Spain

Spain and the Netherlands
Spanish art and culture are renowned internationally for being diverse, innovative and exciting, both from the past and in the present. Ranging from the region of Andalucía, famous for its musical culture, and cities like Barcelona with its eye-catching modern architecture, Valencia World Design Capital 2022, to Madrid as the cultural centre of Spain with top art museums like Museo del Prado and Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. The country ranks fourth in terms of the number of World Heritage Sites.

Spain has been one of Europe’s hardest-hit countries by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to strong economic fallout. The country has started to bounce back, but recovery will take time. Spain’s cultural sector, too, has faced and still faces difficulties, while showing impressive resilience and creativity at the same time, offering hope and solidarity with innovative initiatives.

(Re)building networks
Spain and the Netherlands share a long history of working together in culture (tenth place on average in the overview of Dutch activities abroad in recent years). As from 2021, Spain has again been designated a focal country in Dutch international cultural policy. The aim is, among other things, to promote visibility, exchange and sustainable cooperation between the Netherlands and Spain in the field of art and culture. The focus is initially on (re)building networks and on identifying further opportunities for Spanish-Dutch cultural cooperation.

Opportunities for collaboration can be found particularly in the following sectors: performing arts (music and dance), creative industry (design, fashion, architecture, especially for young potentials), innovation as a circular economy, promotion of Dutch literature, film and television productions, and the shared history and historical ties between Spain and the Netherlands. Read more…

Information & advice
Would you like to receive more information regarding opportunities for cultural exchange with Spain? Feel free to contact our Focal Countries Desk with your questions. We can inform you about the latest developments in the country, relevant contacts and cultural venues.

Further reading

Advisor

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Josine Backus
Role
Advisor - Focal Countries | Brazil
Email
j.backus [at] dutchculture.nl

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Minke van Schaik, DutchCulture
Minke van Schaik
Role
Advisor - Focal Countries
Email
m.vanschaik [at] dutchculture.nl
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Year:

Spain at a glance

PlaceArtist
487 registered activities in 2022
featuring 182 artists

Calendar
Number of activities
12 months (2022)

Discipline
Activities by
discipline in 2022

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Frequently asked questions

Where can I find funding within the Netherlands?  

In the Netherlands, there are various funding opportunities available for artists, cultural practitioners and organisations with international ambitions. You can find a first overview on our Funding Support page. For a more extensive overview, see our Cultural Mobility Funding Guide.  

Heritage  

International Heritage Cooperation is part of the Netherlands’ international cultural policy. The embassies of the Netherlands in the partner countries have a budget for supporting local cultural heritage projects. DutchCulture manages a Matching Fund. Dutch legal entities (companies and registered freelancers) are able to apply for partial funding for an international heritage cooperation project.  

Where can I find funding within Spain?

More info will follow soon.

Are there funding opportunities within Europe?

Creative Europe

Creative Europe (2021-2027) is the seven-year support programme by the European commission for the cultural and audio-visual sector, and consists of two subprogrammes: Culture and MEDIA. The Creative Europe Desk of the Netherlands is part of DutchCulture. Be aware that there are many strict conditions to be considered before applying for this programme. The cooperation also has to consists of at least three European countries, e.g. a cooperation between only France and the Netherlands is therefore not eligible.

For an extensive overview of the funds available see the CulturEU Funding Guide.  

Further funding opportunities

These two funding guides can help you on your way: Fund-Finder a guide to funding opportunities for arts and culture in Europe, beyond Creative Europe (published by IETM in English) and the
EU Subsidiewijzer (published by Creative Europe Desk NL in Dutch)

How can I promote my work in Spain?

It is a good idea to engage local publicists, that have an understanding of your art discipline, audience and region. The cultural department of the Dutch Embassy in Madrid can help you find network or decide to promote your work through their channels.

Lastly, don't forget to create a My DC account where you can add your activities to our Cultural Database. This way you will be included in our database and become part of our network.

How can I find a residency, a venue at which to perform or an exhibition space?

Browse through the DutchCulture Database and figure out which artists from the Netherlands have worked at which venues, and start your research this way. Go to the search icon on the upperleft corner of the website, and search by discipline, country or city.

For residencies, the organisation Transartists, which is also part of DutchCulture, is a great research tool. In order to successfully build an international career, and in order to find sustainable partners in a country, it always wise to spend more than a few days somewhere. Residencies, ranging from a couple of weeks until several months, can help you to achieve that.  

What to take into account if I want to invite a Spanish artist or cultural worker to the Netherlands?

More info will follow soon

How can I keep up to date with any news concerning cultural work in Spain?

The embassy of the Netherlands in Spain is active on different social media platforms namely Twitter and Instagram. Follow them on one or more platforms and stay up-to-date about the latest news, new opportunities, and events.

Are there specific things to keep in mind when it comes to safety in Spain?

For the most recent travel advice to Spain, please see the website of the Dutch government (in Dutch).