Chris Dercon, winner of the 2016 Christophe Plantin Prize

Born in Lier on 30 July 1958, Chris Dercon is a Belgian Curator and Art Historian, currently Director of the Tate Modern in London and future Director of the Volksbühne in Berlin from 2017. He studied art history, theatre and the theory of cinema at Leiden University and VU University Amsterdam.

He began his career in an art gallery in the Netherlands before organising exhibitions in both Belgium and the Netherlands. At the same time, he became an art critic for the De Standaard newspaper. He subsequently held several prestigious positions including Artistic Director of the Institute for Contemporary Art PS1 (New York) in 1988, Director of the Witte de With Centre for Contemporary Art (Rotterdam) from 1990 to 1995, Director of the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen (Rotterdam) from 1996 to 2003 and Director of the Haus der Kunst (Munich) from 2003 to 2011. Over the following six years, from 2011 to 2016, Chris Dercon was Director of the Tate Modern. And he will shortly take over as head of Berlin's Volksbühne theatre.

Chris Dercon was presented with the 2016 Christophe Plantin Prize by Cathy Berx, Governor of the Province of Antwerp, at the Bernardus Centre. This prize recognises a Belgian citizen, living abroad and little-known in Belgium, but whose work, cultural, artistic and scientific talents are worthy of recognition from their fellow citizens and promote Belgium's image beyond its borders. The prize is awarded annually and comprises a sum of money and a medal. In 2011, a decision was made that, going forward, the prize would be awarded alternatively based on 3 sectors: social commitment (2015, 2018, ...), culture (2016, 2019, ...) and the sciences (2014, 2017, ...).

Candidates for the Christophe Plantin Prize are proposed by Belgian embassies and consulates who receive a document and questionnaire from the Plantin Fund. Based on the candidates put forward, the Plantin Fund can choose the worthiest Belgian living abroad.