During her tenure, Fijen significantly expanded the biennial’s mission, transforming it from a primarily art-focused exhibition into a hybrid, interdisciplinary platform addressing social and urban change. She also introduced the pre-biennial research phase, bringing together architects, urbanists and cultural practitioners to engage deeply with local contexts.
“After 30 years, Manifesta as a nomadic biennial – founded in the aftermath of the Cold War – remains highly relevant within the cultural and urban landscape. Each edition asks not only what contemporary art is, but what culture can do in a specific place, at a specific moment – how it can engage with urbanism, public space and the lived realities of the city. This emphasis on context, long-term research and civic engagement sustains its influence, particularly in today’s debates around the social role of art, urban transformation and the connections it fosters.” – Supervisory Board, International Foundation Manifesta
Following a six-month transition period, the Supervisory Board has confirmed that the future leadership of Manifesta will be entrusted to Dutch-British Deputy Director Emilia van Lynden and Berlin-based Australian curator Catherine Nichols.
From October 2026, the organisation will adopt a co-leadership model, with Emilia van Lynden appointed as General Director and Catherine Nichols as Artistic Director. Together, they will begin developing future editions of the biennial, starting with Manifesta 17 in Coimbra, Portugal. Emilia van Lynden has been part of the International Foundation Manifesta since 2019, working closely with Hedwig Fijen across the past four editions. Catherine Nichols has previously contributed to Manifesta as Creative Mediator for Manifesta 14 Prishtina and as a member of the Artistic Board for Manifesta 16 Ruhr.
“It is a privilege to continue working within such a distinctive European platform, one that engages deeply with the cultural, social and urban fabric of cities and regions. Opportunities to collaborate in this way are exceptionally rare, especially given Manifesta’s transformative nature. At a time when Europe’s unifying principles must be actively upheld, I look forward to advancing Manifesta’s work in engaging with local civic issues that reverberate across the continent.” – Emilia van Lynden
“It is a profound honour to take on the role of Artistic Director of Manifesta, a platform that has, for more than three decades, continually redefined what a biennial can be and do. What I find compelling is its nomadic structure and its commitment to being embedded in the social, cultural and urban realities of each host context through a research-driven format grounded in listening and learning. At a time of transformation in Europe, I look forward to building on this through artistic thinking, urban enquiry and storytelling that open up new cultural, political and civic imaginaries.” – Catherine Nichols
