To:<\/strong> Supervisory Board Nederlands Fotomuseum Dear members of the Supervisory Board,<\/p>\n\n\n\n We, photography lovers, stakeholders and professional administrators active in the arts sector, have noted with concern the sudden resignation of the director-director of the Nederlands Fotomuseum this summer. Our concerns are not isolated: they are widely felt among partners, politicians, friends of the museum and in the cultural sector. This is evidenced by the many reactions in the media, letters sent in, conversations behind the scenes and even questions from the city council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At stake are not only the substantive grounds for this decision, but more importantly the way the Supervisory Board organised and communicated the process. As yet, an independent and transparent review of the findings is lacking, while public accountability remains extremely limited. That the Board, like the director, has so far remained mostly silent reinforces this vulnerability. Silence in this case is not a strength, but creates room for mistrust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Nederlands Fotomuseum is one of the cultural pearls of Rotterdam and the Netherlands. Many people have worked hard to realise and flourish precisely this museum with its unique archive and mission in Rotterdam. The museum fulfils a role that extends far beyond the walls of the institution and contributes substantially to the city's (inter)national position. Any ambiguity, any loss of trust and any additional burden arising from internal decision-making makes the position of the museum and the cultural sector more vulnerable. This affects not only the internal organisation, but also Rotterdam's reputation as a city of culture and an innovative global city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We therefore urge you to heed our call:<\/p>\n\n\n\n We trust you will take this signal seriously and take responsibility for restoring the trust of the public, staff and partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sincerely,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Emily Ansenk Kees van der Meiden Aan: Raad van Toezicht Nederlands FotomuseumCC: landelijke dagbladenDatum: 22 september 2025Betreft: Bestuurlijke onrust en toekomst Nederlands Fotomuseum Geachte leden van de Raad van Toezicht, Wij, fotografieliefhebbers, belanghebbenden en professioneel bestuurders actief in de kunstsector, hebben met zorg kennisgenomen van het plotselinge ontslag van de directeur-bestuurder van het Nederlands Fotomuseum deze zomer. Onze zorgen staan niet op zichzelf: zij leven […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":98641,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"activitypub_content_warning":"","activitypub_content_visibility":"","activitypub_max_image_attachments":3,"activitypub_interaction_policy_quote":"anyone","activitypub_status":"federated","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[15614,10340,9563,11688],"tags":[16449,15891,16448],"class_list":["post-98639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beleid","category-erfgoed","category-fotografie","category-word-lid","tag-birgit-donker","tag-code-cultural-governance","tag-fotomuseum"],"featured_image_url":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/nederlands-fotomuseum-150x150.webp","medium":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/nederlands-fotomuseum-300x237.webp","medium_large":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/nederlands-fotomuseum-768x608.webp","large":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/nederlands-fotomuseum.webp","1536x1536":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/nederlands-fotomuseum.webp","2048x2048":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/nederlands-fotomuseum.webp","trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/nederlands-fotomuseum-15x12.webp"},"post_author":"Wijbrand Schaap","assigned_categories":"beleid, ERFGOED, Fotografie, WORD LID","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":127744,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2026\/07\/open-brief-aan-wethouder-joan-nunnely\/","url_meta":{"origin":98639,"position":0},"title":"Open letter to Councillor Joan Nunnely","author":"Guido van Nispen","date":"19 July 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Copy: Registry, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, parties involved in the affairs of the Nederlands Fotomuseum Subject: Nederlands Fotomuseum, council debate 16 July 2026 17 July 2026 Dear Ms Nunnely, Upon taking up your post as Councillor for Culture, you are inheriting a case that now extends far beyond a labour dispute at the Nederlands Fotomuseum. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "beleid"","block_context":{"text":"beleid","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beleid\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":132010,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2026\/08\/met-de-blik-op-de-toekomst\/","url_meta":{"origin":98639,"position":1},"title":"Looking to the future","author":"Guido van Nispen","date":"9 August 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Guido van Nispen: \"Three board members left the Nederlands Fotomuseum before the court had handed down its ruling. As a result, a labour dispute unexpectedly turned into a much broader governance issue: who is actually accountable when the very nature of oversight itself becomes the subject of debate?\"","rel":"","context":"In "beleid"","block_context":{"text":"beleid","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beleid\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":101004,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2026\/03\/het-nederlands-fotomuseum-noemde-het-een-cultuuronderzoek-het-was-een-afrekening\/","url_meta":{"origin":98639,"position":2},"title":"The Dutch Photo Museum called it a cultural survey. It was a reckoning.","author":"Wijbrand Schaap","date":"22 March 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The rather bizarre soap opera surrounding the Nederlands Fotomuseum started a new season this weekend. De Volkskrant published the results of a confidential 'culture survey' conducted by Bureau Unravelling among the staff and former staff of the Nederlands Fotomuseum. The timing of the 'leak' is striking: next Tuesday 24...","rel":"","context":"In "ACTUEEL"","block_context":{"text":"ACTUEEL","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/nieuws\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":123108,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2026\/07\/na-het-vonnis-over-het-fotomuseum-begint-de-echte-bestuursvraag\/","url_meta":{"origin":98639,"position":3},"title":"After the verdict on the Photomuseum, the real governance question begins","author":"Guido van Nispen","date":"1 July 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Guido van Nispen: At first glance, the judgement in the case involving former director Birgit Donker appears to mark the conclusion of a long-running labour dispute. But its significance extends much further. The court was exceptionally critical of the actions of the Supervisory Board of the Nederlands Fotomuseum\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "beleid"","block_context":{"text":"beleid","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beleid\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":112193,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2026\/05\/er-zijn-alleen-verliezers-toezicht-zonder-zichtbaar-toezicht\/","url_meta":{"origin":98639,"position":4},"title":"\u201cThere are only losers\u201d Surveillance without visible oversight","author":"Guido van Nispen","date":"25 May 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A court case over Birgit Donker's dismissal at the Nederlands Fotomuseum grew into an uncomfortable mirror for supervision, legitimacy and public accountability. How visible should supervision actually be in public institutions, and what does it say if it only becomes recognisable when conflict, media and courtroom converge?","rel":"","context":"In "beleid"","block_context":{"text":"beleid","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beleid\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":125198,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2026\/07\/het-failliet-van-een-illusie-een-beter-functionerende-cultuursector-door-invoering-van-de-governance-code-cultuur-met-het-raad-van-toezicht-model\/","url_meta":{"origin":98639,"position":5},"title":"Culture Press - The bankruptcy of an illusion: a better functioning cultural sector through the introduction of the Governance Code Culture with the Supervisory Board model.","author":"Steve Austen","date":"8 July 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Steve Austen on the Supervisory Board model in the arts sector: \"I have attended too many harmonised and standardised exhibitions, festivals, literary events and performing arts events in the countries of the former Soviet Union to expect any benefit from ever-increasing, detailed sets of instructions.\"","rel":"","context":"In "beleid"","block_context":{"text":"beleid","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beleid\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3yKke-pEX","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/nederlands-fotomuseum.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98639"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98639\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":98643,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98639\/revisions\/98643"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/98641"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98639"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
CC:<\/strong> national newspapers
Date:<\/strong> 22 September 2025
Subject:<\/strong> Administrative turmoil and future Dutch Photo Museum<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Matti Austen
Marianne Berendse
Lennart Booij
George Brugmans
Harry-Jan Bus
Theo Coskun
Joop Daalmeijer
Margriet Drijver
Sjarel Ex
Eric Fisher
Anouk van Heesch
Paul Hofstra
Patrick van der Hijden
Cathy Jacob
Marianne de Jong
Ali Keles
Marianne Chain
Laurens G.F. Knoop
Frits Loomeijer
Rob Malasch<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vincent Mentzel
Jeffrey Meulman
Guido van Nispen
Rachel van Olm
Ivo Opstelten
Jan Pronk
Chris Reinewald
Joyce Roodnat
Frederik Santman
Wijbrand Schaap
Elselien Smit
Jantje Steenhuis
Pauline Terreehorst
Ton de Vos
Gerben Vos
Dieter de Vroomen
Kees Weeda
Emile Wennekens
Hans Wilschut
Erik van Zuylen<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"