Vrije Academie 't Pad

What Vrije Academie 't Pad does

Vrije Academie 't Pad is a Dutch private educational institution founded in 2005 by Marjan Raven and located in Opheusden, Netherlands. The academy offers HBO-level (higher professional education) programs at the intersection of psychology and visual arts, built around a proprietary methodology called the "Pad-methode" that integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with holistic visual arts education. Its core curriculum runs as a four-year continuous trajectory: students begin with a foundational year called KIB (Kern In Beeld, based on nine visual elements covering philosophical, psychological, and artistic dimensions), then specialize in either Holistisch Beeldende Kunst (HBK) for professional holistic visual arts practice, or Psychosociaal Beeldend (PSB) for psychosocial coaching and therapy through visual arts. The academy also offers short courses on topics such as grief and loss, working with children, and abstract/figurative art, priced at EUR 695–750 per course. Revenue is generated from tuition fees across the multi-year programs (offered with full, two-installment, or ten-installment payment plans) and per-course fees for short specialized offerings; pricing is set annually and is VAT-exempt under CRKBO registration.

The institution operates with a small team of approximately 14 people, including 12 lecturers and a secretariat function, and runs cohorts of 5–15 students per group with 20–24 teaching days per year and one session every two weeks. Its go-to-market is event-driven, relying on open days, workshops, content marketing via its website and newsletter, and word-of-mouth from an active alumni network. The academy holds multiple sector accreditations (Vereniging Tekentaal, CGZ, VBAG, KTNO, CRKBO) that enable graduates to practice as accredited psychosocial therapists and complementary healthcare practitioners in the Netherlands. Its digital infrastructure is built on modern SaaS tooling (Supabase for data, Stripe for payments, Vercel for hosting, Resend for email, Google for calendar), and it is independently founder-owned with no external investment or parent company. The business is not, and does not appear positioned to become, a venture-scale enterprise; rather, it is a niche, founder-led educational practice serving a small domestic Dutch-speaking audience with a differentiated psycho-pedagogical methodology.

Name

Vrije Academie 't Pad

Legal name

Vrije Academie 't Pad

Website

https://vrijeacademiehetpad.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Vrije Academie 't Pad is a Dutch private educational institution, founded in 2005 in Opheusden, Netherlands, offering HBO-level 4-year programs and short courses that integrate ACT psychology with visual arts for adult learners seeking personal development or psychosocial therapy training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Opheusden

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 4-year HBO-level Programs: Multi-year educational programs in Holistisch Beeldende Kunst and Psychosociaal Beeldend Therapeut with annual tuition fees. Payment options include full payment, two installments, or ten installments.
2. Short Courses and Workshops: Specialized 5-6 day courses covering topics like grief processing, working with children, and abstract/figurative art. One-time fee per course.
3. KIB Basic Training: Foundation year program (Kern In Beeld) serving as gateway to both study directions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Vrije Academie 't Pad is a Dutch educational institute that delivers a 4-year HBO-level program at the intersection of psychology and visual arts, built on the ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) methodology known as the Pad-methode. Students begin with a one-year foundational Basistraining KIB (Kern In Beeld) and then specialize in either Psychosociaal Beeldend (PSB) for psychosocial coaching/therapy or Holistisch Beeldende Kunst (HBK) for holistic visual arts practice, supplemented by short 5-6 day specialization courses on topics such as grief and loss, working with children, and abstract/figurative art.

Product overview

Vrije Academie 't Pad is a Dutch educational institute offering a unified 4-year HBO-level program at the intersection of Psychology and Art. The core offering consists of a foundational year (Kern In Beeld - KIB) followed by two main study directions: Psychosociaal Beeldend (PSB) for psychosocial coaching/therapy through visual arts, and Holistisch Beeldende Kunst (HBK) for holistic visual arts practice. Supplementary short courses and specializations are offered as add-on modules, including courses on grief and loss, working with children, and the relationship between abstract and figurative art.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Basistraining KIB (Kern In Beeld) A foundational one-year program based on 9 visual elements covering philosophical, psychological, and artistic dimensions. This year serves as the basis for both study directions (PSB and HBK) and is for adults seeking personal and creative development with no prior experience required.
• Psychosociaal Beeldend (PSB) - Psychosocial Visual Direction A 4-year HBO-level program teaching students to apply creative working methods at three levels: giving thematic workshops, goal-oriented coaching, and deepening ACT therapy, all centered around visual assignments. Targets aspiring psychosocial visual arts therapists and coaches.
• Holistisch Beeldende Kunst (HBK) - Holistic Visual Arts A 4-year HBO-level program where students work through visual perception and free expression, learning to combine both in their own authentic style. Covers various materials, art history, and personal development. Targets aspiring holistic visual artists.
• Samenhang Abstract en Figuratief (Connection Abstract and Figurative) Course A six-day course (EUR 750) exploring the artist's attitude and the meaning of visual work. Students investigate their truth and reality through various techniques and materials, with participants bringing their own materials and easels provided on location.
• Rouw en Verlies (Grief and Loss) Course A five-day course (EUR 695 including syllabus) on processing grief and loss through creative processes. Uses creative mediums such as drawing, modeling, collages, writing, and body work, with paper and modeling clay included.
• Werken met Kinderen (Working with Children) Course An intensive 5-day specialization course (EUR 695, basic materials included) for working with children, youth, and adolescents. Uses ACT, magic, fantasy, shadow, and reality across developmental phases, taught by Eva Gysen with ACT4kids training.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Others

• Vereniging Tekentaal: Dutch professional association for visual arts education and therapy of which the academy is a recognized member. Comparable as the ecosystem body that confers sector credibility and connects the academy to broader art-therapy professional networks in the Netherlands.
• Collectief van Gestalte-, Beeld- en Handelingstherapie (CGZ): Dutch accreditation body for gestalt, image, and action therapies. Comparable as an ecosystem participant that the academy is accredited by, providing regulatory recognition for the academy's psychosocial image-therapy credentials.
• KTNO: Dutch quality register for therapeutic practitioners with non-regular training. Comparable as the accreditation framework under which the academy's courses are recognized, connecting its graduates to the complementary healthcare professional ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Gerrit Rietveld Academie: Amsterdam-based fine arts and design academy offering HBO-level visual arts programs. Comparable as a Dutch higher-education institution teaching visual arts to small, dedicated cohorts, though without the psychosocial/ACT therapeutic specialization.
• Koninklijke Academie van Beeldende Kunsten (KABK): The Royal Academy of Art in The Hague — a traditional Dutch fine arts institution at HBO level and the alma mater of the academy's founder. Comparable as a Dutch visual arts higher-education provider, but oriented toward conventional fine arts rather than ACT-based therapeutic methodology.
• ArtEZ University of the Arts: Major Dutch university of the arts offering broad visual arts and design programs across multiple cities. Comparable as a Dutch HBO-level fine arts educator, but significantly larger in scale and far broader in curriculum than Vrije Academie 't Pad's specialized ACT-based offering.
• Amsterdam University of the Arts (AHK): Large Dutch institution offering art education across multiple disciplines in Amsterdam. Comparable as a Dutch HBO-level arts educator serving adult learners, but operates at significantly larger scale and without the ACT-therapy integration that defines the academy's niche.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vrije-academie-het-pad

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vrije Academie 't Pad