“I’m lucky enough to have been able to turn my hobby into my job. In fact, I’m already living my dream.”

Sander van der Sluis is 26 years old, lives in Groningen and studied at the Academy of Popular Culture. Now, two years after graduating, he works as a multidisciplinary creator. Through theatre, film and sketches on social media, he is building his own universe. In this interview, you can read about how the Academy helped him with this and what dreams he still has.

Why did you choose the Academy of Popular Culture?
“I’d always been creative, but couldn’t find a programme that really suited me. I did a preparatory course at the drama school in Amsterdam and was also making music. The Academy appealed to me because I didn’t have to choose just one discipline. Here, I could explore different directions and develop myself in a broad sense.” 

What did you want to achieve when you started the programme, and has that changed?
“When I started, I was mainly focused on rapping. I was also experimenting with acting and scriptwriting. During the course, I discovered more and more new forms of expression. Now I mainly work as a theatre and film-maker and create videos for social media. The Academy doesn’t just teach you how to create something, but above all who you are as a creator and how to tell stories.”

How has the programme contributed to your development?
“The programme gave me the freedom to experiment, but also provided a framework for professional growth. Thanks to collaborations with other students, work placements and the new people I met, a whole new world opened up for me. I developed my own vision as a creator and learnt to think critically about what I make and why.”

What are you doing at the moment and what is your dream?
“I recently received a grant from the Frysk Film Fûns. I’m using it to create a series of sketches for Instagram and TikTok this summer. Together, they form a bigger story within the ‘Junoverse’, the universe of my characters. I’m also working on a new theatre production and a short film. I want to keep creating and further develop my projects with my own team. This feels like my life’s work and I can see myself doing this for a very long time to come.”

What advice would you give to future students?
“If you love creating, the Academy for Popular Culture is a brilliant place. You’re given the freedom to experiment and the guidance to grow professionally. The Academy works on the principle that you get out of it what you put into it.”