Hans Martens studied Monumental Arts (specialised in painting) at the Saint-Lucas Institute in Ghent and Art history at the University of Ghent and graduated in 1990 with a thesis on Anselm Kiefer.
He taught Art history from 1991 to 2003 at the Communal Academy of Fine Arts in Waasmunster (B).
Martens was a curator at the S.M.A.K. - Museum of Contemporary Art in Ghent from 1991 to 2000 and was director of the Caermersklooster - Provincial Centre for Art and Culture in Ghent from 2000 to 2004.
He was general co-ordinator for the Second Biennial for Video Art Contour in Mechelen (B), which he also initiated, in 2005.
From 2004 to 2006 he was advisor for Visual Arts and Cultural Heritage to the Flemish Minister of Culture, Bert Anciaux.

Hans Martens was the Artistic Director of the HISK (Hoger Instituut voor Schone Kunsten / Higher Institute for Fine Arts) in Ghent from 2006 to mid 2010.

He is a member of the following commissions and boards:

Board member of the Friends Association of SMAK - Museum of Contemporary Art in Ghent Board member of De Centrale, Inter Cultural Center, Gent Member of the Art and Culture Commission of the Flemish Parliament Member of the Commission FilmLab of VAF (Flemish Audio visual Fund) Member of the Artistic Advice Commission for Art in the City of Ghent Member of the Artistic Advice Commission of Contour Mechelen