Hedwig Fijen steps down as Director of Manifesta after 33 years

As the driving force behind Manifesta since its first edition in Rotterdam in 1996, Hedwig Fijen has shaped the European Nomadic Biennial into an international platform for artistic experimentation, cultural exchange and critical reflection on Europe's changing social, political and cultural landscape.

Where does one find the courage to establish an international biennial from nothing? It is a question she has been asked for years. Under her leadership, Manifesta has brought together artists, cultural professionals and local communities, with each edition taking place in a new European context, often in places where geopolitical controversies are never far away. From its beginnings in the early 1990s to its 16th edition in Germany's Ruhr Area in 2026, she has continuously expanded Manifesta's ambition and accessibility by introducing new curatorial models such as collective curating, urban visions, citizens' assemblies and alternative forms of cultural mediation, all of which have become part of the biennial's vocabulary.

Manifesta extends its heartfelt gratitude to Hedwig Fijen for her extraordinary dedication, creativity, vision, courage and commitment over the past 33 years and for the remarkable legacy she leaves behind.

Manifesta will enter its next chapter under the leadership of Emilia van Lynden as General Director and Catherine Nichols as Artistic Director, both of whom have been closely involved with the biennial for several years.