New fund seeks new director

Gitta Luiten, director of the Mondriaan Foundation, will leave the organisation in December 2011. She will therefore not become director of the new cultural fund resulting from the merger of the Mondriaan Foundation and the Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture. This new organization is seeking a director.

The Mondriaan Foundation supports visual arts, design and cultural heritage with approximately 20 million euro annually. Under Luiten's leadership, the Mondriaan Foundation became one of the leading foundations in the cultural field in the Netherlands. The Foundation contributed to cultural policy theories in various ways, both in the Netherlands and abroad. Luiten also developed new instruments such as research and development and international network programs and cofounded a European platform for foundations for visual arts.

The board of the Mondriaan Foundation regrets Luiten’s departure, but understands her decision. Joost Kuiper, acting Chairman: “The announced budget cuts on the Mondriaan Foundation would mean that Luiten would have to personally undo the policy she developed in the last ten years. Furthermore the new Foundation is facing serious reorganisations, which will be easier on a new director.“

Mondriaan Foundation website