From 15 January 2024, Piet Menu will become the new head of the School of Arts Royal Conservatoire Antwerp. The Conservatoire went in search of a successor to Stefaan De Ruyck, who will retire in early 2024. Menu bids farewell to Het Zuidelijk Toneel as business and artistic director after more than eight years.
As Stefaan De Ruyck's successor, Piet Menu will become head of the Royal Conservatoire from 15 January. There he will head the School of Arts and be a member of the management team of AP University College. Piet Menu is leaving Het Zuidelijk Toneel, one of the eight major theatre companies in the Netherlands, after more than eight years as artistic director.
Piet wants to continue building a culture of safety and balance: "I think it is important that a school not only educates high-quality artists but also thinks about the role of their students as fully-fledged citizens with 21st-century skills, with a view of the humankind and the world in which both belief in the future, diversity and openness are embedded.
Young people have become more empowered, want more participation and are thinking about a balanced existence for themselves as well as for the planet. It requires a different approach, a culture in which safety is paramount. I would like to work on that. And I see myself as someone who can communicate clearly and openly about that. I find it fascinating to think about what is the exchange value a school offers versus what can be expected from a student. I am looking forward to applying my pedagogical skills for this purpose and working with it at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp."
Pascale De Groote, principal of AP University College is delighted: "With Piet Menu, we believe we have found the right person, at the right time. With his pedagogical background and extensive experience in the field of arts, he is the perfect person to further prepare the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp for the future and the challenges ahead. We look forward to working together on an open educational vision in which the artistic and personal development of students is key."