Ruud Berends to receive ESNS’ Lifetime Achievement Award

Ahead of the 13th edition of the European Festival Awards next month, organisers ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag) has announced that its Lifetime Achievement Award will go to Ruud Berends, owner and CEO of Networking Music.

The shortlist of 12 European Festival Awards categories have also been announced, following more than 50,000 votes cast. The event takes place on 17 January in Groningen, The Netherlands.

Elsewhere, ESNS has completed its full music line-up of 256 acts from 36 European countries to perform from 17-20 January. These include newly announced Dutch acts CHARLOT, Hiqpy, Karsu, Noor, Numidia and Sophie Straat.

Berends, who stepped down from Dutch music showcase festival ESNS in May, is the co-founder and Head of Agenda of IFF in London and advisor for Westway Lab in Guimaraes, Portugal, Canadian Music Week in Toronto, California, and SoAlive Music Conference in Sofia, Bulgaria.

From 2002 to March 2023, he worked for Buma Cultuur and ESNS as Head of Conference, ETEP & CEETEP, international marketing and sales. ESNS’ European Talent Exchange Programme (ETEP) is the brainchild of Berends.

From 2002 until 2018 Berends was project manager of the various Dutch Music Export organisations and executive producer of the Dutch Impact Parties for Buma Cultuur.

Before that, Berends was co-founder and co-owner of international booking agency Paperclip. The agency took bands such as Soundgarden, Nirvana and Mudhoney on tour across Europe.

Berends said, “Life is full of surprises. I did not know that I was up for an award. I am deeply honoured, humbled and grateful to have won the Lifetime Achievement Award. Especially, as it is at the European Festival Awards, an event close to my heart. It means a lot to get this award from this part of the misic industry with many friends and music industry family in the room.”