Els Hoogstraat

Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675), The art of painting (detail), ca. 1665-67, Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna

Inspiration?! Who doesn’t want or need it! It brings about movement; it lends meaning to our life and work, fosters creative ideas and gives us the energy to realize them. It makes the difference between and every-day and an extraordinary leader. And what about inspiration in the museum? For the daily museum visitor to be transported to a different reality, but also for museum curators to be inspired in their work.

But how does inspiration actually work? How is that moment of inspiration born? And how does it affect your work?

About Els Hoogstraat

After studying to become a teacher of art and design, Hoogstraat ultimately found employment in the museum world. For the Nederlandse Museumvereniging she conducted research on Kolb’s learning styles (how to create public-friendly exhibitions by using this learning theory). She deepened her knowledge, receiving an M.A. in museology for her thesis on inspiration entitled Bring the muse back into the museum. In it, Hoogstraat looks for the magic charm that makes museums sparkle and she answers a main research question, namely what is inspiration and how can it be initiated within the museum? She has wide experience in giving workshops and trainings in this area, as well as advising on the development of exhibitions and how to better reach different audiences from a theoretical framework.