On the eve of the fourteenth edition of the Delft Fringe Festival, Executive Director Roel Funcken (37) has announced that he will step down after this edition. Under his inspired leadership and vision, the Delft Fringe Festival has grown over the past twelve years from a local amateur theatre festival into the platform for emerging artists in the performing arts. Now that the Delft Fringe Festival will receive multi-year support from both the Performing Arts Fund NL and the Municipality of Delft for the period 2025–2028, Roel considers his mission accomplished.
Creating opportunities
“I look back on the past twelve years with immense gratitude. Together with a team of passionate colleagues, we have connected a new generation of performing artists with the residents and visitors of Delft. At the age of 24, I was given the opportunity to become festival director, and since then, creating opportunities has been at the heart of my work—opportunities for emerging artists, but also for the audience and my colleagues. Driven by the belief that a festival organization cannot exist without partners, we have sought collaboration in recent years with (the municipality of) Delft and numerous cultural and social organizations. Through this, we have been able to further increase the impact of our activities. The Delft Fringe Festival is a strong, established name, and I am extremely proud of that. I step aside with full confidence to make room for new energy.”
A passionate connector
Corné Ran, Chair of the Supervisory Board: “Roel was the driving force, the visionary mind, and the passionate connector behind the Delft Fringe Festival. Under his leadership, the festival grew into a leading platform for emerging artists and innovative performing arts, with Delft not just as the backdrop, but as the beating heart. His ability to recognize and nurture talent extended not only to the new performers on stage but also to the many staff working behind the scenes. He leaves behind a solid foundation on which others can continue to build. His infectious enthusiasm and tireless energy have left a lasting mark on the Delft Fringe Festival – for which we are sincerely grateful.”
Succession
Roel Funcken will remain in his role until the end of 2025 and, together with Tamara Griffioen (Artistic Director), will continue to oversee the development and execution of planned activities. After the festival, the Supervisory Board will begin the search for a suitable successor and warmly invites those interested to attend the festival, taking place from 27 May to 8 June 2025.
Photo: Roel Funcken. Photographer: Alyssa van Heyst.
