Annual report 2024: more visitors than ever before, +30% compared to last year

Read more: Annual report 2024 (Dutch)

Over the past year, Muziekgebouw Eindhoven underwent a complete transformation. Both the visual identity and website were fully redesigned, resulting in a fresh and contemporary look and feel. But that was only the beginning. With the development of our brand-new identity, we also redefined our three core pillars for 2024: Excellence, Talent, and Accessibility. These pillars now guide not only our brand, but also form the common thread running through everything we do.

Excellence

The focus on top-quality programming was clearly reflected in 2024 through the presentation of leading national and international artists and orchestras. The share of headline acts has risen by over 60% in recent years. As a result, the average occupancy rate in the Hertog Jan Hall climbed to an impressive 90% for pop and jazz concerts, and 74% for classical music. These figures further enhance our appeal to artists, leading to a broader availability of high-calibre acts. In turn, this generates greater visibility, higher audience turnout, and strengthens our positioning as a concert hall, fuelling the cycle once more.

In 2024, we were proud to welcome a wide range of top-tier artists to Muziekgebouw Eindhoven. In the classical domain, highlights included Janine Jansen, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra with Ray Chen, Hélène Grimaud, Vilde Frang, Krystian Zimerman, and Voces8. In the pop and jazz genres, we enjoyed outstanding performances by Fish, Al Di Meola, Diana Krall, Gladys Knight, Lady Pank, SOHN & Metropole Orkest, Tallest Man on Earth & Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Joe Jackson, Clouseau, and Sona Jobarteh.

Talent

At Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, we also look beyond today’s stars. We actively collaborate with amateur musicians from the region, supporting local talent and community engagement. In 2024, we facilitated 65 venue rentals at cultural rates for amateur ensembles and artists. Our weekly lunchtime concerts provided a platform for conservatoire students, resulting in no fewer than 38 lunchtime performances over the past year.

Another key aspect of the Talent pillar is our offering of masterclasses and workshops, including those held during the BRIDGE Guitar Festival Eindhoven and by classical icons such as Rachel Podger and the Borodin Quartet. Muziekgebouw Eindhoven is also proud to support the Archipel Music Competition, the TROMP Percussion Competition, and the Storioni Academy. In addition, laureates of major international competitions are given the opportunity to introduce themselves to Dutch audiences through our International Prizewinners concert series.

Accessibility

Accessibility is a broad and multi-layered concept. At Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, we focus on several key forms of accessibility, namely:

• Mental – do I feel welcome?
• Financial – is it affordable for me?
• Physical – is the venue accessible and easy to reach for me?
• Artistic – does the repertoire resonate with me?

In 2024, we placed a strong focus on accessibility, for example by launching new concert series specifically aimed at making classical music more accessible. Series such as Candlelight Concerts, Film in Music, Painting in the Dark, and We Call It Ballet collectively attracted 25,437 new visitors, offering them an accessible and inviting introduction to the world of classical music.

During BRIDGE Guitar Festival Eindhoven, a new programme element was introduced: the free city festival BRIDGE Around Town. With over 23,000 visitors already attending its second edition, the festival significantly enhanced financial accessibility by offering dozens of free performances at fifteen locations across Eindhoven. In this way, everyone was able to take part in the largest guitar festival in the Benelux.

Artistic and mental accessibility were also strengthened, in part through deeper and expanded collaborations with the city. Examples include the third edition of the Turkish cultural festival Merhaba Eindhoven (2,500 visitors) and the first edition of its Polish counterpart Witaj Eindhoven (2,600 visitors). In addition, various Indian events collectively attracted 4,663 visitors. The strength of these initiatives lies in the partnerships Muziekgebouw Eindhoven builds with members of the community. In the same spirit, we also worked together with organisations such as Comité 30 juni/1 juli to present a commemorative concert marking Keti Koti.

We also worked to lower barriers for children, and for the vast majority, it was their very first encounter with Muziekgebouw Eindhoven. In collaboration with ASML, we developed Unforgettable Class, a series of educational mornings that introduced thousands of children from special education schools, asylum centres, and underprivileged neighbourhoods to live music in an inspiring setting. More than 100 children also took part in the Guitar Orchestra during BRIDGE Guitar Festival Eindhoven, performing music as a temporary ensemble under professional guidance. Meanwhile, the Drawing for Freedom and Tech Sketch projects (in collaboration with NXP) were launched, enabling children from various neighbourhoods to create artwork around topical themes such as freedom and social media. Their drawings were turned into animated films and projected on a large screen, accompanied by a live orchestra.

Financial barriers were reduced thanks to our ongoing partnerships with organisations such as Stichting Ik Wil, Quiet040, Cultuur-Inclusief, Stichting (Z)onder Dak, and Stichting Barka. These collaborations enabled us to actively engage people with limited financial means in our programming. Through initiatives like Tickets for Underprivileged, supported by ASML, we were even able to provide hundreds of tickets for world-class concerts, making top-quality live music accessible to all.

M•Friends

And then there’s M•Friends. While it may not fall directly under the pillars of Excellence, Talent, or Accessibility, it certainly deserves a mention. This group of loyal visitors, who support Muziekgebouw Eindhoven with a modest annual contribution, grew by an impressive 300% in 2024, a rise we are truly proud of! Interested in becoming an M•Friend yourself? Discover the benefits and become a friend of Muziekgebouw Eindhoven. Click here for more information.

Of course, this is just a selection from the 2024 Annual report. Want to read more about the results of Muziekgebouw Eindhoven? You can do so here.