About the project

Ten years of being seen

In-Between Kings & Queens began in 2015 as an act of curiosity. It has grown into something larger: an international archive of self-expression, co-authored with the people it portrays.

The project was started by photographer Léon Hendrickx and performer and communicator Micha Schneijderberg. What began locally in Amsterdam developed into a sustained practice of travelling to cities across the world to make portraits with drag performers and gender-diverse individuals.

The method is consistent: every participant is photographed twice. Once in full drag or heightened self-expression. Once as they appear in daily life. The two images are shown together — not as a contrast, but as a whole. Both are true. Neither is the real version.

The project has exhibited in Amsterdam, Berlin, Johannesburg, and at the Dutch Ambassador's residences in Beijing and Lima. In 2026 it returns to Amsterdam for WorldPride →

A foundation for the work

Stichting In-Between Kings & Queens was established in Amsterdam in December 2025. The foundation holds ANBI status — recognised by the Dutch tax authorities as a public benefit organisation. All supervisory board members serve on a fully voluntary basis and receive no remuneration for their role. Support the foundation →

Working in sensitive contexts

A significant part of the project takes place in countries where queer visibility is constrained or legally precarious. Participants can choose to remain anonymous, use a single name, or control exactly what is published and where. For In-Between Kings & Queens, co-creation is an ethical commitment.

Transparency & accountability

In line with its ANBI obligations, the foundation publishes its board composition, remuneration policy, objectives and financial accounts on this website. The first full annual report will be published in the first half of 2027, covering the 2026 financial year. For questions about governance or finances, write to info@kingsandqueens.nl.

Our team

The Kings & Queens Photo Project was founded in 2015 by photographer Léon Hendrickx and performer Micha Schneijderberg (a.k.a. Snorella). In December 2025, we formalised our work by establishing the In-Between Kings & Queens Foundation, creating a solid institutional base for our international practice.

Our team brings together artistic vision, performance expertise, strategic communication, and cultural diplomacy. Léon and Micha work at the intersection of art, activism, and cultural exchange, partnering with performers as co-creators and building lasting relationships with embassies, cultural institutions, and local communities worldwide.

The foundation is guided by a Supervisory Board of experienced professionals: Nik Berkouwer (Chair) brings expertise in PR and communications with a background in the cultural and design sectors; Mattias Warcup (Secretary), founder and Managing Director of Studio MINSK, supports strategic growth and outreach; and Tom Goossens (Treasurer), a media professional, oversees the organization's financial administration.

Together, we develop projects that bridge cultures, challenge norms, and prove that art can be a powerful tool for social change. Our collaborative approach, rooted in listening, adapting, and co-creating, allows us to work across borders while staying true to our core belief: there is room for everyone, everywhere.

Remuneration Policy

The In-Between Kings & Queens Foundation operates with a transparent and restrained remuneration policy.

Supervisory Board All members of the Supervisory Board serve on a voluntary basis and receive no compensation for their supervisory duties. They may only be reimbursed for demonstrable and documented expenses directly incurred in the performance of their role.

Operational Roles For operational functions, appropriate and proportionate compensation may be established, provided these are: Professional and market-appropriate; Transparently documented and verifiable; Proportional to the nature and scope of the work performed.

Separation of Roles When board members perform work for the foundation in a different capacity (such as professional photography services), these activities are strictly separated from their governance role—contractually, administratively, and financially. Any compensation for such work is separately documented and accounted for.

Commercial Activities Commercial photo sales do not form part of the foundation's core activities. The foundation focuses exclusively on its cultural and social mission through promotional, public-facing, and public benefit activities. Photographic works created within the Kings & Queens project remain the intellectual property of the creator; the foundation operates under license or usage agreements that enable public deployment of the work

Leon Hendrickx

Léon Hendrickx (he/him)
Founder, Executive Director & Photographer

Léon Hendrickx is a photographer and founder of the In-between Kings & Queens Foundation, working at the intersection of art, activism, and cultural diplomacy.

Micha Schneijderberg, Snorella (he/him, she/her)
Founder & Drag Whisperer

Micha and Snorella use performance and communication to challenge norms and open dialogue to foster social change and is founder of the In-between Kings & Queens initiative.

Mattias Warcup (he/him)
Secretary of the Board

Mattias Warcup is founder and Managing Director of Studio MINSK, with expertise in design, strategy, and communication. As Secretary of the Board of In-between Kings & Queens (IBKQ), he supports the foundation’s strategic growth and outreach.

Nik Berkouwer (he/him)
Chair of the Board

Nik Berkouwer is a PR and communications professional with a background in the cultural and design sectors. As Chair of the Supervisory Board of In-between Kings & Queens (IBKQ), he safeguards strategic clarity and credibility in the foundation’s external communications.

Tom Goossens (he/him)
Treasurer of the Board

Tom Goossens is a media professional, currently working as a podcast producer and previously as a TV creative and content acquisitions manager. As Treasurer of the Board of In-between Kings & Queens (IBKQ), he oversees the organization's financial administration.

  • In-Between Kings & Queens is a long-running documentary photography project by Léon Hendrickx and Micha Schneijderberg. Since 2015, we have photographed drag performers and gender-diverse individuals in cities across the world — always twice: once in full drag or heightened self-expression, once as they appear in everyday life. The two portraits are presented together as a complete picture of one person. The project has exhibited internationally and in 2026 presents its largest show to date at WorldPride Amsterdam.

  • Every participant is photographed twice in a single session — once in full drag or gender expression, once in daily life. Both images are made with equal care. Participants are partners in the process: they decide what to wear, what to show, and how they want to be seen. The resulting diptych belongs to both the photographer and the participant.

  • The project has been presented in Amsterdam, Berlin, Johannesburg, New York, and at the residences of the Dutch Embassies in Beijing and Lima. In July and August 2026, In-Between Kings & Queens presents its largest exhibition to date at the Oude Lutherse Kerk in Amsterdam as part of WorldPride Amsterdam 2026.

  • In-Between Kings & Queens works with drag performers and gender-diverse individuals in the cities where each production takes place. If you are based in a city where a production is planned and are interested, write to info@ibkq.org. Productions currently in development include Taipei (2026) and Lima (2026–2027).

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about the project, the foundation and how we work.

About the project
Foundation & Governance

  • Stichting In-Between Kings & Queens is the Dutch foundation that provides the institutional basis for the photography project. Established in Amsterdam in December 2025, registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KvK 99155443, RSIN 868831840). The foundation holds ANBI status — recognised by the Dutch tax authorities as a public benefit organisation — and has no profit motive.

  • The supervisory board consists of Nik Berkouwer (chair), Tom Goossens (treasurer) and Mattias Warcup (secretary). All three serve voluntarily and receive no remuneration for their supervisory role. Reasonable and demonstrable expenses may be reimbursed in line with ANBI requirements. The foundation's director, Léon Hendrickx, may receive proportionate compensation for operational work, which is separately accounted for.

  • The foundation publishes its financial accounts in line with its ANBI obligations. The first full annual report will be published in the first half of 2027, covering the 2026 financial year. Once available, reports will be linked here. For questions in the meantime, write to info@ibkq.org.

  • Yes. We actively seek cultural partners — museums, galleries, cultural centres, embassies and NGOs — who can host or co-produce presentations in new locations. Write to info@ibkq.org with information about your organisation and the context you have in mind.

"We are not documenting drag. We are documenting people who happen to do drag — which is an entirely different thing."

— Léon Hendrickx, photographer