Noorderzon director Femke Eerland leaves after 16 years
Near the start of the 34th edition of Noorderzon Festival of Performing Arts & Society, festival director Femke Eerland (48) announces that she is stepping down after this edition. Eerland started at Noorderzon in 2001 together with artistic director Mark Yeoman. Mark Yeoman as director, Eerland as his assistant. She later became business director and in 2008 general director and Yeoman artistic director of the festival. Under her inspiring and passionate leadership, the festival grew from a summer event into a major international arts festival that put Groningen on the map at home and abroad. With as icing on the cake its accession to the cultural Basic Infrastructure (BIS) of the Netherlands. Now that Noorderzon can count on a position as one of the eight festivals in the BIS for the second time, the festival is secured for the future and Eerland has fulfilled her task with endless energy and great success. The organisation will miss her tremendously.
Femke Eerland, Noorderzon director: "You never organise and conceive a festival alone. "It takes a village to raise a festival". It has been a rollercoaster of fun, of development, of adventures these years. Noorderzon stands, in all respects, like a house. I am proud of that, of this strong collective achievement. And I am very proud to have been a part of that for so long; it has been a tremendous honour."
Strong position
Under Femke's watch, Noorderzon has grown into a cultural and social highlight on the Groningen calendar and far beyond. Kees van der Helm, chairman of the Supervisory Board: "The energy Femke has shown in over 20 years is impressive. She was a determining factor in the growth and professionalisation of Noorderzon. Under her leadership, the festival gained great appreciation and recognition from audiences and governments. With great commitment, she knew how to bind professionals and volunteers to the festival and thus to do a great job every year. We thank her immensely for her tireless efforts."
Femke Eerland will retire from service in mid-2025. The supervisory board will search for a suitable successor.