Delft, 1 December 2025 – On 1 December 2025, Jeroen Dijkstra (1988) will take up the position of director of the Delft Fringe Festival. He succeeds Roel Funcken, who is stepping down after more than twelve years and has built the festival into a leading national platform for new creators in the performing arts. With the arrival of Dijkstra, the festival is entering a new phase, building on the solid foundation that has been laid in recent years.
New energy and a broad cultural perspective
Jeroen Dijkstra is a cultural entrepreneur with a multifaceted background at the intersection of design, art, and social imagination. He has previously worked at Dutch Design Week, Het Nieuwe Instituut, and various international museums. As founder of The Dutch Institute of Royal Taste (the DIRT), he supports new talent and brings creators, institutions, and audiences together in innovative collaborations.
His career began with Verborgen Stegen (Hidden Alleys), a personal initiative that brought performing arts, visual arts and design to life in unexpected, often historic locations. For this project, he received the Waterweg Culture Prize and the Schiedam City Promotion Prize, among others.
Dijkstra is looking forward to putting his extensive experience to good use for the Delft Fringe Festival:
“It is a tremendous honour to be able to lead a festival that means so much to the artistic development of young creators and to the city of Delft. I look forward to working with the team, partners, and audience to continue building an inspiring place for new creators.”
Supervisory Board: ‘A visionary with the power to connect’
Corné Ran, chair of the Supervisory Board of Delft Fringe Festival, speaks confidently about the appointment:
“With Jeroen Dijkstra as our new managing director, we are bringing in a visionary who will give the Delft Fringe Festival a new impetus with his connecting power and strategic insight. With his enthusiasm and drive, he wants to support new creators in the activities of the Delft Fringe Festival, so that they can gain the necessary experience. The entire team and I have every confidence that the significance of the Delft Fringe Festival is in good hands with him. Jeroen Dijkstra will build on the solid foundation that is already in place.‘
A new phase for Delft Fringe Festival
With the arrival of Jeroen Dijkstra, Delft Fringe Festival is setting its sights on further strengthening talent development and new collaborations within the city. In the coming years, the festival aims to further deepen and broaden its role as a springboard for new creators.
About Delft Fringe Festival
The Delft Fringe Festival is an annual location theatre festival that offers a stage to the latest generation of creators. For 15 years now, the festival has been bursting into life in the city just before summer. From intimate acts to taboo-breaking performances in unexpected locations such as a centuries-old mill, the council chamber or a factory. From theatre to dance, cabaret to music and everything in between.
The festival gives young talent the opportunity to experiment and gain experience, while visitors discover culture in an accessible and surprising way. The 15th edition of the Delft Fringe Festival will take place in 2026.
2026 edition: 27 May to 7 June
- Festival dates 15th edition Delft Fringe Festival: 27 May - 7 June 2026
- Festival opening: May 27, 2026, 7.30pm, at Theatre de Veste.
- More info: www.delftfringefestival.nl
Nederlands 
English (UK) 
Français 