Marc van Hasselt is the new Live Interpretation Coordinator for Interpret Europe.
Marc is a historian based in the Netherlands, who specialised in the Middle Ages but has a passion for heritage interpretation of all periods, specifically live (or costumed) interpretation. He believes the personal contact live interpretation provides, is one of the strongest tools in creating understanding.
After finishing a Research Master’s degree at Utrecht University, Marc started work in Archeon, one of the largest open-air museums in Europe. He worked there as an interpreter and historian, but was quickly asked to help with the organisation of events and the management of international projects. The OpenArch project, which ran from 2011 to 2015, introduced him to the benefits of international cooperation in the field of heritage interpretation. He managed Archeon’s part in the project and, among many other things, the production of a guidebook on Live Interpretation.
During the OpenArch project, in 2013, he attended a conference jointly organised by IMTAL Europe and the International Museum Theatre Alliance. Impressed with their work, he joined immediately. In 2015, he was asked to take over the position of Chair on the board of IMTAL Europe. IMTAL organises training sessions and seminars aimed at professionalising live interpretation at heritage sites. They also produce a magazine twice a year filled with articles on live interpretation from all over Europe. Currently, IMTAL and Interpret Europe are looking at how they can best cooperate to spread and professionalise the use of Live interpretation throughout Europe.
In March 2016, Marc co-founded Novitas Heritage with his friend and colleague, Joerie van Sister. Together, they advise heritage institutions and organisations on various subjects, specialising in the use of live interpretation. He still works in Archeon regularly, creating new interpretation programmes, giving tours and performing as a gladiator in their Roman arena.
Links:
Archeon: www.archeon.nl
OpenArch: www.openarch.eu
IMTAL Europe: www.imtal-europe.net
Novitas Heritage: www.novitasheritage.com
To cite this article:
Newsteam (2016) ‘Marc van Hasselt’. In Interpret Europe Newsletter 2-2016, 27
Available online:
https://www.interpret-europe.net/fileadmin/Documents/publications/Newsletters/ie-newsletter_2016-2_summer.pdf
