Sjors van der Panne

Van Beresteyn is the cultural centre of Veendam, a town in the Veenkoloniën area of Groningen province. It works as a theatre and general cultural venue, with a programme that mixes stage performances, art exhibitions and community events. The name comes from Eltjo van Beresteyn, who was mayor of Veendam from 1910 to 1916 and is also remembered locally for laying the foundation of the collection now held by the Veenkoloniaal Museum. The building is mainly a place for theatre and live shows, and regional listings point to it as one of the stops in Groningen's theatre circuit. National touring acts have used it as a venue, including comedian Jandino, who has played there as part of a jubilee tour marking twenty years on stage. Classical and contemporary performers also appear in the programme, and the Dutch pianist and composer Jeroen van Veen has listed the venue in his concert history. Van Beresteyn also has a record as a place where live music gets captured. The Hans van Lier Band, a Dutch blues act, recorded a live album here in 2020, released as Live at the Van Beresteyn Veendam. A later live album from the band, It Could Have Been Less, released in 2024, was likewise recorded at the theatre by Radio Blueprint, with Thomas Kaldijk working as sound engineer. For a mid sized town venue, that gives it a modest but real reputation among blues and roots fans in the north of the country. Its mix of touring shows, local events and recorded concerts makes it a central address for live culture in Veendam and the surrounding region.