Interview with Florian Weigl

As part of the Career Committee, we met with Florian Weigl. Florian has had a multifaceted career, contributing to the Dutch cultural field for nearly 20 years. One of the main conclusions we drew from our conversation with him was that his success has been driven by genuine dedication and passion.

What made him an excellent candidate for the purposes of this committee, beyond his achievements, is his critical perspective and his practice-oriented research. Furthermore, Florian’s work has developed within an international context, spanning the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and even Hong Kong.

Below, you can read his story about navigating the cultural field, as well as his advice for aspiring professionals.

His first steps:

“I always had an interest, but I didn’t grow up going to museums or with parents who were really into culture. Still, I always enjoyed encountering art.

It felt like quite a big step to enter that world.

It already seemed like a difficult field, but during my studies I was researching it. At one point, there was the Dutch Media Art Institute (NIMK). Eventually, they invited me to help during Museum Night as a paid volunteer. What I really loved during those nights was the community. Nobody was doing it for the money, but you got to see behind the scenes of an institution. It felt very open and informal. We could even grab a beer during shifts.

After that, they asked if I wanted to keep working there. That was my first real glimpse into the field. Also, I was often asked to help artists as an assistant—doing heavy lifting and installation work—so I got to meet a lot of interesting artists that way.

At the same time, during my studies in Amsterdam, a group of friends started a techno club called Trouw (in an old newspaper building). In the Netherlands, clubbing usually happens only on weekends, so during weekdays the building was empty. We were told: “If you want, you can use the space for free.” So we started a project called Verdieping (meaning “deepening,” like the cultural section of a newspaper). We were a group with different backgrounds—architecture, fashion, media art—and we started organizing events together. Exhibitions, talks, performances. In the beginning, we had no funding. We brought our own wine, and set up everything ourselves. But eventually, we got a small professionalization subsidy from the city of Amsterdam. That allowed us to at least pay artists.

This was also early Twitter days—around 20 years ago. If you tweeted about an event, you could easily get 50–80 people to show up. It was a great PR tool at the time. We grew quickly and started collaborating with institutions like the Photography Museum and the Stedelijk Museum. The project ran for about five or six years.

Parallel to that, I co-founded what later became the Fiber Festival in Amsterdam. It started with VJs who felt undervalued—they were always in a corner while DJs got the attention and money. So we created a festival where VJs were given equal visibility: same sized booths and audiences who could see their process. We added exhibitions, talks, and a conference. We could pay everyone except ourselves.

We were a group of about nine people working for free, driven by passion.

After two years, I stepped away. But the festival still exists today.

Another project I really liked was called Tussenruimte (“In-Between Spaces”). Together with an architect friend, we explored hidden spaces in Amsterdam’s canal architecture—small leftover areas between buildings. We mapped over 200 of these spaces and organized exhibitions and performances inside them. It revealed hidden, poetic aspects of the city—like someone placing a bathtub on a rooftop to look at the stars.

First jobs:

After graduating, I became a curator at the NDSM-Werf, a former shipyard turned to art space. That was my first official job. The model there was interesting: large festivals rented the space, generating income, which funded public art projects and preservation of the industrial site. I worked with local and international artists, often experimenting with open-ended commissions.

Eventually, my contract wasn’t renewed due to organizational changes. But shortly after, I received an email asking: “Do you want to curate at V2_?” This simple question turned into a long-term role—I’ve now been there for about 10 years.

On Working with Artists

I see myself as a kind of production curator. I’m deeply involved in the process—not just presenting finished works, but helping develop them. At V2_ Institute for the Unstable Media, we focus on long-term collaboration with artists. It’s about building relationships and creating an ecosystem where artists feel supported. We also create opportunities for experimentation—short-term presentations where artists can test ideas with real audiences.

Advice for New Curators

Be bold! Just start doing things. When I began, I created projects during my studies. That visibility helped me enter the field more than formal education alone.

Now, there are also more structured opportunities—open calls, residencies, funding for researchers.

But I still think you need to:

• Start projects yourself
• Build a network
• Be visible
• Write articles
• Organize small exhibitions
• Collaborate with artists
• Especially in Europe, there are funding systems that support early initiatives.

On Today’s Cultural Field

It’s both easier and harder now. There are more opportunities (open calls, funding), but also more competition. One interesting trend is young curators teaming up with artists to apply for funding together. That can be a powerful way to enter the field.

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