Municipalities cut average 9 per cent cultural budget

Last week, Dutch newspaper ‘De Volkskrant’ published the main results of a study by consultancy agency Berenschot about the cultural budget cuts in the Netherlands.

Municipalities remain the largest financial supporters of the arts and culture in the Netherlands. The 25 largest municipalities only cut an average of 9 per cent as opposed to the national government which cuts 25 per cent. The municipalities proposed a budget of about 1.8 billion euros in 2013 as opposed to 2 billion in 2009. The national government will cut their funding from 990 million in 2009 to 752 million in 2013.

The national government cuts most heavily in the performing art sector, the visual arts and film. The study shows that the 25 largest municipalities plan on spreading their budget cuts more evenly.

40 per cent of the Dutch population live in the 25 largest municipalities. Berenschot says that the results are representative of all municipalities. There are however large differences between the municipalities. Rotterdam and The Hague cut about 14 per cent whereas in Maastricht the budget is raised by 10 per cent.

Source: Kunsten92 (in Dutch) and Berenschot.