Patricia Gill, Denmark Bulletin

Denmark Arts’ new general manager Annette Drenth has worked with the organisation for the past eight months in a ‘passion project’ as a mentor.

This has involved the coach/consultant with a degree in arts and psychology who grew up in The Netherlands surrounded by art, history and creativity working alongside the Denmark Arts team to strengthen foundations, branding and resilience.

“I have also engaged with Denmark Arts and its programs for more than two decades, as a visitor regularly holidaying in Denmark with my small family,” Annette said.

She was privileged to have the opportunity to help guide the organisation into its next chapter.

Nonetheless, Annette is familiar with the not-for-profit and arts sectors, whereby long-term sustainability will rely on strong relationships, strategic partnerships, innovative thinking and a diverse income stream and funding.

Two years ago, Annette and environmental engineer husband, Martijn Drenth, moved to Denmark from Perth with their now 24-year-old son, Simon, having flown the nest.

Recently Annette met with representatives from the Great Southern Development Commission, the Shire and others to thrash out a proposal for Lottery West funding for a cultural hub based at what is now the Denmark Public Library.

“My focus, and this is not just mine, this is the team’s and the board’s, is to create a sustainable organisation that can continue servicing the community,” Annette said.

Twenty-five years ago, she and her family came to Australia after Martijn was ‘head hunted’ for a position, for what they thought would be just a few years.

“We fell in love with Australia, with Australians and with the nature and have not looked back,” Annette said.

“We’ve been all over the world but when you come here, there’s something special.

“The beautiful smiles I receive when I go out is just very heart warming.”

Annette says her main focus will be Denmark Arts and not herself as leader, saying that in the past the Denmark Arts brand has relied on who has been at the helm.

“I want to change that so that we are all here with enormous passion and heart,” she said.

But the challenge will be in sourcing funding for salaries and operational costs with Denmark Arts ‘almost back 100 per cent’ to being a volunteer-run organisation.

All this in an environment where similar organisations are scrambling for the shrinking available dollar.

“And for me, sustainable means I need operational money and I need to be able to pay the artists,” Annette said.

“Money is needed to just keep the lights on, and we have public liability that costs an enormous amount of money.”

The Hague-born Annette grew up among the works of Dutch masters – Vincent van Gogh, Vermeer, Rembrandt – with ‘culture woven into every fibre’ of her upbringing.

She says that at the heart of every aspect of her work is a creative process, from the Dutch master to the ‘glocal’ community (which blends global roots with the local community).

“I don’t see art as separate from life and business,” Annette says.

“It’s essential to how we connect, communicate and understand each other.

This article appeared in Denmark Bulletin, 4 June 2026.
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