Taco Dibbits - Speaker

Welcome to Impact: Opening Remarks on Art's Transformative Power

General Director, Rijksmuseum

Abstract:

With a unique blend of scholarly insight and warm approachability, Taco Dibbits will open Communicating the Arts Amsterdam 2025 by welcoming international arts professionals to the cultural heart of the Netherlands. Drawing on the Rijksmuseum’s evolution under his leadership, from its celebrated Vermeer exhibition (2023) to inclusive programming and digital innovation, Dibbits will reflect on the museum’s role in connecting centuries of artistic heritage with contemporary audiences. His opening address will set the tone for three days of meaningful exchange around art’s power to inspire change, inclusivity, and collaboration.

About Taco:

Taco Dibbits (Amsterdam, 1968) has served as General Director of the Rijksmuseum since 2016. Previously Director of the Old Masters Department at Christie’s London, he returned to the Rijksmuseum to lead several key initiatives, including the redesign of the museum in 2013. He has overseen major acquisitions, such as Rembrandt’s Marten and Oopjen (2016) and The Standard Bearer (2022). Under his direction, the museum has developed acclaimed exhibitions such as Rembrandt (2019), Slavery (2021), Revolution (2022), and Vermeer (2023)—the most visited in the museum’s history.

🎟 Join us at CTA Amsterdam 2025 to hear from one of Europe’s leading museum directors on how art continues to transform and unite.
📅 17–19 June, 2025