Max Lagewaard is a senior programmer at Melkweg in Amsterdam, with over 20 years of experience in the Dutch music industry, including roles at Paradiso, Mojo Concerts and Topbillin’. She specialises in hiphop and cultural programming and is involved in Melkweg Hiphop, Oyster Festival and the launch of Club Annie / ANN. She also uses music as a platform for activism and solidarity, including through Don’t Stop Talking About Palestine , a programme series organised in collaboration with Oxfam Novib to raise awareness of Palestine through music and culture. Next to her work at Melkweg she's a playlist curator at Kollekt FM and member of the board at Backstage Pass, a foundation dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in the live music industry.