasionally award an Oeuvre Prize. Under the leadership of Arie Verstegen, Poppodium de Boerderij grew into a household name in Zoetermeer and far beyond. After 25 years as director, Verstegen handed over the baton this year. "Arie has been incredibly important to culture in the city and has more than earned the Oeuvre Prize," the jury commented.

About the Arts and Culture Awards

The Art & Culture Awards were presented for the 19th time this year. The jury consisted of Jan Iedema (alderman), Hasan Tasdemir (director Nationaal Videogame Museum), Hélène Ouwerkerk (editor-in-chief Streekblad Zoetermeer), Charlotte Hensen (City Council member and visual artist) and Remco Koers (photographer). The awards are an initiative of the City of Zoetermeer.