In his work as a curator Jan builds on his associative way of thinking and aims to create an inviting environment for interaction. He curates crossover projects, drawing on his background in social, health science, international aid and the arts. Not so much to generate an experience but to trigger visitors in an active way to relate to the art works. Jan was for example the community curator with ZK/U for documenta fifteen, and developed an art residency and exhibition program for the international AIDS conference in Amsterdam in 2018.

From 2011 to 2016 Jan ran Nafasi Art Space ‘a vibrant art centre and platform for artistic exchange in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where contemporary visual artists and performing artists come together to create, learn, inspire, exhibit and perform.’

Nafasi Art Space