Spotlight on rich, diverse cultural sector: 'Den Haag staat aan’

Rock or classical, hip-hop or modern dance, theater or cabaret, Dutch masters or street art: you'll find it all in The Hague. And more! With the campaign 'The Hague is on', as of today the city puts the spotlight on the richness and versatility of its cultural offering. Three highlights make it immediately clear how diverse this offering is: cultural center Amare opens its doors, in 2022 the Mauritshuis celebrates its 200th anniversary and pop podium Het Paard celebrates its 50th anniversary.

After a difficult time, the cultural sector is back in the starting blocks and the public can't wait to be surprised again. The campaign 'Den Haag staat aan' shows in an appealing, colourful way what the city has to offer in the field of culture. 

The Hague is the city of old masters and new heroes. You can visit top dance or theater performances or admire young talent. You can immerse yourself in the nightlife or visit a literary festival. Sing along with famous bands or let yourself be carried away by the sounds of classical music. See such Hague icons as The Girl with the Pearl Earring or Victory Boogie Woogie, or marvel at optical illusions.

Councilman Robert van Asten is looking forward to the new cultural season with great anticipation. "It promises to be sensational. I realize very well that there is still a long way to go before the sector, the nightlife and events can once again operate at the level they did before the crisis. With this culture campaign, we let residents and visitors to The Hague know that The Hague is back on and on with a very wide and diverse offering, in short go enjoy a city full of culture!"

Campaign launch

Traditionally, the kick-off for the cultural season is given during the UIT Festival Den Haag. This year a COVID-19 edition of the festival will take place from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 September at more than thirty locations throughout the city and with a cultural program on the Lange Voorhout. It is the perfect moment to launch the 'Den Haag staat aan' campaign, an initiative of the Municipality of The Hague in collaboration with The Hague & Partners. Walvis and Mosmans were chosen to develop the campaign.

The message 'The Hague is on' is first of all clearly visible on banners at various places in the city. Familiar faces such as Di-rect, night mayor Pat Smith and star actress Romana Vrede let people know that The Hague is on again and are visible on these banners. In addition, various social media channels will be used, as well as digital screens in the city.

The campaign starts locally, but will later be followed up regionally and nationally. Pat Smith: "The Hague is on, getting ready for a new roaring 20's. The night culture is where the individual wrung out of the straightjacket comes alive and where there is life, I feel at home. It's nice to see that we as a city are sending the signal that we may soon be back. Lets go!"