After more than 6 years, Jakob van der Waarden is leaving the Council for Culture as general secretary of the council and director of the office. Nicole Leijendeckers will succeed him on an interim basis as of 1 October. The coming months will be used to work out the profile of the definitive successor.

Jakob van der Waarden held this position for an intensive period. The corona pandemic hit the sector hard. The Council for Culture has drawn attention to this in various advisory reports. In addition, the Council advised on many other subjects: local and national broadcasting, the promotion of reading and the library system, looted art and archaeology, and sector-wide themes such as sustainability, digitisation and transgressive behaviour. With the completion of the BIS advice for '25-'28 and the publication of the advice on the organisation of the cultural system from '29 onwards, a logical moment for follow-up arose.

"I look back on the past few years with great satisfaction and pleasure. The culture and media sector has an incredible amount to offer and I have been able to experience that throughout the country. I am grateful for all the meetings and the cooperation with all the partners of the council. At the same time, I am now looking forward to being able to take time for the orientation on the next step." Chairman Kristel Baele: "We are very grateful to Jakob for all the work he has done with us and will miss him. Nicole is taking office at a good time, we are looking forward to working together in the coming period."

https://www.raadvoorcultuur.nl/actueel/nieuws/2024/09/30/vertrek-jakob-van-der-waarden