Why international cultural collaboration matters: Jelle Burggraaff on NPO Radio 1

DutchCulture’s Director, Jelle Burggraaff, recently appeared on the NPO Radio 1 programme Vroeg!. Marking the birthday of Vincent van Gogh, one of the Netherlands’ most successful cultural ‘export products’, the programme explored the current state of the international cultural sector.

Using this as a starting point, Burggraaff spoke at length about the impact of international cultural collaboration, highlighting its artistic, social, economic and diplomatic value. He also stressed the importance of continued investment in international exchange, so cultural practitioners and organisations can keep building sustainable international connections. Burggraaff: “Art knows no borders —the world does. That’s why DutchCulture supports cultural practitioners and organisations in realising their international ambitions, for a connected world."

A study by DutchCulture, commissioned by the City of Amsterdam, reveals that international cultural cooperation not only delivers artistic and societal value but also contributes substantially to the Dutch economy. The annual added value can be as much as 10.6 billion euros, which is several times the amount invested. The study thereby demonstrates that investing in international cultural cooperation isn’t just the right thing to do, but certainly a smart thing to do as well.