09:15—11:30 uur
Amsterdam Art in partnership with:
Dutch Culture, Prins Claus Fund, Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, De Appel and Framer Framed
Friday 31 May 09:15 – 11:30 at Capital C, Weesperplein 4B Amsterdam
Join the mini symposium about Cultural Ecosystems & Changing Landscapes. During this mini symposium we explore the resilience and adaptability of arts and cultural sectors in the face of rapidly evolving political, international environments. This theme delves into how cultural organisations and individual artists sustain their economic and artistic viability when confronted with shifting political priorities, funding cuts but also geopolitical developments.
What lessons can be learned from cultural ecosystems that have successfully navigated through significant political changes? How do we build solidarity and stand up to the arts in times of political unbalance and how do we shape our advocacy for artists?
Join the conversation with Marcus Desando (Director Prince Claus Fund), Emily Pethick (Director Rijksakademie), Josien Pieterse (Director Framer Framed), moderated by Kirsten van den Hul (Director DutchCulture). We kickoff the conversation with a keynote by Rubiah Balsem (Chair Amsterdam Art of Director Studio Balsem), an artistic intervention by Reza Afisina (new media artist and guest resident at the Rijksakademie 2024) and a warm word of welcome by Martina Halsema (director Amsterdam Art Week)
09:15 doors open, coffee & croissants
09.30 start symposium with keynote, artistic intervention and panel conversation
11.30 end
Bio’s
Kirsten van den Hul & DutchCulture
Kirsten van den Hul is director of DutchCulture, the Dutch network and knowledge organisation for international cultural cooperation. Before joining DutchCulture, she worked as an independent consultant through her own company, The Change Agent, working on different transition projects, mainly in the public sector. Previously, she was a member of parliament for the Dutch Labour Party, where she focused on culture, education, gender equality, foreign trade and development. Prior to that, she was active on the crossroads between culture, human rights and international cooperation, at different organisations including the European Cultural Foundation and Mama Cash. She lived, studied and worked in Tunisia and has extensive work experience in Eastern Europe and the MENA region. She is the former UN Women representative of the Netherlands.Kirsten was a columnist for different newspapers and magazines, contributed to a number of publications and wrote a book, called (S)hevolution.
DutchCulture is the network and knowledge organisation for international cultural cooperation. They support the Dutch cultural and creative sector, public authorities, and diplomatic posts in the pursuit of their international ambitions.
Marcus Desando & Prince Claus Fund
Marcus Tebogo Desando is the Director of the Prince Claus Fund, formerly a CEO of The Arts and Culture Trust, Johannesburg. Prior to that, Marcus was the CEO of Gauteng Opera in Johannesburg (formerly Black Tie Ensemble). He sits on a number of boards in his home country South Africa and currently, he is a Doctoral candidate through his Master’s alma-mater, The Da Vinci Institute. In addition to his career as an arts administrator, Marcus Desando is a professional singer and stage director who has directed, conducted and performed multiple Operas in South Africa as well as with international companies such as Really Useful Artists and New York Harlem Productions. He has been invited as a guest lecturer to various universities, where he taught largely on stagecraft and directed several opera productions. Marcus Desando has become a driving force in the development and training of young South African artists and aspiring arts administrators.
Prince Claus Fund is an organisation that supports artists and cultural practitioners from the Global South, especially in contexts where culture is under pressure, the Prince Claus Fund firmly believes that advocating for knowledge originating from those regions is a prerequisite for an inclusive and equitable global cultural landscape.
Emily Pethick & Rijksakademie
Emily Pethick has been the director of the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam since 2018. She was previously the director of The Showroom, London (2008–2018), the director of Casco, Office for Art, Design and Theory, in Utrecht (2005-2008) and curator at Cubitt, London (2003-2004). She has contributed to numerous publications and co-edited books, including monographs by Wendelien van Oldenborgh, Ricardo Basbaum, Dave Hullfish Bailey and The Otolith Group, and readers Artistic Ecologies: New Compasses and Tools (2022), Cluster: Dialectionary (2014), Circular Facts (2011), Casco Issues X and X (all Sternberg Press). She has participated in numerous juries for artist awards, including the 2017 Turner Prize.
For over 150 years, the Rijksakademie has fostered artistic development and forward-thinking art. Its highly international, multi-disciplinary artist community engages in experimental and critical work. In the two-year residency programme, up to 50 artists challenge themselves, working alongside diverse peers. During their residency, they explore new territories in and beyond the art field, sharing their work during the annual Open Studios in spring—a glimpse into the art of tomorrow. Year-round, connect with the creative life of the Rijksakademie through lectures, performances, and screenings exploring contemporary artistic practices and debates.
Josien Pieterse & Framer Framed
Josien is founder and co-director of Framer Framed. Framer Framed is a platform for art and culture, with an exhibition space in Amsterdam. Their exhibitions are located at the intersection of contemporary art, visual culture and politics. The exhibitions present work by known and unknown artists, who are active worldwide and address social issues. When organising exhibitions, Framer Framed offers a platform to both established curators and new names. In addition to each exhibition, an in-depth, interdisciplinary public program takes place, consisting of artist talks, lectures, film screenings, performances and publications.
Rubiah Balsem
Rubiah Balsem, chair of Amsterdam Art, and founder and director of Studio Balsem, focuses on the crucial role of art and culture in shaping our society. She explores new pathways in cultural dialogues to cultivate curiosity and collaboration within the art ecosystem. In her various roles spanning from intermediary, strategic advisor to curator and chair of boards, Rubiah guides institutions like Buro Stedelijk, OSCAM, and Amsterdam Art, advocating for putting the art and artist at the forefront, while also including diverse perspectives on art and culture. Currently, Rubiah directs the development of a new contemporary art museum.
Reza Afisina
Reza Afisina (1977), a new media artist based in Depok, West Java, Indonesia, incorporates performance art into his creative endeavours. Part of Jakarta based artist collective ruangrupa (2000 – present). Additionally, in 2015 with other collectives based in Jakarta, forming the collective studies of the contemporary art ecosystem known as Gudskul.
Alongside with ruangrupa, he acted as the collective curator for Sonsbeek 2016 in Arnhem, The Netherlands and artistic director of documenta fifteen 2022 in Kassel, Germany.
He co-activated ruru Huis in Arnhem (2016) and ruruHaus in Kassel (2020-2023), a living room space aimed at engaging with the local ecosystem.
At the moment part of guest resident at The Rijksakademie and guest lecturer at UniArts Theater Department in Helsinki. Living in Amsterdam.
Martina Halsema
Martina Halsema is the director of Stichting Amsterdam Art, the foundation behind Amsterdam Art Week. She began working with the organisation in 2020 as Head of Programme & Partnerships before assuming the role of director in January 2023. Before joining the foundation, Martina worked for the art collection of the Dutch Central Bank. She holds a degree in art education from the Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten, with a bachelor in Fine Art from the Manchester School of Art at Manchester Metropolitan University. She shortly transitioned into sales as an account manager before returning to her passion for the arts and pursued further studies at VU Amsterdam, with a focus on the Art Market and Connoisseurship. Martina is passionate about connecting the city’s arts organisations, seeking new collaborations and connecting people with art.
Amsterdam Art aims to make the unique ecosystem of residencies like the Rijksakademie, galleries, project spaces and museums where artists can experiment and grow, visible to a local and international audience of art lovers, art professionals and collectors.
