Babs Gons wins 2026 Johannes Vermeer Prize
The poet and performer receives the Dutch state prize for the arts.
Poet and performer Babs Gons is to receive the 2026 Johannes Vermeer Prize. The jury unanimously nominated her for her multidisciplinary work, which brings together poetry, spoken word, performance and social engagement.
The 2026 Johannes Vermeer Prize has been awarded to Babs Gons. The Mondriaan Fonds announced this on Thursday. The prize is regarded as the Dutch state prize for the arts and may be awarded to artists from all artistic disciplines who work or live in the Netherlands or the Kingdom.
The jury was chaired by Dagmar Oudshoorn and unanimously nominated Gons. According to the jury, she brings poetry, spoken word, performance and social engagement together in an artistic practice of her own. Her work, the jury said, moves between personal experiences and public issues.
Gons is a writer, poet, performer, presenter and programme-maker. The Mondriaan Fonds describes her as an important driving force behind spoken word in the Netherlands. She has been involved in the development and professionalisation of the art form for more than 25 years, including as an initiator and artistic director.
The prize comes with an award of 100,000 euros. The winner may spend the money on a special project within their own field of work. The prize was established in 2008 by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science to honour and further encourage exceptional artistic talent.
The award ceremony will take place on Monday 23 November at the Nieuwe Kerk in The Hague. Minister of Education, Culture and Science Rianne Letschert will present the prize. Around the ceremony, the ministry will present an accessible impression of Gons’ work in the OCW showcase on Rijnstraat.
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The reporting is based on the official announcement by the Mondriaan Fonds and an independent trade publication. Artistic assessments are clearly presented as the jury’s characterisations.
- confirmed Babs Gons is to receive the 2026 Johannes Vermeer Prize. — This is stated in the official announcement by the Mondriaan Fonds. source
- confirmed The jury unanimously nominated her. — The official announcement mentions the unanimous nomination. source
- confirmed The prize comes with an award of 100,000 euros. — The amount and the spending purpose are stated on the Mondriaan Fonds website. source
- confirmed The award ceremony will take place on 23 November 2026 at the Nieuwe Kerk in The Hague. — The date, location and presenter are mentioned in the official announcement. source
Editor's note
The prize, the jury’s decision, the amount and the award date have been confirmed by the Mondriaan Fonds. The assessments of her artistic significance have been attributed as the jury’s judgement.Sources
- Johannes Vermeerprijs 2026 naar dichter en performer Babs Gons — Mondriaan Fonds
- Johannes Vermeerprijs voor Babs Gons — Boekblad
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „babs gons”
- de Volkskrant — „babs gons”
- RTL Nieuws — „babs gons”