Update

Visit ArtBase Terneuzen 

Sun 5 July through Sun 20 September, Fri - Sat - Sun, 1-5 PM
Vleeshal Collection On Tour
Sat 12 & Sun 13 September, 10 AM - 5 PM
Open Monuments Day

info@artbase@terneuzen.nl

September 2026 Update | Cathy Jacob – Director of ArtBase Terneuzen

This summer was an important one for the ArtBase Terneuzen pilot project. Together with Vleeshal in Middelburg and M HKA in Antwerp, we presented works from their collections at nine locations in Zeeland under the title “Vleeshal Collection on Tour.” The exhibition marks Vleeshal’s 50th anniversary and is also an important experiment for ArtBase: we are exploring what role ArtBase can play—now and in the future—in making high-quality collections in the region that are not sufficiently visible to the public more accessible. We have yet to complete the final evaluation, but we can already share a number of successes. The collaboration took shape on a Zeeland-wide scale; there was positive coverage in various national and regional media outlets; new partnerships were formed; we reached new audiences; and several foundations were ready to provide financial support for the project.

We also collaborated with Zeeland Jazz this summer. That collaboration brought music and visual art closer together and fostered new encounters with the public. Koen Delaere, who grew up in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, created a series of new paintings inspired by the concrete of Terneuzen’s city hall and using jazz improvisation as a creative method, and presented them in combination with a sensual drum performance by the internationally renowned Su Mi Hong.

Financially, we also had the wind at our backs, with fantastic additional contributions from various funds. For example, we received substantial support from the Province of Zeeland, as well as from the NSPD program and the Cultuurfonds, and multi-year support from the VSBfonds, which will allow us to increase ArtBase’s impact by hiring a community manager, among other things.

In short, the ArtBase Terneuzen pilot is going well. As far as I’m concerned, the question of whether there is room in Terneuzen for a platform for contemporary art has already been answered in the affirmative. That this must be an organization focused on collaboration with existing players and other newcomers in the field—such as Nesse and White Cube Zeeuws-Vlaanderen—is not a question but a prerequisite. As for ArtBase’s location, Terneuzen City Hall still seems to be the best option. But of course, there are still some questions that remain partially unanswered. How do we ensure we complement what already exists? How do we make it future-proof? And what programmatic decisions do we want to make during the pilot phase? Together with government agencies and fellow institutions, we’re continuing to work behind the scenes to answer these questions. We don’t want to take too long on this and are aiming to finalize these matters in the coming months.

I am incredibly proud of the ArtBase Terneuzen team, consisting of Charlotte Nijsten, Eva Langerak, Jullia Mullié, Marie Jeanne de Rooij, Rose Mandungu, and Noor Back. They are addressing the issues at play behind the scenes and are preparing for the program of the third and final pilot year with a promising public program. This includes *Orphan* by Dani Ploeger, *A Drawing for You* by Maarten Bel, a collaboration with Museum Het Warenhuis and Charlotte Dumas centered on the Zeeland draft horse, and an exhibition featuring the S.M.A.K. collection to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Ghent–Terneuzen Canal.

Update December 2025 | Cathy Jacob - Director ArtBase Terneuzen

One year after the launch: an update on developments at ArtBase Terneuzen. This three-year pilot is giving contemporary art, together with local and national partners, a new place in Zeeland. After these three years, the municipality of Terneuzen, the province of Zeeland and national institutions will decide whether there will be a permanent facility with a regional focus and international reach.

The inaugural year generated significant media attention, attracted engaged audiences and practicing artists interested in collaboration. We received numerous participation proposals, hosted site visits from colleagues at institutions nationwide, and welcomed representatives from various governmental agencies.

The first year focused on pioneering new models, building networks and establishing foundational structures. Substantial work has been undertaken on research frameworks, a communications infrastructure has been implemented, and initial projects have been launched, with additional initiatives in development.

We continue working on the pilot by establishing new forms of collaboration and investigating how art projects contribute to social cohesion. We're also working together with the education sector. We want to discover what works and what doesn't.

To forge connections between art and society, we organize workshops and public dialogues, actively inviting residents to participate in both conceptual and practical engagement. This approach may generate productive tensions—by taking calculated risks we explore the limits of possibility and determine which methodologies best align with the regional context and existing institutional frameworks.

Working with an expanding team of independent professionals, all rooted in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, we advance research, communications, exhibitions and ambitious initiatives. This website documents the range of exhibitions and programs realized to date, as well as the individuals and organizations affiliated with ArtBase Terneuzen. The level of enthusiasm among participants is remarkably high and proves infectious. While I'm grateful for this support, more significantly it demonstrates the necessity of a sustained platform for contemporary art in Terneuzen and the broader region.

July 2025:

ArtBase Terneuzen is part of the national ArtBase pilot. The goal is to examine the feasibility of a focused and recognizable regional program for contemporary visual arts. The pilot seeks an ideal formula for the ArtBase approach in the future. What works and what doesn't? At the end of 2027, the balance will be drawn up for a possible national rollout of more ArtBase regional locations.

Three museum institutions are participating in this pilot, each located in a different type of 'region' with their own specific needs and possibilities: SCHUNCK in Heerlen, Stedelijk Museum Schiedam and a newly developed museum platform in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen: ArtBase Terneuzen. Each with their own – but coordinated – approach to give their region more attention, platform and audience through contemporary art and artists. And in this way also strengthen the cultural and additional economic significance for the region.

The pilot project runs until 2027; the pilot is inspired by the FRAC model existing in France (Les Fonds Régional d'Art Contemporain) with 25 regional art institutions spread across France