Pop Stipendium

Since 2018, the Cultuurfonds has annually awarded the Pop Stipendium to promising pop artists or bands in order to develop their (inter)national career. Every year, three artists are nominated of which one eventually wins the cash prize of €10.000,-.

This year's nominees were Elmer, Min Taka and Droom Dit.

Droom Dit was awarded the Pop Stipendium at ESNS26 on January 17.

Photo: Ben Houdijk

Droom Dit
Sex, violence, love and the ordinariness of life are what Droom Dit talks about in poetic Dutch texts, wrapped in a modern carapace of raw electronic beats, dreamy guitar lines and cutting synthesizers. The whole thing sounds like your deepest love slowly fading away, the lethality of loneliness or the bloodthirsty urge for peace in your head. Inspired by acts like Radiohead, King Krule, Joy Division, Son Lux and Wende, Droom Dit has developed a recognizable character within contemporary Dutch pop.

According to the jury, Droom Dit demomstrates how content, identity and form reinforce each other.

They create their sound with poetic Dutch pop and synth pop: introverted depth and extroverted energy merge into a unique and compelling stage personality.

Next to Droom Dit, Elmer and Min Taka were nominated. They both won 2.500 euros from the Culture Foundation. 

Previous winners are


2025 - Mula B

2024 - Pitou

2023 - Personal Trainer

2022 - The Vices

2021 - S10

2020 - Judy Blank

2019 - Thomas Azier

2018 - Jacco Gardner