Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Appoints Janneke van der Wijk as New Director of Audiences
The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has announced the appointment of Janneke van der Wijk as its new Director of Audiences, set to join the leadership team on March 1, 2025. In this key role, she will oversee various aspects crucial to the museum's public engagement, including educational initiatives, public programming, fundraising efforts, relationship management, and all communication and marketing strategies. Van der Wijk brings extensive experience from the cultural sector, most recently serving as the director of the ELJA Foundation.
Enhancing Visitor Experience and Community Engagement
Janneke van der Wijk's appointment signals a strong focus on the visitor experience, both within the museum's historic walls and beyond. The Director of the Rijksmuseum, Taco Dibbits, highlighted the central importance of the public, emphasizing that Van der Wijk and her team will be dedicated to ensuring every visit, whether in person or digital, is an unforgettable experience. Her role will also involve fostering connections beyond the museum's physical location, aiming to share the Rijksmuseum's valuable collections with broader audiences throughout the Netherlands. This strategic direction is poised to inspire and connect people while promoting a deeper understanding of the rich cultural identity of the Netherlands in a global context.
A Career Dedicated to the Arts and Education
Born in Dantumadeel, Friesland, in 1971, Janneke van der Wijk pursued her studies in Historical Pedagogy at the University of Amsterdam. Her career spans significant leadership positions within the cultural and educational sectors. For the past three years, she led the ELJA Foundation, an arts endowment fund that grew under her direction to support over 150 cultural programs across the Netherlands and the Caribbean region.
Before her time at the ELJA Foundation, Van der Wijk served for eleven years as the Director of the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, a globally recognized music institution. Her earlier experience includes leading the Netherlands Music Institute, the national and international sectoral organization for music. Van der Wijk will succeed Hendrikje Crebolder, who held the position of Director of Development & Media from 2017 to 2024. Her background demonstrates a clear ability to connect diverse groups with the arts and cultural programs, aligning well with the Rijksmuseum's vision for future audience engagement.
To discover more about the cultural landscape of Amsterdam and explore other prominent institutions, consider browsing through the comprehensive listings of museums in Amsterdam or viewing them directly on the city map through Musemap (musemap.art).
