The Hague’s live music scene wins awards
The Hague – January 19, 2026 | Two cultural institutions from The Hague received an IJzeren Podiumdier 2025 on Saturday during Eurosonic/Noorderslag. PAARD was honored in the category Venue Program of the Year, while Rewire won Festival Program of the Year. The awards are presented by the Association of Dutch Pop Venues and Festivals (VNPF) in recognition of outstanding contributions to the Dutch live music sector.
Jury report – PAARD | Venue Program of the Year
“Programming is an act! This programming did not simply follow what worked, but consciously took a stand. This ‘act’ refused to be non-committal. By making room for urgency, substantive sharpness, experimentation, and encounter, this venue showed that programming can once again be a statement.”
Jury report – Rewire | Festival Program of the Year
“This festival program managed to capture the spirit of the times with clarity by responding to it with courage and precision—without losing itself in hype or spectacle. With an idiosyncratic curation, space for experimentation, and an eye for context, a program emerged that challenged and deepened, while remaining accessible.”
These distinctions underline that both PAARD and Rewire have a strong artistic vision and work on programming that is substantively relevant, critical, and innovative. PAARD: PUSH was also nominated in the category Best Marketing Campaign. That award ultimately went to Paradiso for “Artists are not the story. Gaza is the story.”
About the IJzeren Podiumdieren
The IJzeren Podiumdieren have been awarded annually since 1997 by the VNPF to venues and festivals during the showcase festival Eurosonic/Noorderslag in Groningen. The winners are chosen by the sector itself through a vote among VNPF members.