Martijntje Hallmann, Head of Residency & Deputy Director departure

The Rijksakademie is sad to announce that, after some time off, our Head of Residency & Deputy Director, Martijntje Hallmann, will not return to work at the Rijksakademie.

Hallmann has been working in the Rijksakademie since January 1996, and has worked closely with three directors, Janwillem Schrofer, Els van Odijk and myself. She began as a coordinator in the residency, and over the years took on different roles and increasing responsibility, including as a Mediator, Facilitator, Head of Studios, and becoming the Head of Residency & Deputy Director in 2017. Over this time, she made an enormous contribution to the Rijksakademie, which has been fundamental to the shape and stature of what it is today. Her role as head of residency has included leading the approach to the selection of artists, the facilitation of their residencies, and their artistic development, the workshops, artistic advisors and the open studios, and new programmes, such as Tech Fellows. She has developed strong relationships with a wide range of artistic advisors, set the tone and standard for the kinds of horizontal dialogues and exchanges that are so key to the experiences of artists here, and overseen the high level of artistic and technical specialism that the Rijksakademie is renowned for.

With a huge heart, she has given extensive support to artists in and beyond their time in the residency on matters of both art and life, and deeply understands the complexity of the positions of artists, particularly in coming from many different cultural contexts, and the importance and creation of community. Her sharp creative and rigorous thinking and sound judgement has ensured the high quality of what is achieved, and combined with warmth, humour and wise thinking, has enabled so many artists to thrive both during and after their time at the Rijksakademie, which has been incredibly important to so many residents and alumni.

She has contributed to the development of the Rijksakademie’s extensive presence and networks across the world, including the development of a six-year partnership with the Asia Culture Centre, and has been part of many international trips that have taken our work out into the world, far and wide. As deputy director, and in the director and management teams, she has contributed an enormous amount to ensuring the continuity of the solid foundations of the Rijksakademie’s work, and to renewal, including in the co-development of our four-year policy plan, as well as to the navigation of many complex challenges in a time of change. She has consistently worked with a strong ethical compass, always thinking from the perspective of artists, which has contributed to ensuring that the values of the Rijksakademie as an independent organisation that puts artists and artistic freedom, remain firmly at its centre.

She is immensely valued and respected amongst artists, advisors, colleagues and external stakeholders for her extensive knowledge and critical thinking, and dedication to artists, and will be greatly missed. We are enormously grateful for the immense contribution that she has made to the Rijksakademie over many years.

Emily Pethick, Director