News item | 25-09-2025 | 09:00
The Johannes Vermeer Prize 2025 has been awarded to Marco Gerris. The jury, chaired by Marise Voskens, has unanimously nominated the choreographer. Gerris receives the prize for his groundbreaking work in which he brings Urban Sports, Dance, Theater and other disciplines together. It is the first time that the Johannes Vermeer prize has been awarded to an artist in the dance field.
Minister Moes (Education, Culture and Science) will award the prize on November 17, 2025 in the Nieuwe Kerk in The Hague. The Johannes Vermeer prize is the Dutch State Prize for the Arts and consists of a sum of money of € 100,000. This amount of money is intended for a special project that the winner can set up within its own work area.
Merger
As a choreographer and dance theater director, Marco Gerris is versatile and authentic. On the cross surface of dance, movement, theater and music, he is an absolute innovator.
“Marco Gerris manages to grab and incorporate the spirit of time in theatrical forms. With his experimental, multidisciplinary collaborations, he merges the universal artistic language and energy of dance and movement into unexpected combinations, transforming the podium into a course for everything and everyone,” said the jury.
Dance
The Netherlands has a long and rich dance tradition with internationally acclaimed companies and important quirky choreographers. The Netherlands also has a large amateur field, in which there is room for many different dance forms and where new developments also have a place.
OCW exhibition
On the occasion of the presentation of the Johannes Vermeer Prize, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science presents an impression of the work of the prize winner in the OCW-Aalage. The exhibition space is located right next to the entrance to the Ministry at Rijnstraat 50 in The Hague and is freely accessible. The exhibition is designed by decor designer Ascon de Nijs and can be seen from November 17, 2025 to the end of April 2026.
About the price
The Dutch government has the Johannes Vermeer Prize Set in 2008 to honor and stimulate exceptional artistic talent. The organization of the prize is in the hands of the 6 National Culture Funds, where the Mondriaan Fund acts as a leader, and can be awarded to artists from all artistic disciplines such as dance, design, music and letters in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The prize was previously awarded to Marit Törnnqvist, Tania Kross, Arnon Grunberg, Natasja Kensmil, Rineke Dijkstra, Ivo van Hove, Janine Jansen, Iris van Herpen, Steve McQueen, Michel van der Aa, Irma Boom, Rem Koolhaas, Marlene Audi Olaf.
This year the jury consists of Marise Voskens (chairman), Ted Brandsen, Margot Dijkgraaf, Natasja Kensmil and Bas Kosters.