For the Nieuwe Instituut, we are currently seeking an inspirational General/Artistic Director with an innovative artistic vision. The ideal candidate will promote the institute’s ambitions, understand the significance of architecture, design and digital culture for our society, and recognise the importance of heritage as collective memory. The director will convincingly strengthen the Nieuwe Instituut’s international presence and harness the potential of all our employees. They will also build partnerships with Dutch institutions and international allies. We are looking for someone who can combine the roles of connector, team player and figurehead.

 

About the Nieuwe Instituut

Located in Rotterdam’s Museumpark, the Nieuwe Instituut and Sonneveld House museum together form the Netherlands’ national institute for architecture, design and digital culture. Since its foundation in 2013, the Nieuwe Instituut has evolved into a national cultural institution with an interdisciplinary focus, situated at the intersection of architecture, design and digital culture. The institute plays an increasingly prominent international role and demonstrates a strong social orientation. Its scope extends from the museum and heritage institution, Sonneveld House, a 1933 icon of Dutch modernism, to the National Collection for Dutch Architecture and Urban Planning, one of the largest architecture collections in the world, with approximately four million drawings, models, photos, letters and digital files. In addition, the Nieuwe Instituut stimulates scientific and speculative research and programmes numerous exhibitions, lectures and debates at home and abroad, often in collaboration with national and international partners. For example, the institute is responsible for the Dutch contribution to the Venice Architecture Biennale and develops programmes and presentations worldwide – from Milan to Dakar and Shenzhen.

In the past policy period, under the leadership of directors Aric Chen, Josien Paulides and, from 2024, Aukje Bolle, the Nieuwe Instituut has further transformed itself into an emphatically hybrid organisation with various functions – museum, heritage institution and sector-supporting network organisation – with one larger, integrated mission: connecting knowledge of the past with contemporary and future design assignments. The institute showcases the transformative power of new design ideas and applies the knowledge of the past to today’s urgent global challenges, such as climate change, technological acceleration and social inequity.

Designers, including architects, designers and digital makers, make an important contribution to meeting these challenges. Nieuwe Instituut creates space to test new ideas in practice. The Zoöp – the institute’s organisational model which recognises non-human life – is an example of this. Nieuwe Instituut is a hospitable and lively place, where different designers show their work, makers, thinkers and visitors meet, and knowledge is collected, developed and shared. In recent years, important steps have been taken in terms of content, finance and organisation, with remarkable results such as the development of the Zoöp, impactful partnerships and initiatives such as Architecture Everywhere. Visitor results have also been positive, with a record number of visits and a positive assessment by the Council for Culture.

Present, past and future

Nieuwe Instituut takes care of the design sector’s past and is covered by the Heritage Act. It invites visitors to think about (design) ideas from the past, present and future, and to question, visualise and give form to these ideas. In an era of rapid and radical change, the Nieuwe Instituut is a cultural beacon where the past, present and future converge. Through its collection, the institute preserves the national memory of the design field that it also researches and makes accessible to the design community and the general public. However, the Nieuwe Instituut is not a classic museum, conventional heritage institution nor traditional research institute – it is all of these things simultaneously. This hybrid structure makes it a unique and internationally distinctive institution.

Due to the departure of Aric Chen, we are looking for a new General/Artistic Director (m/f/x)

 

Organisation and finance

Nieuwe Instituut is a foundation with a Supervisory Board and a two-person Board of Directors: a General/Artistic Director (AD) and a General/Business Director (BD). The directors share administrative responsibility, with a clear division of tasks: the AD heads the artistic content and collection departments, the BD the business-oriented departments. The combined strength of the directors aims at innovation and the further growth and continuity of the Nieuwe Instituut. The directors are accountable to the Supervisory Board.

Nieuwe Instituut employs approximately 115 staff members, divided over departments such as Collection, Programme, Agency, Research, Marketing & Communication, Operations, HR and Finance. In addition, there is a flexible pool of freelancers and project staff. The institute receives structural subsidies from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science under the Heritage Act and a four-yearly subsidy from the BIS (cultural basic infrastructure funding). In addition, it generates income through public events and renting out space. The annual budget is approximately 15 million euros. For specific programmes and research projects, we collaborate with funds. The institute has ANBI (public benefit organisation) status.

Who are we looking to recruit?

 

Role and Tasks

The new General/Artistic Director:

• Represents the Nieuwe Instituut nationally and internationally and acts as an artistic figurehead.
• Positions the institute in terms of content and strategy as a leading platform and as an agenda-setting testing ground.
• Manages the heads of the Programme, Agency and Collection departments and is the direct manager of the Research department.
• Actively acts as a co-manager, as a sparring partner for the management team and as a discussion partner for the OR (works council).
• Develops and monitors the institute’s artistic and content-related direction, in relation to social and ecological issues and with an eye for accessibility and public reach.
• Connects heritage and design capacity with research and public programming.
• Works in managerial collaboration on the strategic multi-year policy.
• Stimulates an approach that is interdisciplinary, multivocal and collaborative within the organisation and with external partners.
• Maintains a relevant (inter)national network in the design world.
• Actively contributes to fundraising, public reach and relationship management.
• Is visible and approachable within the organisation and stimulates an open, reflective work culture with an eye for participation, sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion.

 

Skills and qualities

The new General/Artistic Director:

• Has a clear, inspiring and innovative vision for design, heritage and research in relation to social and ecological issues and knows how to translate this vision into concrete, future-oriented strategic choices.
• Fits the artistic, cultural and socially committed style of the institute.
• Has a relevant, extensive and warm (inter)national network in the design sector.
• Has content/artistic authority and management experience in complex, multidisciplinary organisations.
• As a manager is curious, empathic and a team player, gives space to professionals, has an eye for realisation and feasibility and is focused on inclusion and collaboration.
• Is strategic, decisive and steadfast – can set clear priorities and substantiate decisions.
• Knows how to bring focus and coherence to a complex set of disciplines, programmes, objectives, interests and directions.
• Can switch fluidly between content/artistic programming, policy development and administrative decision-making.
• Moves smoothly and effectively in the network of employees, governments and management. Knows how to relate openly and curiously to national and international stakeholders and partners.
• Has a clear view of digital and technological developments and knows how to translate these into opportunities for the design sector.
• Has an affinity with fundraising and stakeholder management.
• Is fluent in Dutch and/or English, lives in the Netherlands or is prepared to settle here for a long period of time.

A detailed job profile, including information about the organisation, current developments, the position and the timeline, is available and can be downloaded from this page.

 

What are we offering?

Nieuwe Instituut offers a full-time position as a key member of a unique, influential and dynamic cultural institute, which has a supportive working environment and an international presence. Employment conditions are in line with market norms and will be assessed according to the RATO Pro system from 1 January 2026. The institute is affiliated with the Museum CAO (collective labour agreement). Nieuwe Instituut intends that the term of office of our statutory directors is limited to four years, with the possibility of a one-off reappointment for a further four years. An amendment to the articles of association concerning this matter is currently being prepared. Initially, the employment contract will be for one year and will be extended by 36 months if suitability is confirmed, and can then be extended for a further four years in the event of a statutory reappointment.

 

Interested?

Are you excited about this opportunity? Would you like to apply? Nieuwe Instituut is guided in this procedure by executive search agency Colourful People. For more information about the Nieuwe Instituut, the position or the procedure, please contact Naima Azough, Partner at Colourful People, at n.azough@colourfulpeople.nl or on (+31) 6 4344 9717. From July 21 till August 4 2025 she is alas not available, but she will answer your email/message shortly hereafter.

Please send your motivation letter and CV in English and in PDF format no later than 15 August 2025, using the application button on www.colourfulpeople.nl.

To ensure a thorough and careful selection process, we kindly ask you to address the following questions in your motivation:

• What resonates most with you in the vision and mission of Nieuwe Instituut?
• Can you describe your leadership experience within complex, multidisciplinary organisations?
• How do you view the role of heritage in the further development of the designsector?
• What is your leadership style, and how do you apply your leadership to inspire and strengthen people and teams?

We intend to complete the procedure by the end of September 2025. A reference check by Colourful People is part of the procedure. An assessment may also be part of the selection process. Interviews will take place according to the schedule below. Kindly be sure to reserve these dates.

 

Relevant dates

• Friday, 15 August 2025 - Application deadline
• 20–22 August 2025 - Preliminary online interviews with Colourful People
• Friday, 5 September 2025 - First round of online selection interviews
• Week 37 - Online meeting with the advisory committee
• Wednesday, 17 September 2025 - Second round of in-person selection interviews (in Rotterdam) 
• Thursday, 18 September 2025 - Further meeting between the preferred candidate and the General/Managing Director of Nieuwe Instituut
• Week 39 - Reference checks conducted by Colourful People / Employment terms discussion

The appointment will be publicly announced after the completion of the reference checks and the employment terms discussion.

Embracing diversity, inclusion and equality in the broadest sense (perspectives, ideas, culture, age, gender, sexual preference, religion etc.) is an important point of attention for the Nieuwe Instituut. This is why we strive for a balanced group of employees and an inclusive culture in which everyone can feel at home. We believe that our differences make us stronger and contribute to better results.