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Antine Zijlstra PhD works as Program maker (Kwartiermaker) Research and Innovation and researcher at the Academy of Education at the NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands). She is part of the Department of Arts in Education and works on research into arts and social inclusion, arts in the domain of health care and well-being and arts and citizenship, for example on projects like “Rural Youth Voices” (Professorship Social justice and diversity in the arts, Amsterdam University of the Arts). She worked as researcher and project leader of field research in Frisia on the European research project “Re-voicing Cultural Landscapes” (JPICH, Horizon 2020) at the University of Groningen (Netherlands), focusing on minority - majority dynamics in Frisian amateur theatre as intangible cultural heritage events. She has a PhD in the field of theatre studies and arts marketing. Her thesis, titled “Serious Happiness, Towards a Model for the Analysis of Value Hierarchies in Theatre Use”, concentrates on the values of theatre attendance and the way they interact with personal values. |
- Zijlstra, A. (2025, forthcoming April) 'Qualitative research on theatre audiences: the second phase of the STEP-City study', in: Edelman, J., Szabó, A, Toome, H.L., Wilders, M.L. and Zijlstra, A. (ed.), Studying European Theatre Audiences: The STEP-City Study. Book series Theatre & Performance Series in Audience Research. London: Routledge.
- Zijlstra, Antine, Berber Aardema and Sjoerd-Jeroen Moenandar (2025, forthcoming June). “'You get an upgrade in Frisian'”. Processes of identity formation and negotiation around Frisian theatre.” In: Revoicing Intangible Cultural Heritage Perspectives from the Margins of Europe. Edited by Hodsdon, Laura et al. Routledge.
- Hodson, L., Ozoliņa, L. and Zijlstra, A. (2025, forthcoming June) 'Rules of engagement'. In: Revoicing Intangible Cultural Heritage: Perspectives from the Margins of Europe. Book series Critical Heritages of Europe. London: Routledge
- Zijlstra, Antine (2024) Waarden en wensen, een verkennend onderzoek naar de waarden en wensen van jongeren in Leeuwarden ten behoeve van het bidbook European Youth Capital 2028. NHL Stenden: Leeuwarden.
- Zijlstra, Antine, Vicki Ann Cremona and Anneli Saro. 2023. “Amateur Theatre in Europe: Organisation, Challenges and Values.” In: The Routledge Companion to Contemporary European Theatre and Performance. edited by Ralf Remshardt and Aneta Mancewics. Routlegde.)
- Zijlstra, A. and Aardema B. (2024) 'Perspectives on the social and communal values of the Frisian spoken performance The diary of Anne Frank, a first impression'. In: Urania, interdisciplinary academic journal. Budapest: University of Theatre and Film Arts (expected 2024, in English and Hungarian)
- Zijlstra A., Cremona V.A. and Saro, A. (2023) 'Amateur theatre in Europe' in: Remshardt, R. and Mancewicz, A., The Routledge Companion to Contemporary European Theatre and Performance. link
- Zijlstra, A. (2020) Ernstig geluk, naar een model voor de analyse van waardenhiërarchieën in theatergebruik, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (dissertatie)
Presentator:
Antine Zijlstra, kwartiermaker Academie Educatie en Senior onderzoeker Kunst en Educatie NHL Stenden
Kunstvak 25
Datum | 7 maart 2025 |
Hoe laat? | 12:00 uur |
Locatie | Drachten |
KUNSTVAK is dé plek voor debat, uitwisseling, inspiratie en twijfel voor professionals in het veld van kunst & educatie. In workshops, presentaties en tafelrondes worden actuele ontwikkelingen binnen het kunstonderwijs tast- en bespreekbaar. Hele programma

Recently, attention for creative approaches that deal with social inclusion and creating equal opportunities (and equity) for marginalised groups in society has grown. Cultural activities and the arts offer possibilities to experience and create a dialogue about human values, choices and relationships and, therefore, endow dialogue and critical thinking. Also, imagination, creativity and self-expression support social and economic prospects for partipants (Unesco 2024). To tackle the social challenges an interdisciplinary way of working is needed, bringing together professionals from the fields of social work and health care, the arts and arts education. Dutch initiatives will be addressed: 'Arts in health, a national agenda' and Creating Cultures of Care'. Also, attention will be given to creative approaches and examples will be presented and discussed. For example, projects like 'Dans op recept' (Dancing as as recipe) that offers dance classes and performances persons with chronic diseases like Parkinsons. 'Over de drempel' (Over the threshold) that is designed to include community members that feel lonely. If possible, one or two artists are asked to join the lecture (preferably Dutch and Portugese) and asked to show how their projects contribute to the topic 'equity'. Also, a creative social challenge will be part of the second half of the lecture (as part of the group work).
Date | Wednesday 23 April 2025 |
Time | 19.00h CET |
Location | Online in Teams |
Diversity and social inclusion are important topics on the European agenda. Political changes in some European countries have led to an increase in more nationalist ways of thinking, thereby excluding specific societal groups. We believe social diversity is something to celebrate. This SAP aims to offer students opportunities to explore its values and challenges and provide them with skills to develop activities and interventions that address these challenges within their contexts.
The programme offers an in-depth, nuanced understanding of the social challenges RUN-EU universities face, and provides tools to address these challenges within these institutions. It aims to develop (inter)cultural activities and interventions for all RUN-EU universities, for example during the introduction week for new students. It is broadly interdisciplinary and is built on conceptual and theoretical relationships between social and educational studies, including themes and approaches such as neurodiversity, inclusive technology, participatory and community-based approaches, gender education and equality, migration and refugees, physically disabled, socially or economically backlog, etc. It is based on up-to-date scientific insights and the presentation of international case studies and award-winning projects in a higher education context. It is designed using the expertise of the working group members and the ongoing knowledge debate and actions that enhance collective, participatory and evidence-informed responses to current inclusion and equity social challenges within our national and regional contexts.
Through active teaching methodologies, we encourage learning critically, participatively, and autonomously, enhancing transversal insights and skills. It promotes an integrative and complementary vision of the different areas of knowledge with a strong focus on practical learning opportunities, such as designing and implementing community interventions that celebrate diversity in its multiple perspectives.
Celebrating Diversity: Innovations for Inclusivity and Equality in Higher Education
STEP-City