Femke Herregraven Wins €100,000 Theodora Niemeijer Prize; Stedelijk Museum to Acquire Work
On February 3, 2025, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam announced that Femke Herregraven has received the Theodora Niemeijer Prize. The €100,000 award, the largest unrestricted art prize in the Netherlands, is given every two years to a mid-career female artist who resides or works in the Netherlands or holds Dutch nationality. A quarter of the prize funds the acquisition of a work by Herregraven for the Stedelijk Museum. The Van Abbemuseum and Museum Arnhem also nominated artists this year. The award ceremony takes place on March 8 at the Stedelijk Museum.
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The prize addresses the persistent underrepresentation of women in Dutch museum collections, where female artists account for only 17% of works on view in the top 28 modern and contemporary institutions. Since director Rein Wolfs took office, the Stedelijk has targeted 50% female acquisitions in contemporary art, achieving 53% in 2021 and 46.2% in 2023. Herregraven’s research-based practice examines abstract financial and ecological systems through sculpture, sound, and installation; the museum acquired two of her works in 2023. The award strengthens institutional efforts to improve gender balance while advancing the artist’s visibility.
- Artists: Femke Herregraven
- People: Rein Wolfs
- Museums: Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Van Abbemuseum, Museum Arnhem
- Locations: Amsterdam
- Prices: €100,000
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