The Supervisory Board of the Amsterdam University of the Arts (AHK) has appointed Annet Lekkerkerker as a member of the Executive Board as of 1 March 2019. Annet Lekkerkerker is currently director of the Holland Festival and will remain involved in the festival until the 2019 edition. Then she will be a full-time member of the Executive Board of the AHK, which will consist of two members with her appointment.
Annet Lekkerkerker is well known in the cultural sector. As director of the Holland Festival, she directs one of the most prominent cultural festivals in the world. From 2009 until 2017 she was business director of the festival. Since 2018 she is general manager / director. Before her arrival at the Holland Festival she was programmer of the Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam and director of theater company ZT Hollandia. In addition to her directorship of the Holland Festival, she is also a member of the Supervisory Board of Witte de With, center for contemporary art, board member of Stichting Toneelschuur / Toneelschuur Producties and the Sikkens Foundation. She is a member of the NTR Advisory Council and is chairman of the ACI, Amsterdams Overleg Cultural Institution.
Jan Anthonie Bruijn, president of the Supervisory Board of the AHK, says about the appointment: "With Annet Lekkerkerker, we've appointed an experienced director with a huge network in the cultural sector. That is a promising prospect for the university. Her knowledge of the Amsterdam, national and international arts sector means an extra impulse, which benefits the university and the academies. With this appointment, the Executive Board is once again complete and Bert Verveld and Annet Lekkerkerker will jointly shape the future of the Amsterdam University of the Arts. "
Bert Verveld, president of the Executive Board, is pleased with the appointment of Annet Lekkerkerker. "Her great experience in, among other things, the cultural field, her enthusiasm and her passion for art and artists are of great value to our university. I look forward to her arrival and to the cooperation with her. "
The University Council of the AHK has given a positive recommendation on the appointment by the Supervisory Board. A delegation from the representative council (a student member and a member of staff) was part of the job application committee. The directors of the academies also responded positively to the appointment of Annet Lekkerkerker as a member of the Executive Board.