Dr. Marijke Van Eeckhaut is an art historian and an art interpretation, education and participation expert. She earned her PhD at Ghent University for research on interpretation and education in art museums. Within this field of expertise, she combines research, practice and teaching. In addition to the course ‘Audiences and Learning’ at the Curatorial Studies programme in Ghent, she teaches and lectures on similar topics in Flanders as well as abroad (e.g. Utrecht University). These teachings draw from both research and practice. Her recent research focuses on participation, including a study of audience participation in the arts field (research commissioned by the Flemish administration, in collaboration with KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts) and a practice-based research project experimenting with diverse forms of participation in the arts, set up by Bamm!, M Leuven and Cera. She is also engaged by Bamm!, one of the largest art and heritage education organisations in Flanders, to develop its methodology through practice-based research. As for practice, she acquired extensive experience with the nitty-gritty of art interpretation and education as staff member at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Antwerp, and nowadays she advises museums and art and heritage organisations in Flanders and abroad on diverse questions concerning audiences and learning. Projects include collaborations with Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, MAS, KMSKA, the municipal museums’ renewal processes in Brugge, Lier and Mechelen, Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, M HKA, Kunsthal Extra City, Z33, GUM, Middelheimmuseum, Kazerne Dossin etc.