Peter van der Aalst

Peter van der Aalst is a Lecturer and Professional Doctorate Candidate at the Academy for Leisure & Events at Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas). He concurrently serves as a Management Team Member and holds leadership roles in multiple organizations, including board memberships at Blind Walls Gallery & Graphic Matters, Roadburn Festival, and MASS production. His professional doctorate research focuses on leveraging street culture and sports to create resilient, attractive cities.

Research interests include urban/street culture, creative industries, event management, and urban development strategies. His work bridges academic research with practical applications, emphasizing community engagement and policy implementation. Peter advises cultural entrepreneurs through his company Grote Woorden, supporting ventures like 013 Popvenue Tilburg and WOOHAH! Festival.

Key projects include the Utilising urban culture to develop future-proof cities (2023–2028), funded by Regieorgaan SIA. His publications explore future-proof urban strategies, inclusive city design, and participatory governance models. Media engagements include interviews on Omroep Brabant and BNDestem.nl discussing event safety, future leisure trends, and cultural policy.

Grants and collaborations involve the ASML x Brabant C Fund, reflecting his focus on cultural innovation funding. Peter’s career spans roles in cultural management (Effenaar Popvenue, Vrijetijdshuis Brabant) and academic research on creative clusters and cultural policies.