Martina has had a varied career and initially studied law before discovering her passion for art. She enrolled at an art academy, completing a teacher training programme in visual arts and studying fine art. While studying fine art, she realised her passion was more for driving engagement with the arts, rather than creating or teaching art. Like many others, she struggled initially to find a job in art, so she worked in sales before returning to her true passion. This led her to complete a Master's in Art Market & Connoisseurship.

Martina’s first job as an art professional was interning for the Dutch Central Bank’s art collection, where she was later hired in a permanent role. Then, she moved to Amsterdam Art (the organisation that runs the Amsterdam Art Week) to become the head of partnerships and programming, and two and a half years later, in 2023, she stepped up to become the director.

Alla domanda su come riassumere l’Amsterdam Art Week, Martina risponde:
“È una piattaforma per l’arte contemporanea ad Amsterdam. Un punto di connessione tra tutte le diverse istituzioni, per fare in modo che gli artisti abbiano una visibilità maggiore e per attrarre abbastanza attenzione internazionale sulla scena artistica di Amsterdam e sui suoi artisti”.

When asked to summarise Amsterdam Art Week, she describes it as “a platform for contemporary art in Amsterdam. It’s a connector of all the different institutions to ensure that we enable the artists to have a bigger platform to showcase their work and attract enough international attention to Amsterdam’s art scene and artists.”  

“Year-round, we are an online platform, mostly on social media and our website, but we also organise tours to ensure that people see different institutions throughout the year. Then, during Amsterdam Art Week, it becomes that pivotal moment when everybody collaborates and events take place. It’s also the only moment in the year when all the artists and contemporary art institutions collaborate. There are cross-collaborations, and all the doors are open, so it's accessible to everyone. We have around 220 exhibitions and events happening simultaneously for the public and 40 events for VIP guests, including collectors, museum directors, curators, and press. It’s for those living in Amsterdam who want to make weekend plans, or try something new, even with young families, as well as those in the industry. There is something for everyone”.

Martina thinks that what makes it special for visitors is the mix of beautiful buildings and canals, like an open-air museum and the ability to find a hidden-away gallery or project space.

When we discuss the types of people attracted to Amsterdam versus a larger global art hub such as London or New York, Martina suggests, “People come to see new artists, new talents and the more experimental side of art.” Martina remarks that Amsterdam is facing similar problems to London regarding access to affordable housing and the cost of living, which impacts artists hard, given they often have to rent a place to live and a studio. At times like these, giving greater exposure to the contemporary art scene in Amsterdam becomes more critical.

We then discuss balancing attracting an international audience and making Amsterdam Art Week accessible to locals. Martina clarifies, “Most of our general public is from Amsterdam or the Netherlands. When you look at the art professionals, they are more internationally focused. We organise groups with Dutch embassies abroad to bring in arts professionals from other countries with a tailor-made programme where they meet interesting artists, curators and directors from Amsterdam’s museums, galleries and institutions”.

A core part of Amsterdam Art Week is the open studios at the world-famous Rijksakademie. Founded in 1870, the academy has, since 1990, hosted international contemporary artists for two-year residencies, with the condition that at least 50% of the selected artists are based in the Netherlands, though not necessarily Dutch. Martina explains: “The Rijksakademie attracts so much international attention - people are fascinated by the artists-in-residence and their process. We wanted to ensure their interest in the Rijksakademie would flow into the broader city, into a varied and rich contemporary art programme.”

The Rijksakademie played a key role in founding Amsterdam Art Week. Martina recalls: “It all started when the Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk Museum — two of Amsterdam’s major cultural institutions — were closed for renovation. There was a noticeable drop in international visitors. Together with a group of galleries and arts professionals, including the Rijksakademie, the idea for an event was born to refocus international attention on the city’s vibrant contemporary art scene. What began as a weekend has since grown into a full week.”

When I ask Martina what she’s looking forward to for this year’s Amsterdam Art Week, she states, “I'm looking forward to our West night. Last year, we focused on the north of Amsterdam, and each year, we chose a different district where we highlight the art institutions in that specific district. Even though Amsterdam is relatively small as a capital city, people don’t always travel around, so we highlight a district where people need to make more effort to get there. We also make sure that all the different locations collaborate so that there is an interesting programme that visitors can navigate” 

“There will be a pop-up exhibition with the Patta Academy, and they are a wildcard as they have full control of what to do with an empty office building, and I have no idea what they will do.” Martina also looks forward to Melanie Bonajo's solo show at Akinci Gallery. She says, “I’m very curious about her new series. Her practice involves researching sexuality and the differences between men, women, and non-binary people. Her work delves into the sensory dimensions of touch and how it contributes to connection and well-being in an increasingly digitalised and isolated society. She’s a very current and important artist”.

Amsterdam Art Week is an excellent way for the Amsterdam art scene to engage with locals and an international audience. Martina adds, “We're here to make art accessible to a bigger audience” and that’s a sentiment we can all agree on.

Amsterdam Art Week runs across the city from 20-25 May 2025, and complete details of the programme are available on its website.