For the 15th time, the Landesmusikrat NRW and the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia are awarding the Spielstättenprogrammprämie NRW to small and medium-sized stages in the independent music scene for their special commitment and their ambitious and dedicated live programme.
The awards will be presented on Tuesday, 23 January 2024 at the Jazzclub Henkelmann in Iserlohn.
We are delighted that the Jazz-Schmiede is once again one of this year's award-winning venues!
With the zakk and the KIT Café, two other venues from Düsseldorf are also among the 16 award winners, and we congratulate our colleagues there!
Minister Ina Brandes: "The number and diversity of our cultural events in North Rhine-Westphalia is unique in Europe. We also owe this to the many small and medium-sized stages in the independent music scene. With their outstanding programmes and excellent musicians, they whet our appetite for live music. This makes it possible to attract new audiences and at the same time inspire the regular audience. The stages thus make a valuable contribution to the rich cultural offering in our country."
"Live music is an indispensable part of a vibrant culture. Providing small and medium-sized forums with a financial incentive for outstanding and experimental programming creates scope for innovation and promotes cultural diversity," says Prof. Dr. Christine Siegert, President of the Landesmusikrat NRW.
The award-winning venues were selected by an expert jury consisting of Christina Lux (musician), Ulla Oster (musician), Tim Isfort (moers festival) and Thomas Baerens (Head of the Music Department, Ministry of Culture and Science).
