Erwin Jans (born in 1963) studied Germanic Philology and Dramaturgy at KU Leuven – University of Leuven. He worked as an assistant in the dramaturgy department there from 1990 to 1993.
Before embarking on his current position as dramaturg for Antwerp’s Toneelhuis in 2006, Jans was dramaturg for the KVS (Royal Flemish Theatre) in Brussels (1993- 1999) and the ro-theater in Rotterdam (2000-2005). He has worked with directors such as Jos Verbist, Ivo Van Hove, Franz Marijnen, Alize Zandwijk and, over the last decade, especially with Guy Cassiers.
He has taught in the Cultural Studies department at KU Leuven, the theatre department at Erasmus University College Brussels and the MaNaMa (advanced master’s) Dramaturgy department at the University of Antwerp. Currently he is teaching theatre and drama in the acting course at Artesis Plantijn University College Antwerp and the history of theatre at KASK in Ghent.
Erwin Jans regularly writes about theatre, literature and culture for publications such as De Morgen, De Tijd, Eutopia, Etcetera, DWB, Recto:Verso, nY, De Reaktor, De Leeswolf and De Theatermaker, among others.
His essay "Interculturele Intoxicaties. Over kunst, cultuur en verschil" came out in 2006. Two years later, together with Dirk van Bastelaere and Patrick Peeters, he published the poetry anthology "Hotel New Flandres. Zestig jaar Vlaamse poëzie" 1945-2005. In 2010 he and Eric Clemens co-authored the essay "Democratie onder vragen" which also appeared in French. In 2011, he co-authored "Kunst in deze wereld" with Eric Corijn, Ivo Janssens and Nico Carpentier.