Starting Points for 2017-2020 Dutch Cultural Policy

The principles that Minister Bussemaker outlined in her paper Ruimte voor Cultuur (Room for Culture) are the starting points for cultural policy in the 2017-2020 period and for the composition of the Netherlands’ basic cultural infrastructure – the institutions that receive direct subsidies from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.

Based on the starting points and criteria that the Minister has presented, cultural institutions can submit an application for a subsidy for the 2017-2020 period. The Ministry must receive the applications no later than 1 February 2016.

Innovation, Collaboration and Talent Development
In her basic principles, the minister has emphasized more room for innovation, collaboration and the development of young talent. Within her own cultural budget, the minister has freed up an extra amount of some €18 million in order to reverse a number of the cutbacks made in the 2013-2016 period. Among other things, the Tropenmuseum can remain open because of this and money will once again be available for talent development in the performing arts and film. In the visual arts, the function of post-academic institutes such as the Rijksakademie, De Ateliers and the Jan van Eyck Academie will be retained.

Appreciation for Positive Tone
The cultural field is cautiously optimistic about the Minister’s points of departure. Relief about the salvation of the Metropole Orkest and the Tropenmuseum, among others, and the more positive tone of the Minister does not eradicate worries about the financial elbowroom in the sector, however. “It is good news that the minister is putting matters that are of great importance to the sector, such as talent development, back on the map again. And that she has found room within her own budget to invest in that. But if you really believe that the Dutch cultural sector is world-class, as she describes, you also have to adjust your ambitions to that as a government policy maker. Then €18.6 million is not enough,” according to Kunsten ’92, the largest cultural interest group with 390 members from all disciplines.

As far as international cultural policy is concerned, the Minister is waiting for the outcome of the evaluation currently being made by the Policy and Operations Evaluation Department (IOB). The results will be available at the end of 2015.