As of 1 October, Fiedel van der Hijden will be stepping down after 32 years at Cultura Nova. Fiedel, initiator and artistic director of the festival, considers it time to make way for younger people.
Fiedel has been involved in Cultura Nova visual theatre festival with heart and soul since 1991. He has been active in theatre in public spaces since 1984. That is when Fiedel started Kultuur Avontuur in Heerlen, the actual predecessor of Cultura Nova. Fiedel is a discoverer, connector and dreamer, who has managed to win people over to the festival with unflagging energy, to bring (international) companies to Heerlen and to keep pushing back frontiers.
From his background and training as a social worker, Fiedel van der Hijden has continued to include social components in his cultural work. According to him, art and culture should relate to their surroundings and can contribute to change and emancipation within a community, a neighbourhood or a city. This has certainly happened in Heerlen in recent decades, and Fiedel has done his bit.
Over the past few years, Cultura Nova has developed into a leading national festival with regional ties, thanks in part to the efforts of many committed employees, volunteers, partners, subsidisers, sponsors and the intensive cooperation between Fiedel as artistic director and Rocco Malherbe as director-director. Over three hundred cultural activities take place in Heerlen and its surroundings over the course of ten days each year. All cultural organisations from the city participate in programming during the festival. Moreover, many entrepreneurs and social and educational institutions are linked to the festival. Cultura Nova is well anchored in the city and the region. The festival is also increasingly appreciated both nationally and in the immediate Euregion. Cultura Nova attracts over 70,000 visitors each year.
Because of Corona, the past two editions of Cultura Nova were different than before, with a modified programme. Now that the festival will be able to present a full programme again in 2022, Fiedel van der Hijden sees this as a good moment to bring Cultura Nova to a close. He wants to continue his working life with new challenges. He will continue to work a few days a week as a cultural entrepreneur from his own agency Fidelio Arts and Culture, which is based in Heerlen.
The Cultura Nova foundation is looking for a new artistic director and is therefore starting an application procedure.
Rocco Malherbe, director – board member Cultura Nova
Astrid Boeijen chairperson Cultura Nova Supervisory Board