The second Youth Culture Award ceremony took place on Tuesday, October 24th, at the Stadstheater in Arnhem. It was a wonderfully enjoyable evening with many proud and talented people in attendance. The Youth Culture Award is an incentive prize created through a collaboration between Kunstbedrijf Arnhem and the Arnhem Youth Culture Fund to support innovative youth participation projects in Arnhem. The award was first presented in 2016..

The four winning projects of 2016 opened the evening with a fantastic joint performance called HEARTBEAT.

Students from the El Ele World Dance and Music School, the KABOEM! percussion group, beautiful letters created by the Timmerhuis, and rappers from Geluid uit Schuyt on stage.

The Jury

The expert jury of the Youth Culture Award nominated and visited six projects. This jury, consisting of representatives from various sectors of society, including innovative entrepreneurs, arts programs, education, the municipality, and youth culture, selected the award winners. The jury members are:
• Toni Britsia, PAS Foundation,
• Christiaan Holland, Innovation Factory Arnhem,
• Jan Jans, District Program Manager, Municipality of Arnhem,
• Jeroen Lutters, lecturer in arts and cultural education at ArtEZ and University of Applied Sciences
Windesheim,
• Sevval Kayhan singer-songwriter and student at Fontys University of Applied Sciences
for the Arts. (not pictured)

The jury reports were read out during the award ceremony. In the photo the jury members, Sikko Cleveringa (Neighbourhood Manager at Kunstbedrijf Arnhem) and JCFA coordinators Sonja Meijer and Gerwi Daniëls.

The nominated projects were;

1. 1000 fountains – Geitenkamp district; a project to tackle flooding in the district in collaboration with schools
2. BANK – 't Arnhemse Broek district; a bench made by and for children from the district in collaboration with the residents.
3. DWS – Malburgen district; music school for young and old run with many volunteer hours
4. Master-Journeyman – St. Maarten-Klarendal district; fashion designers take three students under their wing and manage to improve their academic performance.
5. Snow Butterflies – Presikhaaf district; a theatre production about friendships between children of different backgrounds
6. South by the Sea – Arnhem South; summer week with art and education for target group children

The prizes went to:

First prize of €750 for Linda van der Knaap for the summer week at Zuid Aan Zee

2nd prize of €250 for Thecla Wildekamp for the Snow Butterflies project

3rd prize of €250 for Doreen Hartman and Benadette ten Have for 1000 fountains

This year there was also an Audience Award. The public could watch a one-minute video of the six nominated projects and cast their vote. There was a massive vote, and the winner was DWS.

Rico Krijene of DSW received a generous €350 award. The prize was presented by Bertien Minco, founder and director of the Youth Culture Fund. She once again brought the JCFA to the public's attention.

The Arnhem Youth Culture Fund aims to present the Youth Culture Award annually, but the next time may not be until 2019 due to the many organizational hours required.

Sikko Cleveringa and Sonja Meijer, creators of the Youth Culture Award