Innovation Award Nederlandse Dansdagen Maastricht

In 2022, Nederlandse Dansdagen merged the then two festival awards (Prijs van de Nederlandse Dansdagen Maastricht and Prijs van de Nederlandse Dansdagen Jong Publiek) into one incentive award, the Innovation Award Nederlandse Dansdagen Maastricht. The award highlights current developments and exceptional talent. 

This incentive award provides a sum of €25,000, supported by the Municipality of Maastricht, to give the winner more clout in producing their ideas. The new work or creation will be presented for the first time during the following edition of the Nederlandse Dansdagen. 

For the first time in 2025, the nomination was linked to a specific approach, based on the desire to contribute to an inclusive society through dance. This year, the Innovation Award focused specifically on creators who (want to) create work for or with people who, due to their mental or physical disability or mental vulnerability, are less likely to come into contact with dance. This may involve removing barriers to experiencing dance, but also using dance to enhance physical and mental resilience, or creating a meaningful and distinctive performance for or about people with a disability or mental vulnerability. 

A jury nominated three makers from the entries who pitched their idea for a new performance. The choreographer with the best, most innovative idea went home with the award and will create new work.

The Innovation Award Nederlandse Dansdagen Maastricht jury 2025 consisted of:

• Frans Bastiaens, alderman for culture at the Municipality of Maastricht
• André Grekhov, artistic director at Stichting Sample Culture & Emoves
• Wies Bloemen, artistic director & choreographer at Danstheater AYA
• Gaia Gonnelli, artistic director at Dadodans
• Ulrika Kinn Svensson, artistic director Dance Arts in Context/ Fontys Academy of the Arts