Paul van Maanen has been appointed interim director of the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague as of 9 April 2021. He succeeds Marieke Schoenmakers. This is what the Board of Governors announced after a careful application procedure and based on a positive recommendation from the Faculty Council of Representatives KABK (DMR) and the Council of Representatives HdK(CMR).

Van Maanen will draw up an action plan for a safer and more transparent culture culture within the KABK, in collaboration with teachers, staff and students. This action plan stems from the recommendations of the independent culture study by Bezemer & Schubad, published on 23 March.

Paul van Maanen has held positions as chairman of the Board of Governors at ROC Midden Nederland and Hogeschool Leiden as well as director’s positions at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sport, and the Dutch Association for Adapted Sports.

He also holds various supervisory positions, among others as member of the Supervisory Board of the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Amsterdam. About his choice for the KABK van Maanen says: "The KABK has gone through a difficult period, but is now ready for a new phase. I am looking forward to working with the KABK community to tackle this task together."

The Board of Governors is convinced that Van Maanen has the knowledge and experience to lead the KABK to the next phase in a good way.