Duo Agnes Quackels and Barbara Van Lindt to take over general and artistic coordination of Kaaitheater

Upon the recommendation of a jury consisting of external members, staff members and managers, the Board of Directors has decided to appoint Agnes Quackels and Barbara Van Lindt, enabling them to develop their project ‘How to Be Many?’ over the coming years, in collaboration with the Kaaitheater team. The Board of Directors is convinced that with these two at the helm, Kaaitheater will be able to continue and expand its pioneering role, with space for new artistic canons and pressing social themes.

Agnes Quackels and Barbara Van Lindt: “Kaaitheater shaped both of our artistic and intellectual frames of reference: from the pioneers of the ‘Flemish Wave’ and the local and international trailblazers in dance and performance to the inspiring discursive programmes. And now we are joining forces in a shared project for Kaaitheater around the theme: ‘How to be many?’ We will continue to seek connections with Brussels-based, Flemish, and international artists; both established names as well as mid-career and younger performing artists. Our project creates space for partner organizations in Brussels and focuses on stronger audience participation while striving for programming and audiences that reflect Brussels’ superdiversity. We believe in multiple voices and reciprocity as forces with magnetic power.”

Agnes Quackels spent the past eight years working as the artistic director of the BUDA arts centre (Kortrijk). Before that, she was the co-director of Margarita Production (now Hiros), an alternative management office for artists in Brussels, which she co-founded.
Barbara Van Lindt was the director of STUK (Leuven), Gasthuis (Amsterdam), wp Zimmer (Antwerp), and she worked for the Kunstenfestivaldesarts in Brussels before becoming the managing director of DasArts (now DAS Theatre) in 2009, an Amsterdam-based Master’s programme for theatre makers and curators.

Agnes Quackels and Barbara Van Lindt will take up their positions at the end of October. They will replace Guy Gypens, who has been general director of Kaaitheater for the past six years and who with Katleen Van Langendonck has been responsible for the Kaaitheater’s artistic direction for the past twelve years.

Guy Gypens: "Barbara and Agnes both have extensive and wide-ranging knowledge of the artistic field, especially as far as the younger generation is concerned. They will contribute to profound conversations with artists and they have production experience. Furthermore, they present a strong and coherent discourse concerning the connections between art and society. I am very happy about the jury’s and the directors’ decision. Kaaitheater is in good hands."

Katleen Van Langendonck and Valerie Vernimme will continue to be directors of Kaaitheater and will ensure continuity on the artistic and business levels, respectively. They have great appreciation for the work of Agnes Quackels and Barbara Van Lindt and along with the entire Kaaitheater team, they are very much looking forward to working together in the future.