Ministry cuts funding Institut Néerlandais

Last Friday the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced to stop the funding of the Institut Néerlandais in Paris ‘in its present form’.

The high fixed costs of the institute and shrinking budgets for cultural activities outside the Netherlands have led to the decision that the organizational structure of the Dutch cultural representation in France needs to be reformed. In its press statement the Ministry refers to the construction of Dutch posts in New York, London and Berlin.

In response to the announcement, all members of the Supervisory Board of the Institut Néerlandais have immediately vacated their position, newspaper the Volkskrant reports. Things have been unsettled at the institute for a longer time. The Dutch cultural attaché in Berlin was appointed acting director this spring.

The Institut Néerlandais is the largest Dutch cultural institution abroad. It is formed by three structures: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Custodia foundation and the Institut Néerlandais foundation. The Institut’s director is also the Dutch cultural attaché in France.