SONJA VAN DER VALK
In 2006 Sonja van der Valk (1952) founded the Domein voor Kunstkritiek (Domain for Art Criticism). At the time she was programme developer at the Theater Instituut Nederland and already had a career behind her as theatre critic – with a healthy curiosity for other art disciplines. She wrote for, among others, the woman’s magazine Serpentine and De Groene Amsterdammer and was editor in chief of (trade journal) Toneel Theatraal. Under her leadership, numerous publications in the field of art and art criticism came into being: Een nieuwe generatie cultuurjournalisten (2004), StateoftheArt (2005), Het ligt in uw handen – de rol van de toeschouwer in hedendaags theater, a publication by het Domein in collaboration with the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht (2010). She is teacher and advisor at the Education in Theatre Study Programme (Amsterdam Hogeschool voor de Kunsten) and has diverse executive functions in the cultural sector including chairman of the Nederlands Toneelverbond (Dutch Theatre Union) that awards the annual Marie Kleine-Gartman Essay prize.