Rieke C. Harmsen

Rieke C. Harmsen is a curator, journalist, and social entrepreneur with a strong focus on interdisciplinary research, participatory formats, and digital innovation in the cultural sector. She founded the German platform ausstellung-leihen.de, which facilitates the rental and dissemination of exhibitions across Europe, making knowledge and artistic discourse widely accessible.

As a curator, she has developed over 20 exhibitions on socially relevant topics such as women & migration, charity or tolerance, using photography, visual arts, comics, and interactive formats. Her curatorial practice is deeply rooted in fostering dialogue across disciplines.

Beyond curating, she is Editor-in-Chief at sonntags.bayern, a German media network. She oversees editorial strategy and digital transformation, with a strong focus on ethics, digital culture, and social change. As Head of Change & Innovation, she has launched digital storytelling platforms and cross-media projects that facilitate knowledge transfer between academia, media, and NGOs—demonstrating her ability to integrate artistic research with broader societal impact. She has expertise in participatory journalism and community-driven projects.She is an experienced team leader, coach and mentor with a focus on diversity.

Previously, she was a senior reporter at the news agency epd, covering social, cultural, and political issues for national media. Her work has appeared in leading German newspapers and magazines. She also led communication and marketing for Bavaria’s state-owned castles, museums, and cultural heritage sites.

Rieke C. Harmsen holds a degree in art history, film, and media studies from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich and the University of Cologne. Her research has focused on avant-garde movements (Nouvelle Tendance 1961–1965) and Nazi-resistance (Werner and Hans-Bernd von Haeften and the German opposition of July 20, 1944). Her international experience spans Switzerland, the USA, and the Netherlands, reinforcing her ability to work in diverse cultural and linguistic settings.

She is native German and speaks fluent English and French, as well as basic Italian and Dutch.

 

Memberships

Women in Church and Society (WCC)Digital Media Women (DMW)
Verband Deutscher Kunsthistoriker
Forschungsgemeinschaft 20. Juli 1944
Bayerischer Journalistenverband (BJV)
Kunstausschuss St. Lukaskirche München

Social Media

Facebook: facebook.com/rieke.harmsen
Instagram (artwork): instagram.com/riekeharmsen/
Instagram (beruflich): instagram.com/rieke_harmsen/
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/riekeharmsen/