Groningen Station Hall Will Become A Cultural Stage During Rail Works
Residents and local businesses can sign up to perform or present in the historic station hall on select dates this spring and summer.
During the major rail works at Groningen's main station from Saturday 10 May to Sunday 13 July, NS and ProRail are turning inconvenience into opportunity. While the station will be partially or fully closed to train traffic for 64 days, the historic station hall will be transformed into a cultural stage.
Residents and businesses in Groningen are invited to use the ornate and iconic hall for performances, shows, or presentations. The goal is to give the station back to the city—even if temporarily—while celebrating local creativity and culture.
Available dates:
Saturday 24 May
Saturday 21 June
Sunday 22 June
Those interested in taking part can sign up by sending an email to fayette.smit@ns.nl by 12 May. The message should include a short description of the idea and preferred date and time.
NS will handle cleaning of the space, but all other materials, equipment and arrangements must be managed by the performers or organisers themselves.
“Many people consider the station building of Groningen to be the most beautiful in the Netherlands. And soon, when the work is finished, it will become even more the lively heart of the station. We see it as an opportunity to do something beautiful during the period of inconvenience: we give the station as a stage to the city.”
— Gertrud Kuis, Station Manager
This initiative offers a rare chance for city residents to leave their mark in one of Groningen’s most treasured landmarks—while trains briefly take the backseat.