After my study at the Theaterschool in Amsterdam I worked as an actress and drama teacher, I founded the European League of Institutes of the Arts – ELIA and now I work as an independent consultant and run Foundation Art Futures.
Some of my other current activities are:
Chair of the Board of CelloWercken Zutphen, a Cello Academy and an International Cello Festival
Member of the Board of Governors (Hochschulrat) of the University of the Arts Berlin.
Advisor Dutch Performing Arts Fund (Fonds Podiumkunsten)
Advisory Board (Raad van Advies) of the University Groningen (Rijksuniversiteit)
In the 70’ties and 80’ties I worked as an actress in the feminist Theatergroup Natascha Emanuels.
Mid 80’ties I worked as theatre director and writer and I taught drama at the Theaterschool in Amsterdam where I also served as member of the board. In this capacity I played a role in the merger process of what today is the Amsterdam University of the Arts.
In 1990 I founded the European League of Institutes of the Arts – ELIA and I have been the organisation’s Executive Director since. I gave leadership to the development of ELIA into a well established and influential international network, still flourishing today.
Recognition for my work resulted in:
• Chevallier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (pdf)
• Honorary Fellowship (photo) by the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts and Music
• Degree of Doctor of Arts Columbia College Chicago and video
• Honorary Doctorate Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen (photo)
On the occasion of my leaving ELIA a roundtable discussion with politicians, journalists and cultural experts was organised on the theme Europe City Culture.
I live in Amsterdam and partly in Fanghetto, Italy.