For many Australians with Dutch heritage, learning the language can be a meaningful way to connect with family roots and cultural traditions. Based in Canberra, Dutch language learners have the opportunity to join courses online at Access Art Academy, a mother-and-daughter team of Marion Verbruggen and Marianne Mettes.
A Passion for Teaching Languages
Marion is a passionate native Dutch speaker and professional language teacher with over 30 years of experience. She has taught Dutch, French, German, and English at schools and universities in the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Australia. Known for her warm and encouraging approach, Marion brings a deep understanding of both language learning and cultural exchange to her classes.
Her journey into teaching Dutch began in 2016, when she was invited to teach her native language at the Australian National University. Over the following years she successfully taught hundreds of Canberrans Dutch, until the arrival of COVID and lockdowns made in-person classes impossible.
How Access Art Academy Began
Rather than stop teaching, Marion moved her courses online. This transition revealed something unexpected: she suddenly had access to a much larger community of learners than ever before. Students from all over Australia — and even abroad — were able to join her classes, showing just how many people were eager to connect with Dutch language and culture.
In 2022, her daughter Marianne launched Access Art Academy with a focus on visual arts and puppetry. When the two joined forces, they combined their strengths and incorporated Marion’s Dutch language classes into the Academy, creating a joint space where language, culture, and creativity could thrive together. Today, Marion leads the language programs while Marianne focuses on the arts, puppetry, and creative workshops.
Courses for Every Stage
Classes are taught online via Google Meet, making them accessible to learners across Australia. Students join from a wide range of backgrounds: some are second- or third-generation Dutch Australians wanting to reconnect with family heritage, or partners of someone with Dutch heritage, while others are preparing for travel, study, or professional opportunities in the Netherlands and Belgium. Some learners simply have a general interest in Dutch culture and language, since Dutch is so closely related to English.
Access Art Academy offers a variety of Dutch courses, including:
- Intro to Dutch (4-week course) – for learners who want to try out learning the Dutch language.
- Dutch 1 (Complete Beginners) – designed for those starting from scratch, covering essential vocabulary, pronunciation, and everyday conversation.
- Dutch 2 (Beginner-Intermediate) – for those who have completed a beginners course and are looking for more in-depth practice.
- Bridging Course (4-weeks) – aimed at learners who have excelled in a beginners course and wish to join a higher-level class. This is an intensive course and requires dedication between classes.
- Dutch 3 (Intermediate) – for learners with prior experience, focusing on grammar, fluency, and deeper cultural understanding.
Not all courses are offered at all times during the year. Please join the waitlists for your preferred courses.
Dutch 1 and Dutch 3 courses are starting again in October 2025, each running for eight weeks.
Connecting Communities
“Learning Dutch is not only about grammar and vocabulary,” Marion explains. “It’s also about connecting with Dutch culture — whether that’s through music, traditions, or even just the little expressions that make a language feel alive.”
Through their work at Access Art Academy, Marion and Marianne hope to strengthen ties between Dutch and Australian communities, offering a space where learners can grow in both language and creativity.
For more information about Dutch language classes with Access Art Academy, visit: www.accessartacademy.com/dutch-classes.
