Josine Gilissen strengthens management of Theatre Festival Boulevard

On 1 April 2025, Josine Gilissen will take office as director-director of Theatre Festival Boulevard and Stichting BosseNova in 's-Hertogenbosch. Together with Dana Kibbelaar, she will form the two-headed board of both organisations. Kibbelaar has held her role since 2022 and previously formed a duo with Tessa Smeulers, who stepped down after the 2024 edition.

The Supervisory Board of Theatre Festival Boulevard unanimously chose Josine Gilissen and is impressed by her sense of team spirit, befitting the festival, its staff and volunteers. She is disarming and brings a fresh perspective. Gilissen not only knows the national and international sector well; Boulevard's region is also her home base.

Josine Gilissen brings broad experience in the cultural sector. After graduating in theatre studies in Utrecht, she worked successively at ZT Hollandia, NTGent and actors' group Wunderbaum, where she stayed for over 10 years. She then became business director at youth theatre company Het Filiaal theatremakers in Utrecht. Since 2023, she has continued on her own, including as interim business director at De Kleine Komedie, Vocal Statements and Het NUT. She is also an external confidant at a number of cultural organisations and a board member at several companies.

Josine Gilissen: "Theatre festival Boulevard has played a role in my life for many years. Over the past 15 years, I have regularly collaborated with the festival and also enjoy coming there as a visitor. I am impressed by the way the festival offers space to look beyond and colour outside the lines. I am therefore honoured to be working for this festival and am immensely looking forward to working with Dana and the whole team and meeting our audience."

Dana Kibbelaar: "Welcome Josine! It is with great pleasure that I look forward to our fulfilling the duoship for the further development of Theatre Festival Boulevard and Bosse Nova.

I am convinced that your broad knowledge and great track record will strengthen Team Boulevard in our common mission. Together, we stand for the power of art!"

Heleen Herbert, Chairman Supervisory Board:

"Full of conviction, we chose a two-headed governance model in 2022 as the Supervisory Board. By doing so, we fulfil the need for broad leadership and sustainability of working practices. With the arrival of Josine Gilissen, we vigorously pursue that line. We are confident that the new management team will energetically contribute to a more inclusive and multi-voiced sector and to greater accessibility of the performing arts. This is invaluable. Especially at a time when mutual understanding and imagination in our society could use a boost."