Type evenement: English

Rotterdam viert de stad!
Rotterdam Festivals

In 2016, Rotterdam celebrated 75 years of reconstruction with a cultural event. We celebrated the city with flags on the bridge, a Ferris wheel and big babies on buildings. In addition, we also celebrated this phenomenon with television programs, pop-up stores and of course with De Trap, which stood against the Groothandelsgebouw, next to Rotterdam Central Station. It was designed by the MVRDV architectural firm and had 180 steps! 

To celebrate 75 years of reconstruction, a full-year program was developed, with everything revolved around 75. After half a year, the project group noticed that things were not going well in the city. For this reason, they asked VKOZ for help. We developed two campaigns: 

Ik viert de stad! This was a call for people organizing an event in the city. They were able to join in and we mainly offered free publicity. We provided promotion material, a special website where their event was mentioned, but they had to make a link with the reconstruction. More than 18 events hooked up, such as Stadsfestival Op z’n Rotterdams, special Mother’s Day concert by RJSO in de Doelen, Scapino Ballet and Miniworld.  

Jouw verhaal. This campaign was all about a story competition, where people could submit their story and the three best stories won a prize. The main prize was an overnight stay in De Euromast! We had a storybook where these stories ended up in. The story competition encouraged people to put their unique Rotterdam story on paper.

De Trap was a very big success and even known abroad. Unexpectedly, the Ferris wheel also became a great success, which we placed at the Markthal later. With more than 100 projects, Rotterdam celebrates the city! 10 million people trough social media and 799,000 visitors. Partly thanks to our campaigns, De Trap and the Ferris wheel, where De Trap was best known and has reached many new platforms. We celebrated the city of Rotterdam well, where reconstruction was central.

CHIO Rotterdam
Founding CHIO

Concours Hippique International Officiel, abbreviated CHIO, is an international multi-day jumping and dressage competition at the highest level in equestrian sports. This event takes place annually in the Kralingse Bos in Rotterdam. In 2012 former TV producer Hans Heesterbeek asked VKOZ for coordination during the construction and the event itself. We have worked together on this major production for five years.

The CHIO is more than just equestrian sports; there is also a lot of attention for conviviality, business networking, fun for kids, shows, shopping and entertainment. Also known as the famous Stroodorp. In addition, the NOS does a live report and the event is broadcast on television for the lovers. The Royal Family and other VIPs visit the event as a personal outing.  

To be able to realize this four-day 5-star event, we work on the organization throughout the year and the construction starts two months in advance. In addition, we need many volunteers and sponsors to provide the facilities.  

At the event itself there is one person who coordinates from the central post and is in contact with 12 divisions. This was Marjolein from VKOZ. For example, we ensured that there was good communication with divisions such as hospitality, security, first aid, stables, cleaners and catering. Aafje was present with golf carts for the disabled; they ensured that people could be transported to the event location.

We are proud of all parties who worked on the event with enthusiasm and pleasure. They made sure everything went smoothly. Both Hans and we believe it is important to invest in relationships with all different parties and to treat them well. This way everyone enjoys their work. Despite a complicated and large production to make this 5-star event a reality and responding to elements such as the weather, we are proud to have participated and gained an experience. This means that we can also produce an event for business events at any location.

Marathon Rotterdam
Like2Run

The Marathon Rotterdam is the largest annual and one-day sporting event in the Netherlands and is broadcast live on NOS every edition. The marathon weekend takes place in April and is a mix of (top) sport and folk festival with 925,000 visitors, which was made possible in part by 1,800 volunteers.

VKOZ’s role was to work with the final producer of the event and to coordinate the film De Marathon. VKOZ was asked to do this in 2012 and after that we were able to coordinate three editions.

During the marathon there is a lot of attention for the runners and safety during the entire event. Maintaining safety is done by, among other things, traffic controllers. The amateur runners start with (our) Lee Touwers and there is a lot of fun throughout the day. The runners finish on De Coolsingel with lots of music and acquaintances cheering them on from the side lines. This makes it a big party every year.

During the 2012 edition, the movie De Marathon was filmed. Diederick Koopal was the director of this. During the recordings, the actors regularly walked along and the famous finish scene was also recorded during the event.

CPC Loop and Vredesloop The Hague
Like2Run

Like2run organised both the CPC loop and the Vredesloop The Hague before collaborating with sports marketing agency Golazo sports. Both running events take place in The Hague and VKOZ has worked for several years since 2012 with the producer of several running events. In addition to the two events in The Hague, we contributed to the production of three running events in Rotterdam: De Marathon, Ladiesrun and Bruggenloop.  

The City Pier City Loop, also known as the CPC Loop, is the most famous run in The Hague and took place annually in early March. The central point here is the Malieveld, creating a kind of unique festival atmosphere. This is mainly due to the sponsors who had shops and food trucks and other market stalls on the field. This family event in The Hague attracts tens of thousands of participants every year who are encouraged and entertained by enthusiastic spectators and bands. With 200,000 visitors, the CPC Loop is the largest event in the city. Both nationally and internationally there is a lot of interest in the fast half marathon.

Since 2013, the Vredesloop has been a regular running event during the Vredesweekend in The Hague. The running event has a route around the beautiful Vredespaleis and past various historical monuments, which makes for an impressive course. In this event, runners can choose from four distances.

Rotterdam partners and volunteers are also present at the sports event in The Hague to make the events a success. During the event, a “peace dove” walked around as a mascot, which created a good atmosphere.  

Music theatre Hollands Diep 
MHD

The Music Theatre Hollands Diep, abbreviated MHD, in Dordrecht creates performances with contemporary new opera repertoire and adapts well-known classical pieces into original music theatre performances. MHD distinguishes itself from many opera companies because they mainly play at unique locations. MHD has asked VKOZ for help with marketing communication and creating more economic value. Many organisations in the cultural sector depend on subsidies, but also be able to demonstrate that they generate income themselves. We also worked on the programme, fundraising, donors, organisation and communication.

The new music theatre piece De Stilte van Saar, in collaboration with VOCAALLAB, tells a topical story about a girl who has lost herself because she can only see herself through the eyes of others. The world premiere took place on February 22, 2012 in the recently renovated Energiehuis in Dordrecht.

To involve young people in the new opera De Stilte van Saar, a special project has been set up in collaboration with the Cultural Education ToBe Foundation: the youth programme: It’s my Voice. The project consisted of workshops, stage performances and film presentations led by experienced coaches. At the beginning of each performance, Saar’s peers presented their own songs and films on the theme of the opera.  

MHD also performed other productions: H. van Adem, a children’s performance along theatres and schools in the Netherlands and Belgium. Pirosmani, an act for the major retrospective of the Georgian painter Pirosmani in the Dordrechts Museum. The Singing Catwalk, a theatre costume show during the Dordt monumenteel manifestation, where a few costumes were also sold by auction. Lament songs, a performance with six renowned singers with different musical styles sing together in a new composition of the Lamentations. Boris Godunov, in collaboration with the Dordrechts Museum, a new opera performance of this Russian opera by Mussorgsky. These performances could be admired all year around.

MHD creates performances with contemporary new opera repertoire and adapts well-known classical pieces into original music theatre performances. Especially for the BIES Theatre Festival! and the beach festival, MHD and VOCAALLAB created the performance Lijfmotetten: a music theatre performance based on Bach’s motets, about mind and body. With also the poetry contest Body and Spirit. During the Bach Festival, Dorderecht celebrates Johann Sebastian Bach’s birthday with various concerts and activities at indoor and outdoor locations in the historic city centre. BIES! is a public unique landscape plays an important role.

Bruggenloop Rotterdam
Like2Run

The Bruggenloop is a running event in Rotterdam that takes place annually in December. The participants walk over five bridges with a distance of 15 km. In 2012, VKOZ coordinated other Like2Run running events after a successful marathon. We have been able to help with three editions of the Bruggenloop. In addition to all the various activities related to the production, an important task was the coordination of the many volunteers around this event.

Both the start and the finish are at De Kuip, where the square is completely decorated in a Christmas atmosphere. Each participant also receives a Christmas hat with a light in it. The event starts later in the afternoon, so the lights are clearly visible when it gets dark early.

There is also an opportunity to walk with colleagues and business relations by doing the Businessrun.  

The participants start at De Kuip, after which they walk along Olympiaweg towards Wilhelminaplein and are the first to cross the Erasmus bridge and the Nieuwe Leuve Bridge. The Bruggenloop then continuous towards the Willemsbrug and the Boeregatbrug to the Maasboulevard. The last bridge to be walked over is the Van Brienenoordburg, where the route continuous to the finish, also at De Kuip.