Centre for the Arts in Society

About Us

LUCAS is home to a multidisciplinary academic community that facilitates deep analyses of, and appreciation for, the power and dynamics of cultural products (texts, objects, practices) in our past and present. Through high-quality research, education, and valorisation, our Institute contributes to a broader understanding of the cultural, artistic, cognitive, historical, and social aspects of human life.

Since its foundation in 1575, humanist interest in languages, literature, art, and culture has been Leiden University's core focus; LUCAS builds on this tradition. Over centuries, this has transformed into a study of culture in every region of the world. While LUCAS members contribute to a deeper knowledge of European culture, our diverse community of scholars reaches beyond Eurocentric perspectives and discourses. 

Our Mission

LUCAS is a prominent player in the interdisciplinary research fields of the arts and cultural studies. Our Institute’s research clusters explore and analyse the complex relationships between art, broadly considered, and society. With an emphasis on collaboration and valorisation, our researchers engage with local and international institutions and partners, and maintain high profiles in both academic and public communities.

LUCAS is one of the few research institutes in the world where experts in the fields of literature, art, architecture, and media collectively study cultural production spanning millennia, from classical antiquity to today. What binds our diverse research clusters is our shared endeavour to understand the between cultural products (texts, objects, practices), and their societal and historical contexts. Importantly, while our research agenda has a single programmatic umbrella (the interaction between the arts and society), it encourages a rich and diverse exploration of this core theme within and across three clusters with their own research agendas, methods, theories, and objects.

We value research integrity, diversity, and inclusiveness among LUCAS members of all positions. We believe that this builds a strong foundation for a scholarly community and teaching environment that encourages broad perspectives, stimulates creativity, and facilitates innovative research. We strive to support all members in offering equitable opportunities to develop their career profiles.

Our Research Clusters

Research undertaken at LUCAS investigates and analyses art in societies spanning from classical antiquity to today. Thus, it is divided into three era-focused clusters:

• Classics (800 BCE−600 CE), Cluster leaders: Tazuko van Berkel and Christoph Pieper
• Medieval and Early Modern (600−1800), Cluster leaders: Anna Dlabacova and Olga van Marion
• Modern and Contemporary (1800−Present), Cluster Leaders: Kamila Krakowska Rodrigues and Looi van Kessel

Management Team

The Management Team is dedicated to effective, efficient, and supportive leadership of LUCAS. It consists of the Academic Director, Director of Studies and Operational Manager and General Board Member.

Stijn Bussels, our Academic Director, has overarching responsibility for the Institute’s management, the academic quality of employees, and the quality of the doctoral programmes, and research. She represents LUCAS both within and outside the Faculty of Humanities, and promotes internal and external cooperation.

Ylva Klaassen, our Operational Manager, manages the institute’s finances and personnel.

Esther Op de Beek, our Director of Studies, coordinates and plans staffing and evaluates LUCAS’s teaching programmes.

Jan van Dijkhuizen, our General Board Member, is in charge of research-related projects: coordinating the Graduate Programme, providing research support to early-career researchers, managing the institute’s strategic branding, and supporting its members in the field of societal impact.

The Advisory Council

The Advisory Council is made up of representatives of our Institute members. Members are appointed by the Dean, on recommendation of the LUCAS Academic Director, for two years.

The council may make proposals and submit its perspective on all matters on which the Academic Director can decide. For certain issues, such as the budget, reorganisation of the Institute, or other policy issues on which a decision must be made, the Academic Director will first consult the Advisory Board. The board and the Management Team usually meet about every three months.

The current Advisory Council members are:

• Suzanne Adema (UD Classics)

• Arthur Crucq (UD Modern and Contemporary Studies)

• Janna Houwen (UD, Modern and Contemporary Studies)

• Nick Tomberge (PhD, Modern and Contemporary Studies)

• Antje Wessels (Chairwoman, Professor of Classical Languages and Cultures)

• Bram Caers (UD, Medieval and Early Modern Studies)

• Alisa van de Haar (UD, Modern and Early Modern Studies)

• Ilios Willemars (UD, Modern and Contemporary Studies)

• Sander Bax (HL, Modern and Contemporary Studies)

The External Advisory Council

In order to strengthen ties with academic and social partners and to enter into new collaborations, the institute has now appointed an External Advisory Council. This council is composed of scientific experts and social partners, who advise the LUCAS MT on the research of the institute and its impact and societal relevance.

The members of the External Advisory Council are:

• Prof. dr. Caroline Vout (Professor of Classics University of Cambridge, also Byvanck Chair of Classical Archeology/Art History in Leiden) 
• Prof. dr. Maarten Hoenen (Professor of Philosophy, University of Basel)
• Prof. dr. Greta Olson (Professor of English and American Literary and Cultural Studies at the University of Giessen)
• Dr. Lily Knibbeler (general director of the Koninklijke Bibliotheek) 
• Drs. Wim Weijland (director RMO) 
• Drs. Aliela Netiv (director Heritage Leiden and Surroundings).