marije spek

LinC is a part-time executive program for leaders in the cultural sector, and a Dutch-Flemish collaboration between the Universities of Utrecht and Antwerp. LinC aims to develop a more connected, active and innovative sector, while creating a network of leaders in the cultural field. As a temporary project I took on alongside my work for the Rijksmuseum, and leading up to the launch of the program in September 2018, I coordinated the call for applications, was part of the selection committee, and was responsible for setting up the overall organization for the program in Belgium.

I started working at the Rijksmuseum in 2012 alongside my university studies, as a Front Office Employee. After graduation, I also assisted the Development department in various ways - supporting the team with their fundraising efforts leading up to the grand reopening of the museum in April 2013.

NTR Kunststof TV was a Dutch, live broadcast talk show about arts and culture with guest, items and music. As an intern I took part in weekly editorial meetings, wrote texts for the website, assisted the director during filming of items on location, and helped with the day-to-day operations of the production team. I also assisted during the live show, by coordinating the audience, welcoming the guests of the show and helping to make the broadcast run smoothly.

Vandejong is an enterprising, strategic, creative communications agency. At Vandejong I gained experience by working on various accounts, including the social media campaign for the Foam Magazine Talent Call 2012 (Foam Photography Museum Amsterdam) and the seasonal brochure for 'Theater aan het Spui' (The Hague).

At Felix Meritis, European centre for Art, Culture and Science, I initially worked as a Hostess but was soon asked to take on the role of Production Manager. My role involved the coordination of staffing, schedules and budgets for several events, including the annually organized Amsterdam Dance Event Conference.

In January 2017, I became the Coordinator of Academic Programs within the Public & Education department of the Rijksmuseum. This position was created so I could focus on maintaining and expanding the Fellowship Program, while also taking on a leading role in the organization of the annual Summer School in collaboration with partner institutions such as the RKD, Bard Graduate Center (New York) and the University of Amsterdam. In addition, my role includes the development and execution of new initiatives in the area of talent development and education.

In September 2013, I relocated to Belgium in order to pursue a second Master's degree in Cultural Management (University of Antwerp, Faculty of Applied Economics). The practical component of the program led me to temporarily move to the US, where I worked as a Research Fellow at the Smithsonian Office of Policy and Analysis. There, I took on a project concerning visitor studies for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Based on the outcome of my research, I advised on the museum's strategic plan for the upcoming years, specifically on how to enhance audience engagement at The National Portrait Gallery.

In 2014 I rejoined the Rijksmuseum as Project Coordinator for the newly founded Research Fellowship Program, an international grant program which enables the new generation of museum professionals from all over the world to conduct research into the museum’s collection. The program facilitates opportunities for Fellows to engage in workshops and excursions to encourage exchange of knowledge - both amongst themselves and the broader museum audience. Initially, I was situated within the Human Resources department where I quickly started collaborating cross-departmental to develop a solid base for the programme. Key responsibilities included: development of the annual program cycle, preparation of project budgets, contributions to fundraising efforts, setting up the recruitment & selection policy, the communication outreach strategy and the evaluation format.

Minor in Communication Sciences, electives in Journalism and Art History

Title of Master's Thesis: Branding in the Dutch Museum Sector

Graduated with great distinction. Courses: - General and Strategic Management - Financial and Management Accounting in the Creative and Cultural Sectors - Financial Management - The Legal Framework of the Cultural Sector - Marketing and Communication Management - Human Resources Management - Seminar Research Methods - Forum Cultural Management - Policy and Context of the Creative and Cultural Industries - Innovation Management - Seminar Cultural Entrepreneurship