Mapping Fair Practice across Europe & Nieuw Geneco Fair Practice Award 2026
European Composers & Songwriters Alliance (ECSA) and Nieuw Geneco host a Tribute to Fair Practice, in collaboration with the Dutch Creative Coalition, Platform ACCT and Gaudeamus Festival.
Join us for an afternoon of international exchange, discussion and celebration.
We bring together composers, commissioners, programmers, cultural professionals and policymakers to explore how fair practice can strengthen the conditions for creating, commissioning and presenting new music.
Programme September 11th
14.00 | Doors open
14.15 | Welcome, Esther Gottschalk, Director, Nieuw Geneco
14.30 – 15.45 | Panel Discussion moderated by Sine Tofte Hannibal
15.45 -16.15 | Break
16.15 -17.15 | Nieuw Geneco Fair Practice Award 2026 Ceremony
17.15 – 18.00 | Drinks
Why join?
> Learn from the growing European Fair Practice movement. Fair practice is not only about fees. It is about the conditions that make artistic creation possible: time, resources, recognition, responsibility and sustainable working relationships.
> Join the conversation and exchange ideas with colleagues from across Europe.
Free admission. Please register here.
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Panel: Mapping Fair Practice Across Europe: What Works for New Music?
The panel will unfold around the necessity of working with fair practice mindsets, good models and practice, the effect and learnings from different approaches in Europe and how to ensure funding. The conversation is kicked off with a quick mapping and overview of other Fair Practice initiatives in Europe before zooming in on Basic Income for the Arts in Ireland and Fairness Fair Pay in Austria in relation to the Dutch Fair Practice Code, and audiences are invited to bring in perspectives and ask questions during the session.
Eva-Maria Bauer President of the Österreichischer Musikrat and a leading advocate of the Fair-Pay-Prozess in the Austrian cultural sector. She is closely involved in developing sustainable remuneration models for artists and musicians.
Nadia Feldkircher Research Team Lead for the Basic Income for the Arts Impact Assessment in Ireland. She brings research and policy expertise to the evaluation of Ireland’s pioneering Basic Income for the Arts pilot.
Thomas Drissen Director of De Creatieve Coalitie, the Dutch umbrella organisation for creative professionals. He works on strengthening the social and economic position of artists and creative professionals.
Sine Tofte Hannibal General Manager of the Danish Composers Society and initiator of Fair Practice Kultur in Denmark. She works at the intersection of composers’ rights, cultural policy and sustainable working conditions.
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Nieuw Geneco Fair Practice Award 2026
With the annual Nieuw Geneco Fair Practice Award, the Dutch Composers Association Nieuw Geneco (Genootschap Nederlandse Componisten) is drawing attention to fair practice, fee guidelines and good commissioning practices in the field of new music. “Much has improved since the Nieuw Geneco Fair Practice Code and the Award were first presented in 2019,” says Esther Gottschalk, initiator and director of Nieuw Geneco. “Fair Practice now is a prerequisite for cultural funding. The Nieuw Geneco Fee Schedule has become the recognised guideline for fair pay commissions. Nevertheless, there is still room for greater awareness of the full scope of fair commissioning practices. Fair practice extends beyond the composition fee to include licensing, travel expenses, rehearsal fees and additional work. Through the annual Award, Nieuw Geneco seeks to highlight these aspects in a positive and constructive way, helping to strengthen shared understanding of fair and professional commissioning practices.”
The prize is being presented for the seventh time this year. Composers from Nieuw Geneco submit a reasoned nomination, based on their recent experiences and assessed against the Nieuw Geneco Fair Practice Code.
The jury 2026 consists of Huba de Graaff (composer), Anthony Fiumara (composer) and Davo van Peursen (publisher).
Previous winners of the Nieuw Geneco Fair Practice Award were:
2019: Orgelpark & Fie Schouten
2021: Orkest de Ereprijs & mecenas Marcia
2022: Opera Zuid & Toonzetters van Oranjewoud festival
2023: November Music Festival & Black Pencil Ensemble
2024: Wonderfeel Festival & Bauwien van der Meer
More info:
Fair practice en honorariumtabel – Nieuw Geneco
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In collaboration with
