Suzanne Schols (1985) is a Dutch conceptual documentary photographer. She holds a degree in European politics from the London School of Economics and later graduated from the photography department of the Royal Academy of Art The Hague after a career in the political field. Her artistic projects merge these experiences and deal with themes of power, influence, bureaucracy and transparency. Working with image and text, she looks into power structures by revealing the behind the scenes of worlds not generally known.
Her graduation project Polite Fictions about diplomatic gifts won the Startpoint Prize for European Art Graduates and the Steenbergen Stipendium public choice award. She currently splits her time between The Hague and Brussels working on a new project about interest representation and the European Green Deal. In her spare time, she teaches politics, democracy and the rule of law to students of high schools and vocational colleges in the Netherlands.
Feel free to get in touch or subscribe to occasional updates at the bottom of this page︎
info@suzanneschols.com
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Her graduation project Polite Fictions about diplomatic gifts won the Startpoint Prize for European Art Graduates and the Steenbergen Stipendium public choice award. She currently splits her time between The Hague and Brussels working on a new project about interest representation and the European Green Deal. In her spare time, she teaches politics, democracy and the rule of law to students of high schools and vocational colleges in the Netherlands.
Feel free to get in touch or subscribe to occasional updates at the bottom of this page︎
info@suzanneschols.com
Education
Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
BDes Photography
2016 - 2020
London School of Economics and Political Science
MSc Politics and Government in the EU
2009 - 2010
University of Amsterdam
BA European Studies
2005 - 2009
Work experience
ProDemos
Guest teacher
2022 - present
De Correspondent
Image editor (internship)
2019
Burson-Marsteller Brussels
Consultant, public affairs and communications
2011 - 2016
European Commission
Policy officer, information society and media
2011
Delegation of the EU to the USA
Public diplomacy officer (internship)
2008 - 2009
Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
BDes Photography
2016 - 2020
London School of Economics and Political Science
MSc Politics and Government in the EU
2009 - 2010
University of Amsterdam
BA European Studies
2005 - 2009
Work experience
ProDemos
Guest teacher
2022 - present
De Correspondent
Image editor (internship)
2019
Burson-Marsteller Brussels
Consultant, public affairs and communications
2011 - 2016
European Commission
Policy officer, information society and media
2011
Delegation of the EU to the USA
Public diplomacy officer (internship)
2008 - 2009
Exhibitions
On show: LOBBY - Between Green Deals and Ideals at Fotomuseum Den Haag, NL (28 October - 17 March 2024)
On show: Polite Fictions at Storie di un attimo, Festival popolare della fotografia, Olbia, IT (11 November - 3 December 2023)
2022 Groot Rotterdams Atelier Weekend, Het Archief, Rotterdam, NL
2021 STARTED exhibition, Berlinskej Model, Prague, CZ
2021 Steenbergen Stipendium, Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam, NL
2021 Startpoint exhibition, Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, NL
2020 Startpoint exhibition, Kampus Hybernská, Prague, CZ
2020 Graduation Show, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, NL
2019 World Biennial of Student Photography, Museum of Contemporary Art Vojvodina, RS
2019 A Series of Contradictions, De Helena, The Hague, NL
2018 Forgetful Number, Kulturni Centar Lab, Novi Sad, RS
Awards & residencies
2021 Artist-in-residence at Garage Gallery in Prague, CZ
2020 Steenbergen Stipendium, public choice award, winner
2020 Startpoint Prize for European Art Graduates, winner
2020 Goedman Stimuleringsprijs, winner
2020 Kassel Dummy Award, shortlisted
Talks
Upcoming: Artist talk, organised by FOTODOK, Taferelen #42, Utrecht (21 November)
2023 Artist talk, organised by byob x ENTER ENTER, Amsterdam
2023 Book talk, organised by FOTODOK, TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht
2023 Artist talk, organised by PictureThis #6, Utopie, The Hague
2021 Guest lecture, Polite Fictions, FAMU Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts, Prague
2021 Guest lectures, Process and Play, Department of Photography, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
2021 Artist talk, Zefir7 presents New Signatures, organised by BNO Den Haag and Stroom Den Haag (online)
2020 Pitch, De Beeldmakers #3, organised by Het Parool and Vandejong (online)
2020 Pitch, FOTODOK TakeOff #1 (online)
2020 Presentation and debate, Art and Design in the World of the United Nations, organised by Kunstpunt and SIB, Forum Groningen
Books
2023 LOBBY, Between green deals and ideals, ISBN 978-90-8321324-8
2021 Polite Fictions, Behind the public face of diplomatic gifts, ISBN 978-90-9034619-9
Press & publications
2023 NRC, Hoe richten lobbyorganisaties hun eigen lobby eigenlijk in?
2023 POLITICO, EU Influence, Lobbying for Transparency
2021 The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, Diplomatic Gifts: An Introduction to the Forum
2020 Het Parool, Wie wint talentenjacht De Beeldmakers?
2020 360 Magazine, Polite Fictions
2019 De Correspondent, Boekentips
On show: LOBBY - Between Green Deals and Ideals at Fotomuseum Den Haag, NL (28 October - 17 March 2024)
On show: Polite Fictions at Storie di un attimo, Festival popolare della fotografia, Olbia, IT (11 November - 3 December 2023)
2022 Groot Rotterdams Atelier Weekend, Het Archief, Rotterdam, NL
2021 STARTED exhibition, Berlinskej Model, Prague, CZ
2021 Steenbergen Stipendium, Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam, NL
2021 Startpoint exhibition, Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, NL
2020 Startpoint exhibition, Kampus Hybernská, Prague, CZ
2020 Graduation Show, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, NL
2019 World Biennial of Student Photography, Museum of Contemporary Art Vojvodina, RS
2019 A Series of Contradictions, De Helena, The Hague, NL
2018 Forgetful Number, Kulturni Centar Lab, Novi Sad, RS
Awards & residencies
2021 Artist-in-residence at Garage Gallery in Prague, CZ
2020 Steenbergen Stipendium, public choice award, winner
2020 Startpoint Prize for European Art Graduates, winner
2020 Goedman Stimuleringsprijs, winner
2020 Kassel Dummy Award, shortlisted
Talks
Upcoming: Artist talk, organised by FOTODOK, Taferelen #42, Utrecht (21 November)
2023 Artist talk, organised by byob x ENTER ENTER, Amsterdam
2023 Book talk, organised by FOTODOK, TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht
2023 Artist talk, organised by PictureThis #6, Utopie, The Hague
2021 Guest lecture, Polite Fictions, FAMU Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts, Prague
2021 Guest lectures, Process and Play, Department of Photography, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
2021 Artist talk, Zefir7 presents New Signatures, organised by BNO Den Haag and Stroom Den Haag (online)
2020 Pitch, De Beeldmakers #3, organised by Het Parool and Vandejong (online)
2020 Pitch, FOTODOK TakeOff #1 (online)
2020 Presentation and debate, Art and Design in the World of the United Nations, organised by Kunstpunt and SIB, Forum Groningen
Books
2023 LOBBY, Between green deals and ideals, ISBN 978-90-8321324-8
2021 Polite Fictions, Behind the public face of diplomatic gifts, ISBN 978-90-9034619-9
Press & publications
2023 NRC, Hoe richten lobbyorganisaties hun eigen lobby eigenlijk in?
2023 POLITICO, EU Influence, Lobbying for Transparency
2021 The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, Diplomatic Gifts: An Introduction to the Forum
2020 Het Parool, Wie wint talentenjacht De Beeldmakers?
2020 360 Magazine, Polite Fictions
2019 De Correspondent, Boekentips