De Hoofdrol

Robin Steegman took part in the Veerhuis Talent Programme, which gives beginning writers from Rotterdam the opportunity to further develop their skills and give their careers a kickstart with coaching and mentoring. She is one of the four writers in the 2024/2025 cohort.
The story she developed during this programme is a coming-of-age narrative in which she explores how you relate to men when you don’t know the one man, the father, who is supposed to be there first, and always. In her writing, she draws on her rich experience in the world of theatre.

I created an illustration for her story De Hoofdrol (“The Leading Role”). Last November, she presented her work at the Veerhuis, a place where language is celebrated in every possible way. The evening was inspiring: a concentration of talent, not only in writing, but in illustration, acting, and entrepreneurship.

What stood out most was the sense of play. The Veerhuis created space for that, and that’s often when the most beautiful and authentic works emerge.