Below is the jury report as read out on September 19, 2026 during the presentation of the 2026 Wim Meilink Award, the NVP-Unima lifetime achievement award for puppetry.

Some artists create performances.
Some artists create worlds.
And a rare few teach us to view the world in a new way.

For more than four and a half decades, TAMTAM Objektentheater has done exactly that. Since 1979, founders Gérard Schiphorst and Marije van der Sande have dedicated their artistic lives to the art of animation, object theatre, visual storytelling, multimedia, and the poetic transformation of the ordinary into the extraordinary.

From their studio in Deventer, they developed a theatrical universe without equal. Rusted metal, worn paper, forgotten tools, broken toys, weathered fragments of daily life—objects discarded by society—became protagonists in their hands. Even a fried egg in a pan that resembles an expressive mask (and is shared on social media) represents, for TAMTAM, an unexpected poetic discovery within everyday reality.
Through meticulous craftsmanship, imagination, and profound theatrical insight, they reveal hidden stories within these materials. In doing so, they have expanded the vocabulary of contemporary object theatre and inspired generations of artists to reconsider the expressive potential of everyday objects.

What makes TAMTAM’s achievement particularly remarkable is the extraordinary continuity of their practice. For nearly half a century, they have maintained an active artistic career, produced dozens of original works, and performed continuously for audiences of all ages. Their work has flourished in theaters, schools, museums, festivals, public spaces, and unconventional venues, showcasing a rare versatility and accessibility.
Whether performing for children encountering visual theater for the first time or for an international festival audience familiar with the most innovative developments in puppetry, TAMTAM consistently succeeds in communicating across generations, cultural divides, and language barriers.
Their performances are rooted in imagery, movement, sound, intimacy, and imagination, making them universally appealing and emotionally resonant.

TAMTAM’s international reach is extraordinary. Their productions have taken them to 34 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, thereby showcasing Dutch puppet and object theater to the world. Over the years, they have performed at prestigious festivals and cultural events, as well as at numerous major festivals dedicated to puppetry and object theater.
Their artistic journeys were more than just tours; they were cultural exchanges. Through performances, workshops, masterclasses, and collaborations, TAMTAM has served as an ambassador for Dutch visual theater. Their work demonstrates how an artistic language rooted in craftsmanship can convey universal meaning.

Equally significant are their achievements within the Netherlands. TAMTAM has become an indispensable figure in Dutch theater and festival culture. They have frequently performed at leading festivals, including Deventer Op Stelten, Noorderzon, Theaterfestival Boulevard, Lowlands, Spoffin, Puppet International, and many others. Their artistic home city of Deventer has long recognized their importance. In 2012, they received the city’s highest cultural distinction, the Gulden Adelaar ( The Golden Eagle), and to mark their thirtieth anniversary, both founders were appointed Knights of the Order of Orange-Nassau in recognition of their cultural contributions.

Yet, behind this recognition lies another, deeper reason.

TAMTAM embodies a quality that seems increasingly rare: artistic integrity that endures a lifetime. Their career was never driven by trends, fashions, or commercial considerations. Instead, they followed a distinct artistic compass of their own and patiently refined their own theatrical language.
Through hundreds of performances and countless encounters with their audiences, they have demonstrated that theater can be simultaneously intimate and monumental; playful and profound; modest in its materials yet boundless in its imagination.

This perspective is reflected throughout their body of work and constitutes an enduring contribution to the field of puppet and object theater. Their influence on how everyday objects are perceived is evident among other artists and students, as well as among the programmers and audiences who have come to know their work over nearly five decades.
We celebrate with admiration an artistic journey that has transformed forgotten objects into unforgettable theatre.
Their endurance is sustained by artistic conviction, entrepreneurial courage, and an unwavering belief in the necessity of their work.

TAMTAM has persevered where others might have faded away. Through changing times, shifting policies, and uncertain circumstances, they have continued to reveal beauty, humor, and humanity – demonstrating that true artistic necessity possesses a resilience of its own.
For their exceptionally long career, their outstanding achievements as performers, creators, and innovators, their significant national and international impact, their deep dedication to the art of puppet and object theatre, and for enriching the cultural landscape of the Netherlands and far beyond, the jury awards the 2026 Wim Meilink Lifetime Achievement Award to:
TAMTAM Objektentheater