News — Apr 5, 2020

The Stedelijk Museum has filled two vacancies. Darija Kalkan is named as Manager Marketing and Communication and will also join the museum’s Management Team. Emma Harjadi Herman takes up the role of Head of Education and Inclusion. They are committed to making the Stedelijk Museum a place where everyone feels welcome to enjoy and experience art.

Kalkan and Harjadi Herman begin their new jobs while the museum is closed temporarily due to the current corona crisis. The challenge that awaits them is to bring the museum closer to everyone than ever. Art is a rich source of hope, consolation and inspiration, especially now, when society is gripped by a pandemic.

Darija Kalkan, Manager Marketing and Communication: “I am honoured to have the opportunity to work for the Stedelijk Museum. I am taking up my role in what is clearly an unprecedented time. Many people’s lives have been disrupted. My aim is to work with my team and all of my colleagues to share the Stedelijk brand, and above all its art, using unconventional strategies and through different channels. In the Netherlands, the Stedelijk is one of the institutes that can count on a large, internationally-focused group of followers and fans. While the museum is forced offline temporarily, we will draw on that strong online base and intensify our communication with our audiences, with new and interactive formats.”

Emma Harjadi Herman, Head of Education and Inclusion: “For many people, being confined in their home is a new experience, but for those who live with a handicap, dementia or chronic condition, it is an ongoing reality. If there is a silver lining in this crisis, I hope that it can teach us, as a society, to be more mindful of the people living in those circumstances. My team and I are making every effort to give everyone a chance to enjoy and experience art, even if you can’t physically come to the museum.”

DARIJA KALKAN

The Stedelijk welcomes Darija Kalkan who brings a wealth of knowledge on re-positioning and enhancing brands. She gained experience in marketing and communication in a wide range of sectors. Working for Pepper, one of the first dating websites, she reintroduced the brand based on the idea that online dating should be fun. At Canal Digital, she shaped the transition from traditional satellite television to an online streaming video platform. At the Stedelijk, her tasks will include the strategic positioning of the museum, the marketing and communication policy, online strategy and public engagement.

EMMA HARJADI HERMAN

We are delighted to welcome Emma Harjadi Herman, whose skills and experience will be a great asset to the museum’s education and inclusivity mission. As senior project leader at Mama Cash, she worked every day for a world with equal rights, culminating in the Mama Cash Feminist Festival in the Stedelijk Museum. Her position as Supervisory Board member at Atria, institute on gender equality and women’s history, and her role as Senior Fellow at Humanity in Action make her a strong candidate for increasing our museum’s multiperspectivity.