In 2022, Utrecht proudly celebrates 900 years of city rights. In honor of this of this celebration, the John & Marine van Vlissingen Art Foundation has, for the coming five years, made a sum avaliable. The contribution is intended for the purchase of art originating from Utrecht and from Utrecht’s makers and, thus, gives an impulse to the collection of the Centraal Museum in Utrecht, the oldest city museum in the Netherlands.
“It is an honor for us to be able to give something back with this donation to the city of Utrecht, a city that is of great significance to our entire family. The Centraal Museum is the place to manage and collect art with Utrecht roots,” says Mr. John Fentener van Vlissingen, chairman of the John & Marine van Vlissingen Art Foundation.
Alderman for Culture Anke Klein is also delighted with this gift to the city. “This initiative underlines how important Utrecht makers of the past and present are. It connects the art of the past with the present and strengthens Utrecht’s position as a cultural city in the Netherlands and in the world.”
Artistic director Bart Rutten is looking forward to some unique acquisitions that will be on display in the museum during the exhibition ‘De Gezonde stad’ (The Healthy City). Bart Rutten: “The significance of this gift is great on several fronts. We see it as an enormous enrichment of our collection. Simultaneously, it also shows that the museum really belongs to the city and is supported by the area. The museum is very grateful to the John & Marine van Vlissingen Art Foundation for this wonderful gift.”
