A WORKDAY OF... FOLKER

The most important ingredient of Daalder Culinary? Our people. So we let them do the talking. In this case: we let them tell you about what makes their job the best there is. Meet Folker, Head of Events voor Het Sieraad.

Hey Folker. So, tell us about what you do you do all day.
That’s quite broad. I am responsible for all public events at Het Sieraad. I was initially hired as an event programmer, but we quickly realised we needed more than just event programming. So my role started to evolve. Basically, you can divide what I do into three branches: marketing, programming and operational. The operational branch includes me collaborating with our event manager, for example. But also things such as the build and break of an event set, creating a concept for the whole experience in Het Sieraad, and practical things like arranging security. Programming focuses on who we book and which artists we collaborate with. Marketing is – of course – the promotion of all the above. I am responsible for all those three departments.

So how is your team structured now?
When my role started to shift towards a broader management role, I no longer had time to do everything myself. If you want to stand out as a venue with your own unique programming, you need a full-time employee to cover just that aspect of the business. Someone that actively searches and goes to parties and discovers new talent. I couldn’t do that anymore. That’s when I started looking for a music programmer. In addition, my team now consist of several event managers and a marketer. I have one essential requirement for everyone I hire: you must live and breathe the world of clubbing.

What makes your job fun?

The versatility. I’m someone who knows a bit about many different subjects. So, I like to be involved with a bit of the tech, a bit of catering, a bit of marketing and so on, while I have a specialist in each area that I can spar with.

Which events are you most proud of?
That we sell out the club nights we produce in-house. The vibe during those nights is fantastic. All spaces are in use; people wander around the venue, have good food or hang out in the lounge area with beanbags. But most of all, they go crazy for their favourite artists. We often book young talent in our second event space, De Plaatwerkerij. We’ve invested massively in the quality of our facilities in recent years – and we’re still continuously doing so. Now we are a high-quality club where people immediately buy tickets when you put an event up on the website. That we sell out own events like that, that makes me so proud.

Do you have any goals you’re working towards at the moment?
I would like to do much more with the decoration and experience during the events. A dream of mine is to transform the whole building into a club. So not just our current spaces but also the basement and the floors. All with stages and entertainment. That’s the next step for me now that our basis is all set. Then it turns into so much more than just a club night.

What makes you so fond of the club industry?
It’s hard to explain. As a little kid, I was brought up quite musically. At one point, I started playing all kinds of instruments. But none felt right until I saw Limp Bizkit use a drum machine. That’s what I wanted! So, I bought one with my father. Later on in life, I often visited parties such as Awakenings. It’s part of me. I DJed for a while as well. The freedom and togetherness people experience during these kinds of parties is insane. A one you’re all forgetting everything for a moment and enjoying the same thing together. That is so beautiful!

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