Merel Smitt
Based in Rotterdam
Working local and international
Education
2018 – 2020 MA, DAS Graduate School; DAS Theatre, Amsterdam, NL
2010 – 2014 Bachelor in Theater, Institute of Performative Arts; Directing, Maastricht, NL
2005 – 2007 Ward Acting Studio; Meisner Technique New York, USA
2004 – 2005 Utrechts Centrum v/d Kunsten; 1-year course Utrecht, NL
AIR / Artist in Residence
2023 Goethe Investigating, Goethe-Institut Rotterdam, NL
2021 Giungla Festival, (S.O.F.A & i-Portunus) Lucca, Italy
2020 Welcome To Our Guesthouse, Productiehuis Theater Rotterdam, NL
2020 Metropolis Residencies, København International Theater Copenhagen, DK // video interview
2018 Over Het IJ Festival LAB Amsterdam, NL
’15-’19 Time Window Rotterdam
2017 Broedplaats pand 18/Festival Cement ’s-Hertogenbosch
’15-’16 Atelier Oerol/Over Het IJ Amsterdam/Terschelling
2014 ’t Laagland Sittard
Selected programs
2023 FLOW Symposium, Public Performance Art WORM (NL)/Out of Site (USA)
2023 Summerlab Skopje (on urban negative spaces) Lokomotiva, Skopje (MK)
2022 Research Academy Zhdk (on performative interventions) Zhdk, Zurich (CH)
2019 Arts/Science Honeurs Programme KNAW, Amsterdam (NL)
2018 EAP, Intensive course Participatory Arts (on community/participatory arts) Bucharest (RO)
Teaching / Coaching / Advising
2019-present Artistic advisor in the fields of theatre, dance and performance art.
2022 Guest artist & advisor for the dept. “Transformation Design”. Willem De Kooning Academy, Rotterdam NL
2021 Guest artist & advisor emerging artists in the “young makers program” Over Het IJ Festival, Amsterdam NL
2021 Advisor at B course “City as a Stage: Critical Interventions in Public Space” University Utrecht, NL
2020 Teaching an 8-week performance course to adults. Plein Theater Amsterdam, NL
2020 Advising young independent artists in developing their art projects. Plein Theater Amsterdam, NL
2020 Teaching a workshop “Interventions in Public Space” to teenagers. Contact Theater, Manchester (UK)
2020 Teaching at B course “City as a Stage: Critical Interventions in Public Space”. University Utrecht, NL
Other projects
2023 – now Psychogeography walks organiser icw Katya Borisova
2023 – 2024 Espaco Agora Now / Naomi Russell, Curator Public Program, Rotterdam
2019 Broadcasting From Babylon, participant, co-thinker, Amsterdam
2015 – 2016 Time Window Festival, organizer, Rotterdam
2015 – 2019 Time Window, co-founder, Rotterdam
2014 – 2015 Schaduwploeg/shadowgroup DAS Research, Amsterdam
Work
2024 The Laundromat Project SICK! Festival, Manchester UK
2024 Over De Hofbogen Strijbos & van Rijswijk, Festival O. & Dakendagen Rotterdam, NL
2024 How To Start A Movement (on Eco-Humanism/Climate), Humanistisch Verbond, cycle 2 & 3 (NL)
2023 I WISH I COULD GO ON ONE MORE WALK WITH YOU, WORM (NL) / Out of Site (USA)
2023 How To Start A Movement (on Eco-Humanism/Climate), Humanistisch Verbond, cycle 1 (NL)
2023 the Institute of Waiting Goethe Institut, Museumnacht 010, Art Central XL
2022 The Waiting Circle Productiehuis Theater Rotterdam, NL
2022 Van Kade Tot Zelfkant in opdracht van Nina Matthijssen & Sara Vrugt, Lakenhal Leiden, NL
2022 What are you waiting for? Productiehuis Theater Rotterdam, NL
2021 How To Start A Movement Ar-Tur Center for Architecture, Turnhout BE
2021 How To Start A Movement Theater Rotterdam, NL
2021 While Waiting, Wait Here MINDSCAPES by SICK! Festival, Manchester UK
2021 How To Start A Movement STORMOPKOMST, Turnhout BE
2020 How To Start A Movement Productiehuis Theater Rotterdam
2020 How To Wait For Your Laundry? Metropolis Residencies, Copenhagen
2020 The Hitchhiker Walking Copenhagen, Copenhagen
2020 How To Start A Movement (The Mail-Art Project) DAS Theatre, Amsterdam
2019 How To Start A Movement (The RPG) DAS Theatre, Amsterdam
2019 Better Safe Than Sorry Pt. 3 Festival Andere Theater, Leiden
2018 De risicometer Week van de Data, ‘s-Hertogenbosch
2018 Zo’n Vaart Zal Het Niet Lopen Over het IJ Festival, Amsterdam
2018 Past u in ons hokje? FNV, Utrecht (in collaboration with takeadetour.eu)
2017 Better Safe Than Sorry Part 3 SCHUNCK, Heerlen
2017 Better Safe Than Sorry Part 2 Over Het IJ Festival, Amsterdam
2017 Better Safe Than Sorry Part 1 Karavaan Festival, Alkmaar
2016 Veilig naar Buiten “De Enquete” Time Window Festival, Rotterdam
2016 Hulp voor Solitairen Limburg Festival
2016 het Traject Pt. 2 Over Het IJ Festival, Amsterdam
2016 het Traject Pt. 1 Oerol, Terschelling
2016 het Ontmoetingsbureau Karavaan, Alkmaar
2016 De Boer in Midden-Limburg VIA ZUID, leudal
2016 Hulp voor Solitairen VIA ZUID & Cultureel Lint, Weert
2015 Hulp voor Solitairen Time Window Festival, Rotterdam
2015 Hulp voor Solitairen Over Het IJ Festival, Amsterdam
2014 De Boer in Noord-Holland Karavaan Festival, Alkmaar
2014 After The End (Dennis Kelly), Compagnietheater, Amsterdam
2014 After The End (Dennis Kelly), ’t Laagland Sittard
2014 TIM Karavaan Festival, Alkmaar
2013 TIM Festival de Basis, Flight Base Soesterberg
2013 Zusters onder de Bogen, Lambertuschurch Maastricht
Nominations/Prizes/Funding/Support
2023 Fellowship FLOW Symposium Public Performance Art Practices
2020- present Productiehuis Theater Rotterdam
2021 – 2023 ACT Art Climate Transition
2021 i-Portunus Mobility Grant
2021 Stichting Droom & Daad
2019 Arts/Science Honeurs Programme KNAW
2019 Volkskracht Bekker La Bastide Fund
2018 Volkskracht Bekker La Bastide Fund
2018 Hendrik Muller Fund
2018 Talentsupport
2016 LLTB
2016 Brand Cultuurfonds
2016 Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds
2014 – 2016 Via Zuid