Open call De Wacht-Ruimte: funds available for Belgian-Dutch partner projects

This call is closed!

The Embassy of the Netherlands in Belgium calls on Dutch and Belgian artists, cultural workers, philosophers, writers, poets, technologists, musicians, filmmakers, decision makers and historians to continue working together during the corona crisis. To support collaborations, resources are made available through the call for applications De Wacht-Ruimte (English: the Waiting Zone). "We believe that cross-border cooperation - cultural, social or political - is more important than ever in these times," says Hanna Oosterbaan, cultural attaché at the Dutch Embassy in Belgium.

In mid-March, 'normal' life was suddenly interrupted for many professionals, especially in the cultural sector. Thousands of events have been canceled due to the corona crisis, and as many culture workers have lost their old certainties. The consequences are also important for cultural cooperation between the Netherlands and Belgium. Hanna Oosterbaan: "The crisis is a disaster for many Belgian-Dutch productions and for artists who live and work between the two countries. At the moment many feel as if they are waiting for the next scenario."

Despite the restrictive circumstances, the Embassy calls to continue the old partnerships and to think about new opportunities for collaboration: “Waiting is often perceived as a negative thing, but it can also foster new relations and ideas. Podcasts, online art sales, guided museum tours via livestream, Skype reading sessions, digital book clubs... There are countless examples of how to work your way around the current limitations. When the walls of our 'kot' approach us, the possibilities of technology and digital media seem limitless. This experience will also have an important impact on cooperation between the Dutch and the Belgians. This is why we are looking for inspiring examples of innovative partnerships between the two countries that we can support,” explains Hanna Oosterbaan.

The open call for the Waiting Zone provides resources for Dutch-Belgian partner projects during the COVID-19 period. Interested parties can submit a request via the Embassy's website. The call applies to projects that start before 31 August 2020. The request must be submitted no later than three weeks before the start date.

Check out the complete overview of Dutch cultural activities in Belgium in our database. If you are a cultural professional who wants to go to Belgium, feel free to contact our Belgium advisor Renske Ebbers.