In 2026, Eelco van der Lingen will step down from his position as Executive Director of the Mondriaan Fund. Eelco has been appointed Director of the Fries Museum, the Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics and the Frisian Resistance Museum, effective 1 February. Eva Postema, Head of the Fund Office at the Mondriaan Fund, will serve as interim Executive Director until a successor has been appointed.
Geneviève Lieuw, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Mondriaan Fund, congratulates Eelco on his appointment: ‘Those who support art with vision leave traces far more profound than any directorship. With his open outlook and drive to innovate, Eelco van der Lingen has not only pushed boundaries, but has also strengthened the ties between the distinct worlds of policy, artists and institutions in general, and particularly the position of the artist. We sincerely thank Eelco for his indelible contribution to the work of the Fund, to heritage and to the arts. We congratulate him on this outstanding appointment, as well as the Fries Museum on its new director.’
Eelco van der Lingen reflects on an inspiring and eventful period at the Mondriaan Fund: ‘I am looking forward to returning to Friesland, but will certainly miss the Mondriaan Fund and its team. We have shared remarkable years together, and I am proud of what we have achieved, and of the contribution we have been able to make to the visual arts and heritage sectors. In recent years, the arts and heritage landscape has become more accessible and more aware of its social responsibilities, the importance of representation, and its relationship with underrepresented communities and histories. The Mondriaan Fund has contributed to this, while also embracing its own role and responsibilities. The Mondriaan Fund is in a strong position. My thanks go to everyone who has helped bring us to this point, and I have every confidence that the Management Team will successfully hold the fort until a new director is appointed.’
Eelco has held the position of Executive Director of the Mondriaan Fund – the national cultural fund for visual art and heritage in the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom – since 2019. Acting on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Fund supports the realisation of projects and activities at art institutions, museums and other heritage organisations in the Netherlands and abroad, as well as the development of artists’ and curators’ practices. The Mondriaan Fund is also responsible for the Dutch entry for the Venice Biennale, and for organising the Prix de Rome, currently on view at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. Under Eelco’s leadership, the sector received crucial support during the Covid-19 pandemic. During his directorship, Eelco worked to improve representation within the art and heritage sector, strengthen regions outside the Randstad, enhance artists’ financial position and independence, and advance accessibility across the arts and heritage fields.