Mare verwondert zich over grote vanzelfsprekendheden en daagt het kleine uit tot grootheid.
“What I want?
To be a playful citizen of
the world and contribute
to an inclusive society
with brainpower, creativity
and energy.”
Creative Producer
Mare creates, initiates and organises projects that are characterised by an open source method of making, curating and programming, with a strong engagement by the community.
Europe by People
In 2016 the Netherlands held the presidency of the European Union for six months. This presidency did not only concern politics. As intendant of the accompanying cultural programme, Marjo van Schaik devised, curated, produced and managed the Europe By People, with as tagline ‘The Future of Everyday Living’, all in collaboration with Egbert Fransen and Frans de Vries.
Narada
Narada aims to connect Eastern and Western Europe through cultural activities, including architecture, urban planning, design, visual arts and performing arts. Narada does this by exchanging knowledge and expertise, organising events, including the development of urban and cultural strategies, research, lectures, workshops, trainings, exhibitions, performances and installations. Narada is an initiative of Marjo van Schaik and Fulco Treffers.
Soledar
“The gift of salt” is het meaning of the name of Soledar, a small town in the East of Ukraine. For Izolyatsia, a cultural platform originally based in the city of Donetsk, this town reflects the situation of Ukraine as it is right now: a typical soviet town close to the occupied area. The Donbass warzone was only 30 km away. People are leaving because of the lack of work and cultural and social movement. The assignment was: how can public spaces with a cultural programma help to change the perspective of the city? Marjo van Schaik was invited together with Fulco Treffers to develop a plan. The result after a short time research and design project was an art installation and video of our work.
Master Creative Producing
Since the world and art are in constant flux, the craft of producing art is also in continual development. Master students are educated to become creative producers, that actualise art projects with social urgency, and devise the artistic scene of the future.
“My ideal world?
A society in which wonder and imagination play a primary role, and in which everyone can partake”
Research
On her own initiative, Mare does academic research into the intersection of sociological, economic and artistic processes. Mare also gives lectures on this topic and does research by commission as well.
Spaces of Culture
Real estate companies and local government invest large sums into cultural flagships, from trendy artistic hubs to iconic palaces of culture. These buildings are beneficial to city branding and strengthen a city’s reputation. But what is the significance of these buildings for the vitality of the cultural sector? The art- and theatre scene would rather have all the investment go to projects and programme makers, instead of expensive architectural prestige projects.
Ukraine
Since 2017 Mare has regularly been on working visits to the Ukraine, together with 12N Urban Matters. The coupling of strategies for cultural development and urban development leads to new insights. By using the method of urban acupuncture, 12N effectuates great change through small interventions. On various places in the Ukraine the coupling of this method to Mare’s research in Spaces of Culture leads to a new approach and an incentive for new research.
Research by commission
Apart from her own research, Mare does research by commission as well. The topics range from talent-development to the redevelopment of an old cinema, from impact assessments to international cultural policy. Previous clients have included government, cultural institutions and foundations.
“What animates me?
How creativity and imagination help advance the ideal of an open society”
Management
Mare is strategist and director, at a time when change is desired or necessary, at a place where the objective fits her social engagement.
The Academy for Theater and Dance is a Bachelor's and Master's degree program for all theater and dance disciplines. Since 2013, Marjo van Schaik has been involved in various change projects and innovations as a strategic advisor and process supervisor. From January 2020 until August 2021 she was interim director. The demands on leadership during Covid-19 were challenging, since one of the key aspects of these forms of art practice education is physical contact. In addition to social security issues, this asked for hands-on crisis management in an option forma.
Tolhuistuin
Tolhuistuin is a cultural platform that reaches audiences from both the local community in Amsterdam-Noord, and the city of Amsterdam generally. It is a cultural institution with a complex structure, in which the cultural character was threatened by internal conflicts and a triple increase of rent. It also remains to be seen to what extent it can maintain this cultural character in the face of gentrification.
National Glass Museum
The National Glass Museum is situated in Leerdam. Apart from a museum it also has a glassblowing workshop, where artists and designers collaborate with glassblowers to make new pieces. Because of its high quality strategy the museum managed to obtain structural funding from the ministry of education, culture and science as a basic infrastructure for culture (BIS) institution. Nonetheless, it suffered from several problems, with an organisation lacking a clear focus, declining numbers of visitors and structural financial deficits.
Dutch Culture
“DutchCulture is the network and knowledge organisation for international cultural cooperation.” is what the website says at the moment. However, in 2011 Sica, Transartist and MediaDesk used to be three separate institutions, with the only similarity being that they all operated internationally. Nonetheless, they had to merge into one organisation, resulting in Dutch Culture.
European Cultural Foundation
The European Culture Foundation contributes to a socially engaged and culturally rooted society throughout the entirety of Europe. It is a private foundation, once established by Prince Bernhard, matching the then-prevailing European spirit of generating openness and mutual understanding through art and culture. Over the years, the foundation has gone astray, pursuing a course inconsistent with contemporary values of transparency and focus. This became painfully clear at the appointment of the new president of the board.
GETZ
Amsterdam Zuidoost has approximately 85.000 residents, and another 40.000 people come in to work every day. Therefore, it is a city in its own right. A city, however, without a town centre, lacking any spaces to express cultural strength and diversity. Cultural expression is the first step in bridging the boundaries between cultures. Therefore, it requires a large professional stage. This was the central idea behind GETZ. Nonetheless, it was never realized.
Heesterveld
Heesterveld creative community is one of the first cultural hubs that is slowly getting embedded in the community. It also has managed to become the creative space for inspiration it aspired to be at its inception in 2012. But this has not been an easy process.
“What inspires me?
The interaction between mankind and nature ”
Growing Gunya, exposition at Mediametic, Amsterdam, 2022/2023
The gunya is a Ukrainian traditional wool coat, originally worn by Hutsul shepherds in the Carpathian mountains. Providing physical protection from severe weather and animals, throughout the years it has carried a deep symbolic meaning, serving as an amulet for its owners. Using the classic shepherd’s coat as a template, we told stories of local materials, natural components and living organisms. The use of different cellulose and protein based materials in combination with natural dyeing techniques showed the ample variety of outcomes and possibilities. read more >
Makers on Material, Textiel Museum Tilburg, 2024
Wool, cotton, fique, linen, rubber and silk, all take centre stage at the group exhibition Makers on materials. Seven contemporary makers take you on a quest for the core of a natural material by means of the increasingly common and worldwide question: where does the material come from? How is the material processed, but also: how can it be done differently? Marjo van Schaik is one of these makers. read more >
Home(Land)
Home(Land) showcases Ukrainian and Dutch design about (the loss of) home, exploring the connection between craft and innovation during Dutch Design Week 2022. Marjo van Schaik developed the creative concept together with Dasha Tsapenko, Nazar Greshko and Fulco Treffers. She also created several designs that are part of the exhibition.
