In its early years, under Gary Schwartz’s leadership, CODART focused on identifying collections and forging links between professionals and institutions. This involved activities such as organizing congresses and study trips across Europe, including the Netherlands, Germany, Russia, Spain, Romania, Belgium, Scotland, England, Poland, and Sweden. Membership grew significantly from 128 in 1998 to 553 in 2006.

In 2005, Gerdien Verschoor succeeded Schwartz as director, further expanding CODART’s reach. She prioritized strengthening ties with curators from more remote collections, in particular Eastern Europe, recognizing the immense value of fostering cooperation and communication among specialists worldwide. She also set about further professionalizing the organization. Under Verschoor’s directorship, CODART moved from the ICN to the RKD in 2007. Also, from 2010 onwards, each congress was given a specific theme, and more attention was paid to applied arts and sculpture. To mark Gerdien Verschoor’s departure in 2019, CODART issued a special publication Celebrating Gerdien, which gives an interesting account of her fourteen years as CODART’s second director.

Maartje Beekman, who had been working for CODART since 2010, succeeded Verschoor in 2019. Under her leadership, CODART has expanded its range of activities. To mark its 25th anniversary in 2023 – a significant milestone – CODART held a symposium and published a survey on the future of the curatorial profession. In addition, it introduced a mentoring program designed to facilitate knowledge sharing between experienced and emerging curators. In 2019, the organization compiled the CODART Canon. It published a website and a book about the Canon in 2021.

CODART’s website is the hub of its mission, serving as a comprehensive resource on Dutch and Flemish art in public collections. Since its launch in 1998, the website has evolved alongside the growth of the internet, steadily developing into the rich platform it is today.

CODART’s earliest website listed all museums with significant collections of Dutch and/or Flemish art and their curators, listing contact details on its homepage. A calendar of exhibitions, congresses and other events relating to Dutch and Flemish art was included in 2000. Publications and information about CODART were added in the 2003 version, which was awarded a Best of the Web award that year.

Also in 2003, CODART launched an email notification service to update its subscribers on the latest news items, publications, exhibitions, and vacancies. Since 2010, CODART’s content has been shared through various social media channels, making Dutch and Flemish art more accessible to a wide, global audience.

The website was gradually renewed and redesigned in 2007–2008, with a completely new look that for the first time incorporated images of artworks. With a further redesign in 2016, images became central to the website, as pages of illustrations of curators, museums, and news items were added. The website was made mobile friendly and various functions were enhanced – for instance, to enable online registration for CODART activities.

CODART’s events are the cornerstone of its international network, providing curators with regular opportunities to connect, exchange knowledge, and share valuable insights. The annual congress is the highlight of CODART’s calendar. The first congress, held at the Mauritshuis in The Hague in March 1998, attracted 65 curators from sixteen countries — underscoring the need for an organization like CODART.

Over the years, the congresses became increasingly professional. Initially focusing exclusively on Dutch and Flemish art in the host country, the events expanded to include thematic debates and to explore the evolving role of curators. Today, the annual congress welcomes up to 140 members from over 20 countries.

In addition to its annual congress, CODART organizes in-depth study visits throughout the year, known as CODARTfocus meetings. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the organization has also hosted online events, making these activities more accessible to a global audience. From 2002 to 2015, CODART organized study trips to places including Scotland, New York, and the American Midwest.

You can find information on all upcoming and past events on the Our Events page.

Every month CODART publishes an article on curatorial development under the heading of CODARTfeatures. These articles provide information on new developments in the field, current projects, collections of Dutch and Flemish art in museums worldwide, as well as insights into the work of a museum curator. In addition, the quarterly Curator in the Spotlight series provides a unique behind-the-scenes perspective on the career paths and experiences of curators in the field.

Prior to the features, the CODART eZine was published from 2012 through 2018 as the online successor to the paper CODART Courant. A themed issue was published biannually, each containing nine articles by CODART members about their museum collections and current projects.

Another important publication was the CODART Canon in 2021, which highlights 100 key Dutch and Flemish works of art. The Canon was published in book form as well as on the dedicated CODART Canon website.

In 2023 CODART published a special anniversary magazine, with numerous contributions by members on what CODART has meant for them personally and for their careers.

Since 2001, CODART has received grants from the Dutch government through various (often four-year) programs, the longest one being through BIS (Basic Infrastructure for the cultural sector) institutions. Since 2022, CODART’s grant has been provided through the Rijksmuseum, placing the organization on a secure footing within the Dutch Heritage Act. Support from the Flemish Government was initially confined to project grants, but this changed in 2021, and CODART now receives an annual subsidy from the Flemish Government for its structural operations. Since 2024, this has been provided through the Royal Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA) in Antwerp, and an application is pending to place this grant on a structural footing for the period 2026-2030. CODART’s offices were initially within the premises of the ICN in Amsterdam, but in 2007, after a reorganization, it moved to the RKD, where it remained until the end of 2021. Since 2022, CODART has had independent offices in the Foundation House, The Hague.

The organization also receives support in the form of annual membership fees from individual and institutional members, as well as contributions from the Friends of CODART Foundation. Established in 2007, the Friends foundation helps to forge enduring ties between CODART members and other interested parties and businesses with a passion for Dutch and Flemish art. Its support plays a crucial role, enabling CODART to maintain its website and to help curators from financially challenged institutions to participate in its network through the Friends of CODART Grant Program.