Tutors Animation
Meet the dedicated tutor team of the Master of Arts in Fine Arts & Design, a group of practicing artists, designers, and researchers committed to guiding your development. They bring diverse perspectives from contemporary practice to help you shape your own artistic and professional direction.
Maarten van Gageldonk
Maarten van Gageldonk graduated with honours from Radboud University and holds a doctorate in American literature (2016). He coedited the book Animation and Memory,published by Palgrave MacMillan in 2020. He is the Head of Program of Kaboom Animation Festival, held annually in Utrecht Amsterdam and online. He is the pathway leader of the Master of Animation. His interests are in animation history, narrative and short film curation.
Sarah Lugthart
Sarah is a theory tutor at the Master Animation program and recently started as a PhD Digital Media candidate at the University of Porto. Alongside her work at the academy Sarah is a committee member of Immerse\Interact (Dutch Film Fund/ Creative Industries Fund NL). She graduated in New Media and Digital Culture in 2004 from the University of Utrecht. She has been programme manager at different cultural institutions, like the bkkc (now Kunstloc), organising workshops, film screenings and network meetings. Between 2010 and 2023 she worked as a tutor at St. Joost School of Art & Design, lecturing on topics such as media theory and immersive storytelling. She lives in Antwerp.
Annejes van Liempd
Annejes began at the Rietveld Academy as a documentary photographer, searching for beauty in belonging. Raised in film production, she returned to moving images, drawn to the chaos and collective genius of the film set. For 15 years at The Panics, she produced mixed media and mastered VFX and animation in all their forms. Anything goes. There is always a solution. Writing revealed how words reflect who you are and how freely you can play with them. Trainer education sparked the desire to share this insight. Today, Annejes works as a freelance creative producer, teaches at the Avans Master of Arts, and leads workshops Discover Your Artist Statement.
Loek Vugs
Loek Vugs graduated in 2017 with honors from the Master of Animation which was closely followed by participation in the NEXT talent program. Since then he has worked as an artist, freelancer and teacher. His work is minimal and playful in style and he makes a lot of experimental work in the form of animated loops.
Leon van Rooij
Leon van Rooij has been active in the creative industry for over 30 years as a director, art director,animator, teacher, and curator. Since 2006, he has been the founder and director of Playgrounds.Playgrounds is an institute and platform that connects international creative communities in illustration, animation, film, games, digital design and art. Its mission is to strengthen creative self-confidence, skills, knowledge, and inclusivity within the creative industry. Through Playgrounds, he also co-initiated Next, a talent development program for creators who push the boundaries of visual storytelling and the moving image. Launched in 2016, Next grew out of Playgrounds’ long-standing commitment to nurturing talent through its events. It became an interdisciplinary talent program bringing together animators, illustrators, XR artists, documentary filmmakers, and fiction filmmakers. At its heart, Next supports visual artists who work across disciplines to tell powerful, original stories.Working with emerging talent has always been a true passion for Leon. He was part of the team that developed the Master Animation curriculum.