In 2021 and 2022 I advised the Flemish Cultural Center De Brakke Grond on the transition from a presentation space to a network organization. For some time now, De Brakke Grond has not only been a presentation space, but has also been profiling itself explicitly as a network organization, connector and facilitator within the Flemish-Dutch arts field. The starting point is no longer programming Flemish artists in the Brakke Grond only, but rather the search for the right collaboration partners, formats and contexts to enable Flemish artists to gain a foothold in the Netherlands in the most sustainable way possible. In addition, De Brakke Grond brings Flemish and Dutch professional partners into contact with each other for all disciplines, detects needs and questions that exist in the Flemish-Dutch circuit and tries to find solutions or answers to these questions together with the right parties.

In the new policy plan of de Brakke Grond (2022-2024) the ambition is develop this network function more explicitly within the Visual Arts program line. For this reason, I conducted an exploratory study of the visual arts field in the Netherlands (and Flanders) between November 2021 and February 2022 in collaboration with Sophie Dogterom (communication officer and visual arts producer De Brakke Grond). Over a period of several months, discussions were held with (artistic and business) directors and employees in the field of international exchange of larger and medium-sized art institutions, museums and presentation institutions, funds, embassies and an umbrella organization, with a focus on the Netherlands. With this research we have mapped out how the intended network role can best match the current situation.