Discover who made the shortlist & meet the jury of the Heritage Intervention Award!
Published on 14 October 2025
The Reinwardt Academy has given its final project award a new look: the Reinwardt Heritage Intervention Award, formerly known as the P.J.A. van Mensch Award. The prize is awarded to one bachelor’s and one master’s student who, through solid research, have created a heritage-related professional product with the greatest potential for social impact.
The award, worth 500 euros, will be presented in November in the presence of professionals from the field. We are pleased to introduce the jury members to you.
Announcement of the shortlist
The shortlist includes five alumni who have a chance to win the Heritage Intervention Award:
- Maiko Sato (MA)
- Josje-Marie Vrolijk (MA)
- Merel van Buren (BA)
- Fleur van Stratum (BA)
- Arthur Veys (BA)
Congratulations!
More information about the shortlisted candidates and their graduation projects will be available soon. Would you like to attend the award ceremony? You can now register for the Inauguration of the UNESCO Chair, where it will take place.
Curious how the jury arrived at this shortlist? Read more below.
Dr. Melissa Bremmer
Lector Arts Education
Dr. Melissa Bremmer is Professor of Arts Education at the Amsterdam University of the Arts (AHK). Together with teacher-researchers, Bremmer conducts practice-based research in arts education that is often directly applicable to both in-school and out-of-school learning. “I am particularly interested in inclusive arts education and embodied music pedagogy.” She is also co-author of the books Wicked Arts Assignments and Wicked Arts Education.
What did Bremmer focus on when selecting the alumni for the shortlist? “Of course, the assessment criteria, but also whether students dared to step off the beaten path in their research (and thereby revealed an idiosyncratic ‘research voice’), and whether their work was methodologically sound. For me, the theses that stood out were those with a unique theme — ranging from attention to packaging to biodiversity.”
Dr. Naomi Bueno de Mesquita
Lector Social Justice and Diversity in the Arts
Dr. Naomi Bueno de Mesquita is Professor of Social Justice and Diversity in the Arts at the Amsterdam University of the Arts. Within her research group, she and a team of researchers explore issues related to social justice, participation, and diversity of perspectives in the arts. One of the research lines focuses specifically on heritage.
“From my role, I mainly looked at the diversity of perspectives, research directions, and methods within the pool of students. I was curious to see whether there are varied as well as unique ways in which students conduct their research — for example, through the design of their own tools and research methods.”
Bueno de Mesquita observes that many candidates show a strong engagement with social issues, paying particular attention to themes such as climate, inclusion, identity, and the revaluation of local or marginalized knowledge. “It is also striking that a group of alumni work from interdisciplinary practices in which research, artistic expression (albeit to a slightly lesser extent), and activism come together. Furthermore, it is notable that much of the research is grounded in a normative framework.”
Dr. Hester Dibbits
Lector Cultural Heritage
Dr. Hester Dibbits is Professor of Cultural Heritage at the Reinwardt Academy. Together with her team, she conducts research into the practice of socially engaged heritage work. “We are particularly interested in how, and with whom, people in daily heritage practice engage with the major issues of our time, and what ideas—both within and beyond the heritage sector—exist regarding professionalism and the role of the heritage professional.”
An important criterion for Dibbits when selecting the alumni for the shortlist was the potential impact of the research and professional product beyond the institution for which the student conducted the project. “Final projects that conveyed enthusiasm, a sense of urgency, and curiosity scored highly with me. I want to be taken along on a quest driven by urgency and to be made a participant in the surprises the student encountered along the way.”
Looking back over a longer period, she notices that the same themes and questions keep recurring: “In addition to questions in the areas of diversity and inclusion, sustainability, and digitality, there are also those concerning collaboration. That intrigues me. Institutions face similar kinds of challenges, yet the specific context always seems to require a tailored approach. This new award is a wonderful opportunity to draw attention to that fact.”