Daniël Kieft (Amsterdam, 1981) studied Theater Studies at the University of Amsterdam (introductory phase in 2003) and Art, Culture, and Media at the University of Groningen (Bachelor’s degree in 2006 and Master’s degree in 2008). Alongside his studies, he held various board positions and, together with Corine Overvest, won an arts grant that enabled them to stage the theater production Race/Milieu/Moment, about the malleability of life for the millennial generation.

Daniël completed an internship with the theater company The Wooster Group and theater director Richard Maxwell in New York. After graduating, he worked as a production assistant at the Holland Festival and then joined the programming department of the Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam (now Internationaal Theater Amsterdam), where he later became responsible for contextual programming. He created in-depth programs for festivals such as the Brandhaardenformat and Lieve Stad, as well as specials (including collaborations with Theater Oostpool, NITE, Mugmetdegoudentand, Wunderbaum, and De Warme Winkel) and he did editorial work (including for Een leven lang theater and An evening with). He also travels throughout the country and abroad to see performances and visit festivals.

In 2010 he founded Platform Ludlum, an action group consisting of theater makers and arts professionals who organized a 12-day “Art Vigil” in front of the House of Representatives during Halbe Zijlstra’s round of budget cuts. Since late 2018, he has been working as a freelance program developer, programmer, and curator for organizations including Theater Oostpool, Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, and We Are Public and his own Festival August. In addition, he served on the board of Karina Kroft’s foundation and currently on the board of the foundation of artist Siba Sahabi.