Culture moves The meaning of culture in a changing society
Letter by the Netherlands’ Minister of Education, Culture and Science to the Lower House of Parliament, 10 June 2013
Introduction
This policy memorandum sets out my views on the arts and culture. I undertook to submit this document to the Lower House during the budget deliberations of 17 December 2012. This memorandum therefore sets the agenda for the policy that I wish to pursue in future. I will use it to launch a discussion about the arts and culture, the role of government, and the role of culture in society. I am submitting my memorandum concerning museums at the same time.1
This policy memorandum is the outcome of many meetings and working visits throughout the country. The conversations I have had made it clear that the culture sector is facing enormous challenges. The previous Government made substantial cuts in public spending on the arts and culture. The subsidised sector is working hard to cope with the budget cuts. That is not an easy task. I am impressed by the resilience of the culture sector and the potential I have witnessed there. Artists and cultural institutions are adapting to the changing circumstances and forming alliances with one another and with other sectors.
In the first part of this memorandum, I outline my views concerning the value of culture for society and the various ways in which that society is changing. I then describe my plans for the cultural policy agenda in the years ahead and what measures will result. I next look at changes in the funding system and how I intend to deal with them. My memorandum concludes with a section on the budget allocation covering friction costs.
A. Views
Culture plays an extremely valuable role in our society. What I have observed, however, is that many people are not sufficiently aware of this. They often take too narrow a view of culture, and view it within an individual context, as a consumer good. I believe that culture is about specific forms of creative expression, about sharing knowledge, experience, and opinions. It is a dynamic system in which we create values, symbols and identities and compare and contrast them.
Culture is valuable in the artistic, societal and economic senses. We need culture to shape our identity, to help us grow and improve, and to develop our creativity. Culture unites, entertains and
1 Museums Policy Memorandum. The future of the museum system (June 2013). 1 helps us resolve issues facing our society. The economic significance of the culture sector is undeniable.
I see culture as part of a social agenda. Artists and cultural institutions derive their raison d’etre not so much from the sector itself, but from its relevance to society. That is why I will pursue a policy that takes the social relevance of culture and the importance of creativity as its priorities. As a society, we are facing increasingly complex issues in such areas as care, corporate social responsibility, energy and food supply, population decline and the greying of the labour force. Creativity and innovation are becoming increasingly important in our efforts to tackle these issues. Culture and cultural education2 make an important contribution in this context.
Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde, who trained at the Fine and Applied Arts Academy [Academie voor Kunst en Industrie] in Enschede (now ArtEZ Art & Design Enschede), is working with builder and developer Heijmans on the Netherlands’ first ‘smart highway’, i.e. a road that can generate electricity. The energy generated by the traffic on the road powers the lights and charging stations for electric cars.
That does not mean that I will ignore either the intrinsic or the economic value of culture. The intrinsic, artistic value of culture is as important as ever. Culture enriches us, takes us by surprise, and allows us to appreciate beauty. It gives us inspiration. Quality is the guiding principle; coupled with entrepreneurship, it allows the culture sector to generate more income, lower costs, and – above all – expand its basis of support in society.
Why does government support culture? And what should it spend its funding on? Of course, many artistic and cultural productions are not subsidised. However, I believe cultural policy is necessary because without government intervention, it would be difficult to fully express the many different ways in which culture is valuable to society. Government has a role to play precisely where the commercial market faces financial or geographical barriers, where talent incubators are lacking, or where innovation or experimentation is difficult to get off the ground. Government support ensures that the arts and culture remain accessible, affordable, and of good quality. It brings them within reach of many different groups. Experimental art, delicate forms of cultural expression, innovation and creativity will always require support. Government can unite parties and play the role of facilitator in this respect. It can take the initiative and encourage parties to work together, to share what they know, and to make their expertise available. And it can see that children and young people learn about the arts and culture and have a chance to develop their talents.
I wish to pursue a cultural policy that plays a transformative role by reaching out to society. I wish to pursue a cultural policy founded on social and liberal principles. Individual expression is valuable largely because it helps us mould our unique identity and our collective values. In other
2 Here, cultural education means all formal basic instruction about and with the help of art and heritage. In primary education, it encompasses Art Education and Personal and World Orientation. In secondary education, it encompasses Art and Culture (lower years), the subject Cultural and Artistic Education and the art subjects in the upper years of pre-vocational, senior secondary general and pre-university education. 2 words, culture is only important if you can use it to shape your own life and the lives of others. This is my interpretation of what Isaiah Berlin calls ‘positive freedom’3: freedom only becomes meaningful to people if they can actually make use of it.
The value of culture
Value for individuals Our country is a rich source of artworks, books, archaeological treasures, folk culture, and objects and documents from many different historical periods. In contemporary life, the Netherlands boasts outstanding Dutch DJs, symphonic music, literature and film. These cultural treasures are internationally renowned and we can be proud of them. As we inspect authentic objects and absorb the stories they tell in our museums, archives and libraries, and as we live with the historic monuments, archaeological remnants and architecture in our surroundings, we come to understand the differences between then and now, between here and there, and between ourselves and others. In other words: culture helps us understand both ourselves and the world as others experience it.
Culture offers people and society opportunities for improvement and growth. Cultural education teaches children and young people about art, the media and their heritage. It plays a special role in stimulating creativity and helping children develop their creative skills. It also has a part to play in the changing labour market of the Western world, where the demand for manual labour and routine office work is declining and the demand for non-routine skills is rising,4 emphasising the importance of 21st Century Skills: the ability to respond to changes by coming up with creative, inventive solutions. In other words: innovative ability.5 Creativity and innovation are needed to fuel the growth of our knowledge society.6
Culture is also entertaining and makes our lives more meaningful. Well over 7 million Dutch people are involved in one of the amateur arts in their spare time.7 A national survey has revealed that the amateur arts have an army of volunteers of around one million strong.8 There are also many volunteers active in the heritage sector.9 Some volunteers work at festivals, others ensure that an historic building or monument stays open to the public, and still others serve as hostesses in libraries or read to children at primary schools. Without the dedicated efforts of civil society organisations, societies of friends and volunteers, many cultural activities would be impossible.
3 See: ‘De waarden van sociaal-liberaal cultuurbeleid.’ G. Drion. In: Boekmancahier (June 2013). 4 ‘The New Division of Labor: How Computers Are Creating the Next Job Market.’ F. Levy and R. J. Murnane (2005). Art for Art’s Sake? The Impact of Arts Education (Chapter 11). OECD (2013). 5 In the framework of the OECD Education and Social Progress project, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science divides competencies into four groups: (1) subject-specific, cognitive; (2) metacognitive, self-regulatory (of one’s own learning process); (3) advanced skills; (4) citizenship and social competencies. 6 Council conclusions on fostering the creative and innovative potential of young people relevant for employability. EYCS Council (2012). Creatieve industrie in topvorm. Topteam Creatieve Industrie (2011). 7 Kunstminnend Nederland. Interesse en bezoek, drempels en ervaringen. SCP (2013). 8 Amateurkunst – de feiten. Monitor amateurkunst 2009. Kunstfactor (2010). 9 Het bereik van het verleden. Ontwikkelingen in de belangstelling voor cultureel erfgoed. SCP (2007). 3
Value for society Complex social issues demand innovative and creative solutions. Cross-fertilisation between the arts and culture and other sectors can generate solutions for the healthcare sector, the ageing population, urban renewal, climate change and the sustainable use of the earth’s natural resources. For that to happen, however, the creative sectors have to be involved strategically at the earliest possible stage – in other words, co-creation. We can make broader use of the potential that culture and creativity offer other sectors. That means instilling the entrepreneurial spirit in the culture sector and the creative industry, and developing effective commissioning practices. It also means that partner sectors must articulate their demand properly in their communication with the culture sector.10
In the Expeditie Energetic City 2050 project, artists, philosophers, architects, economists, city-dwellers and students are considering how best to generate our own energy in the future. The explicit brief is to think outside the box. After all, radical new solutions are needed to secure a reliable, affordable supply of energy in the future.11
Industrial design student Siebrecht Bouwstra was commissioned by Máxima Medical Centre in Veldhoven to design a ‘smart jacket’ with an integrated heart monitor for incubator babies. Thanks to the jacket, premature infants no longer need to have sensors applied directly to their skin, and the threshold for parents to hold their baby has been lowered. After serving as the basis for Bouwstra’s graduate research at Eindhoven University of Technology, the design is now being studied and further developed in the university’s Designed Intelligence research programme.
Culture unites and socialises. Its imaginative power can break through old patterns and forge new relationships. By joining others in our experience of and engagement with culture, we share what we have learned, get to know others, and develop a common frame of reference. These effects are very clear in music, but also in film, literature and other art forms. Culture is also a mirror; it reflects what is happening in our society. It plays an important role in forging our identity, whether as individuals or as a nation. It can make us proud, whether that source of pride is singer- songwriter Anouk, whose performance took the Netherlands into the top ten at the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in years, or a child venturing forth on stage for the first time. The socialising function of culture depends on children being exposed to art and culture, learning to decide for themselves what they do or do not find appealing, and getting the chance to develop their talents.
Value for the economy Culture makes a vital contribution to our economy. The culture sector accounted for € 13 billion (2.4%) of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2011. In early 2010, the culture sector had some 251,000 people on its books either as employees or as self-employed professionals, i.e. 3.2% of the
10 Goed Opdrachtgeverschap: vragen naar de onbekende weg. Advies. Raad voor Cultuur (2011). Creatieve industrie in topvorm. Topteam Creatieve Industrie (2011). 11 www.energeticcity2050.nl. 4 working population of the Netherlands.12 Historical buildings and monuments, urban or rural conservation areas or World Heritage Sites boost property values in surrounding neighbourhoods and encourage local residents to invest more in their properties. The same is true of performing arts centres such as theatres, concert halls and rock music clubs. Art and heritage generate benefits in the shape of higher turnover and employment in the building trade and the tourist sector.13
The Netherlands exports a considerable number of cultural products. In 2008, we ranked eighth in the world in terms of creative goods exports. The Netherlands is an international leader in the music industry and new media, thanks in part to Dutch DJs, who have been at the top of their game for many years, and to André Rieu, successful game, television and film formats, and Stage Entertainment’s international musical productions.
The Dutch are successful in a wide variety of disciplines. Caro Emerald’s latest CD, The Shocking Miss Emerald, climbed to number 1 in the British album charts in May 2013, while author Gerbrand Bakker’s The Detour (original title: De Omweg) recently won the UK’s Independent Foreign Fiction Prize. Herman Koch’s The Dinner (original title: Het Diner) went to ninth place on the The New York Times Bestseller List. The Guggenheim Museum in New York organised a retrospective exhibition of Rineke Dijkstra’s photographs last year, and Alex van Warmerdam’s Borgman was the first Dutch film in 38 years to play in competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
Trade missions make an important contribution to boosting Dutch exports. In 2012, the Government sponsored major trade missions to Turkey, Brazil and other emerging economies that included creative industry representatives (design firms, architects). The trade mission to Brazil has led to contracts in areas in which Dutch design plays a prominent role. They include the signage system at São Paulo international airport, interactive presentations for a visitors centre, and shop and restaurant concepts. The New Institute has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a leading Brazilian property developer in which the latter agrees to make use of Dutch architects.
Culture is a magnet for tourists. The Netherlands welcomed almost ten million foreign tourists in 2009, who generated € 4 billion for the Dutch economy. Of those foreign tourists, 11% describe their visit to the Netherlands as a cultural holiday, and 8% identify a museum as their primary destination. Forty per cent of foreign tourists in the Netherlands visit a museum here.14 Cultural heritage appeals to tourists: surveys show that historic city centres and the presence of World Heritage sites are important reasons for visiting a city or country.15
An agenda for the future
12 Bijdrage van de culturele sector aan het Bruto Binnenlands Product 1995-2011. CBS (2012). 13 Cultureel erfgoed op waarde geschat. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Universiteit Twente and Platform 31 (2013). Atlas voor Gemeenten. De waarde van cultuur in cijfers. G. Marlet and J. Poort (2011). 14 Onderzoek inkomend toerisme. NBTC (2009). 15 Atlas voor Gemeenten. De waarde van cultuur in cijfers. G. Marlet and J. Poort (2011). 5 Our society is in a continuous state of transition. We are constantly being asked to respond to new challenges by innovating. Our growing level of mobility, the mass media, and the Internet have brought the world within our reach. Encouraged by individualisation and technological advances, people are more inclined to make up their own minds about things. As our national borders and old traditions fade away, however, we have grown more interested in our history and identity, and we need new ways of connecting to one another and new revenue models.
All these trends have influenced the culture sector and its audiences. I have observed something in the sector that is also happening in research: autonomy and practical application have drawn closer together and in fact interact more than they used to. Artists and performers are collaborating more with cultural institutions, but also with other sectors and with audiences. Technological advances and the blurring of the traditional dividing lines between disciplines are accelerating this process.
I saw this out in the field when I spoke to people at HKU, Utrecht School of the Arts. Alumni combine autonomy and practical work, help fellow alumni and students set up projects, teach classes, and work with people in other sectors. They take their work beyond the arts sector so that they create something of value for society.
Given this changing context, it is important for me to state what I consider to be my responsibilities. My first responsibility is towards the subsidised so-called Basic Infrastructure for art and culture, including the cultural funds, and towards the heritage conservation and management system. The national government will continue to play a major role in funding the arts and culture, even after the austerity measures have been implemented. Its support should go to ensure quality, distribution, access, diversity and continuity in the culture sector. Alongside this more specific task, government plays a broader role in making the arts and culture more relevant to society. That is not a responsibility that I bear alone, but in cooperation with other authorities, private parties and civil society.
Local government plays an important part in supporting the arts and culture. Local councils provide the bulk of the funding, followed by national government and provincial authorities.16 In the past few months, I have concluded various agreements with local and provincial authorities based on our shared responsibility for the Netherlands’ cultural infrastructure and in an effort to coordinate our various policies at different levels.17 I will reaffirm these ties with local and provincial authorities in an effort to achieve greater harmony between the subsidised Basic Infrastructure and the local cultural infrastructure. We will also join forces in promoting a healthy climate for culture, and in creating the right underlying conditions. Because every city will be
16 59% of government funding for culture is provided by local councils, 30% by the state and 8% by the provincial authorities. 2.4% is distributed based on a joint scheme (Vinkenburg 2010). 17 This concerns the cities Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam and the South, East and Central Regions. An agreement will be concluded with the North Region later this year. 6 selecting its own identity/profile, it is important that we should make specific agreements in that respect.
Partnership with private parties – for example the VandenEnde Foundation, the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, the VSB Fund, Triodos Bank and the Blockbuster Fund18 – will grow more important in future. There are a number of reasons for this: cultural institutions are increasingly seeking funding from multiple sources and government and private parties can be mutually reinforcing in that respect, for example when it comes to a knowledge of the arts and culture and of funding. I will continue working with these parties to identify ways to firm up such partnerships. This alliance is all the more important given recent studies showing that gifts intended for the arts and culture are dwindling rapidly.19 But there is also good news. I have noticed that the younger generation is prepared to donate small sums to the arts and culture, for example through crowdfunding initiatives. Private funds can provide an impetus for such movements and help promote the idea of gifting to culture. The Government is supporting donations to the arts and culture with its Gift and Inheritance Tax Act [Geefwet] and donation campaign.20
Woerden’s ‘Het Klooster’ Theatre works in partnership with the local housing association. The housing association’s technical department provides maintenance services at the theatre at cost. In return, the theatre supplies tickets that the housing association makes available to tenants who satisfy certain criteria.
From an interview in national newspaper de Volkskrant with cabaret artist Freek de Jonge and his wife Hella about their charitable foundation, which supports the arts and culture: ‘We always kept our foundation quiet. We didn’t feel the need to brag about it. But we’ve decided to promote it because we feel it's especially important right now – at a time when the arts and culture are being undermined – to show that we can do something meaningful.’21
Relationships are also being built with other ministries and policy sectors. One of these is in my own Ministry, where education and culture have formed a close partnership. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Ministry of Economic Affairs are cooperating on developing a creative industry policy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science are pursuing a joint international cultural policy, while the culture sector is helping us achieve our targets in development cooperation and trade promotion. Five ministries have worked on a joint agenda for architecture and spatial planning.22 The multifaceted importance of cultural heritage is expressed in sector-specific regulations and in the broader context of spatial planning legislation and regulations, for example the new Environment and Planning Act [Omgevingswet]. There are also connections between archives and the national government’s information
18 In partnership with Goede Doelen Loterijen, VandenEnde Foundation, the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds and VSB Fund. 19 Geven in Nederland 2013. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (2013). 20 www.daargeefjeom.nl. 21 In: de Volkskrant, 26 April 2013. 22 Werken aan Ontwerpkracht. Actieagenda Architectuur en Ruimtelijke Ontwerp 2013- 2016. Ministries of OCW, EZ, IenM, Defensie and BZK (September 2012). 7 management system. I will continue to work with my fellow ministers and build on our mutual relationships where possible.
It is important that we remain flexible and respond adequately to changes in society. Unfortunately, the financial resources are limited and I will have to be selective when it comes to allocating funds. I will focus on the themes that I believe lie at the heart of cultural policy: personal improvement, creativity and engagement with society. That is why my priorities in the years ahead are cultural education, the creative industry, talent development and digitisation.
Cultural education is first and foremost for me because it can make an important contribution to individual and social progress. I wish to focus on talent development because this is a vulnerable area but also hugely important to the dynamic quality of the culture sector and to our international stature. I believe the creative industry has the potential to generate cross-connections between disciplines and to drive cooperation between businesses, designers and universities. Digitisation is one of my priorities because it offers the potential for cooperation and for making the arts and culture more relevant and accessible. Finally, I am eager to initiate a public dialogue about culture and aim to introduce measures to promote that dialogue and to make the social value of culture more visible.
I flesh out these policy priorities in the following section in a series of action points.
8 B Action points 1 Cultural education A solid grounding in the arts and culture is crucial for both individuals and society. It helps children tap into their creativity and develop their talents and skills. My aim is for all children and young people to obtain a ‘basic qualification’ that opens the door to a full, inspiring and meaningful life. They must not only gain knowledge but also develop a sense of creativity and a spirit of enquiry. It is becoming more and more important for people to have a capacity for innovation and the skill to adapt quickly and flexibly. These traits are the basis for the 21st Century Skills that are already in demand and will continue to be so. In fact, researchers believe that 65% of the children now in groups 1 and 2 of primary school will have jobs later in life that have not been invented yet.23
A business such as Intel understands that it cannot concentrate solely on technology, even in its area of specialisation, i.e. chip development. It needs creativity to solve the complex problems of today (and tomorrow). That is why Intel sought out a design studio and is now working to build its future in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team (see: www.designthenewbusiness.com).
It is the task of the national, municipal and provincial authorities, cultural institutions, the education sector, businesses and parents to see that children are given a proper grounding in the arts and culture. To ensure that all those involved actually shoulder their share of the responsibility, and to anchor the arts and culture more firmly in education, I intend to consult the State Secretary for Education about establishing an official framework. We aim to work with the Primary Education Council and local administrators on a long-term plan for cultural education. We are making the necessary arrangements with regard to time, money and facilities. At the end of the present year, the SLO (the national expertise centre for curriculum development) will have completed the cultural education pathway for primary education. This learning pathway – part of the policy that my predecessors initiated in the Cultural Education with Quality Programme – will identify the characteristics of a solid cultural education and what cultural institutions can contribute.
Cultural Education with Quality The Cultural Education with Quality Programme gives schools and cultural institutions a firmer footing in cultural education. The most important measures are: to construct a cultural education learning pathway, to encourage continuing education, and to ask the Education Inspectorate to report on cultural education in 2015. The Ministry works closely with the municipal and provincial authorities on this programme. A sum of € 10.90 is available for each primary school pupil from the ‘Performance Box’ budget. I will continue the measures introduced within the context of the Cultural Education with Quality Programme.
23 Now you see it. How Technology and Brain Science will Transform School and Business for the 21st Century. C.N. Davidson (2012). 9 A child’s cultural education is not over when it completes primary school.24 Children and young people in secondary school must also continue to develop their artistic skills and talents and their appreciation of culture. I am therefore extending the learning pathway established in primary education to secondary schools. The subject ‘Culture and Art Appreciation' may play a role in this, and the State Secretary and I will report our views on the future of this subject before the summer recess. I will maintain the ‘Culture Pass’ for secondary school pupils and reserve the necessary funds for a ten-year period. The Culture Pass is a unique tool that has successfully acquainted pupils with the arts and culture. The pass also functions as a discount card. I am making € 4.9 million available a year, commencing with the 2013-2014 school year. This means that a basic sum of at least € 5 will be available for each pupil. Schools participate voluntarily and must contribute € 10 per pupil themselves. Schools that make this investment are exempt from paying the actual Culture Pass fee. By taking this approach – and provided all schools participate – we will be able to reach all secondary school pupils in the Netherlands.
A large number of major cultural institutions (Nederlands Dans Theater/NDT, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Mauritshuis Royal Picture Gallery and the Rijksmuseum) have developed plans to improve access for children. These initiatives make them pioneers in their sector. I support them and hope sincerely that other cultural institutions will follow their example.
The Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum and the Van Gogh Museum have joined forces in the Interfaculty Teacher Training Programmes (ILO) at the University of Amsterdam and the Amsterdam Teacher Training University for Primary Education (UPvA) to offer museum guides professional training and to improve the educational programmes at art and history museums for primary and secondary school pupils.
Extramural art education and the amateur arts Although many people at all levels of society are involved in some form of amateur arts, some groups do not participate actively in culture to the same extent. I want to lower the threshold so that every Dutch person has the opportunity to engage in art and culture, whether young or old. We may be able to learn something from our policy on sport in that respect. One good example is how talent scouting and talent development link professional and recreational sport. One possible frame of reference is the cooperation between sports organisations and cultural organisations in ‘combined appointments’,25 which ensure better coordination between intramural and extramural sports and cultural activities. We will continue supporting these combined appointments.
Research by LESI, the national expertise centre for social intervention, shows that active participation in cultural life improves the wellbeing, welfare and personal development of elderly people. I therefore intend to sign an agreement concerning the Elderly and Culture on 18 June 2013, along with the State Secretary of Health, Welfare and Sport. The agreement was initiated by
24 Cultuureducatie: leren, creëren, inspireren! Advies. Onderwijsraad and Raad voor Cultuur (2012). 25 This is a scheme run by the national and local governments in which staff have a part-time position in teaching and a part-time position in the culture or sports sector. 10 the charitable trust for the elderly RCOAK Foundation and the Sluyterman van Loo Fund,26 the VSB Fund, the National Expertise Institute for Cultural Education and Amateur Arts, the Cultural Participation Fund, and the Association of Dutch Volunteer Organisations (VON). These parties will implement a four-year programme entitled ‘Long Live Art’ meant to encourage cultural institutions to organise events and activities better suited to elderly people, so that they too can continue their artistic and cultural development. The funds support projects that take the specific wishes of the elderly into account, for example the starting time of a performance, physical access and transport. This will help remove barriers for elderly persons who are no longer able to participate in cultural life.
Many people are concerned that local governments are slashing their budgets for music schools and arts centres. A study commissioned by my Ministry confirms that many local councils are economising on extramural art education or funding programmes and facilities in some other manner.27 The Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP) has also identified changes in the way people engage in recreational arts. Tastes and manners are much more relaxed than they used to be and customers are making more demands on the activities and events offered; regular programmes will have to be replaced by flexible organisational forms and more casual formats; and recreational art will need to vie with other pursuits in people’s busy lives.28 It is important for us to know what facilities are crucial to enabling active participation in culture, for example in the area of talent development or support for amateurs. Local authorities can then make well-grounded decisions about their expenditure. I will join with the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) in asking the Council for Culture to identify what facilities are important for active participation in culture, in light of the changes described above.
2 Talent development Investing in talent development means investing in our society. Professional-grade talent does not always develop on its own. Although some people are self-taught and manage to find their way on their own, most of us need a receptive environment of parents, teachers and professionals to help us discover and develop our talents. Talent cannot blossom and reach maturity without training and education. That is why we need to pay special attention to our approach to talent development. Once again, I see clear parallels with the sports sector: we need to pay close attention to both the recreational side and the professional side. Accessibility and quality are not opposites. In fact, they reinforce each other.
The national government has an important role to play in talent development in the culture sector. That role begins with a broad foundation of cultural education in primary and secondary education.
26 The RCOAK Foundation is a charitable trust located in Amsterdam. The Sluyterman van Loo Fund supports a good quality of life for vulnerable elderly people in the Netherlands and the Caribbean area of the Kingdom. 27 Bezuinigingen van gemeenten en provincies op kunst en cultuur. DSP (2011). Cebeon was commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science to update this study; the results will be reported at the Cultuur in Beeld 2013 conference. In addition, LKCA and bureau Veldkamp are conducting a survey of the amateur arts for the Ministry covering the years 2013 to 2015. Both studies will be available in the autumn. 28 Toekomstverkenning Kunstbeoefening. SCP (2010). 11 Those wishing to pursue a professional career in the culture sector generally follow the path of vocational secondary school (for example to train as a lighting or sound engineer) and higher professional arts education (for example to train as a dancer, filmmaker, or designer). The cultural funds are crucial to post-graduate talent development. They administer a broad range of schemes and measures to encourage novice and established artists and culture-makers. For those who have already established themselves in their field, there are also Master’s programmes in the arts and post-graduate institutions such as the National Academy of Fine Arts (RABK)/Studios in Amsterdam and the Jan van Eyck Academy in Maastricht. Starting in 2013, the large performing arts centres that are included in the Basic Infrastructure, the national orchestras, and dance, opera and theatre companies will play a bigger role in talent development, similar to the part large companies play in the business sector.
It became clear to me during my working visits and meetings with representatives in the field that many people in the culture sector are worried about the impact of the economic crisis and austerity measures on talent development and the careers of talented performers and artists. Talent development, which is so indispensable for the future, is a vulnerable factor. I wish to initiate a number of programmes through the cultural funds to promote and track the progress and development of talented individuals. These programmes will be funded from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science’s earmarked reserves for the cultural funds.
Creative talent in relation to other sectors of society I wish to boost the relationship between culture and other sectors of society and will therefore ask the cultural funds to develop a joint programme. There are many good examples of initiatives that link talent development to issues outside the culture sector. One is the Creative Industries Fund NL and its programmes, for example concerning urban transformation or architecture for residential care and education. Based on lessons learned in these programmes, I support a culture-wide approach that allows a variety of artistic disciplines to reinforce their connections with other societal domains. In doing so, I am also forging more links between the arts and the creative industry.29
Talent development in an international context Until recently, Europe and the United States were the primary source of artistic innovation. Today, however, emerging economies in Asia, South America and elsewhere are increasingly important innovation hotspots in the arts and culture. This shift is giving us a different perspective on Western art, including Dutch art. It is important to view talent development in the Netherlands within that context and to align ourselves with what is happening in the world around us.
The Dutch economy and the Dutch culture sector are both international in outlook. Companies, professionals and students need to key into that international perspective, but to do that, talented Dutch artists and performers must be able to compete with the international top. That takes
29 As argued by leading representatives of the creative industry [Topteam Creatieve Industrie] in their advisory report Creatieve industrie in topvorm (2011) and by Rinnooy Kan in the publication ‘Topsector creatieve industrie niet compleet als de kunsten er geen deel van uitmaken’. In: Financieel Dagblad, 9 Feburary 2013. 12 outstanding quality, but also the skills and competences that matter in an international context. I will therefore be asking the cultural funds to develop a programme for talent development in an international context.
Post-graduate institutions for the fine arts The Mondriaan Fund awards grants that allow artists to refine their talent in the Netherlands or abroad. The Fund has made grant-related arrangements with a number of post-graduate institutions for 2013 and 2014. The relevant students were selected jointly by the post-graduate institutions and the Fund. After evaluation, I intend to continue this partnership in 2015 and 2015. In addition, the provision for unrestricted demand-driven grants will be continued at the Mondriaan Fund.
Entrepreneurship and cultural talent My approach to talent development in entrepreneurship is once again to encourage greater depth and broader scope. My predecessor in office set up the Culture Entrepreneurship Programme, which focuses on leadership, patronage, and support for creative professionals and individual culture-makers.
The changes taking place in the culture sector are making demands on its leadership. I wish to invest in the quality of that leadership because I believe that by doing so, I am investing in the future of the Dutch culture sector. The procurement procedure for the Leadership in Culture Programme has been completed. The programme will be carried out by Utrecht University (School of Governance) and Kennisland in cooperation with HKU, Utrecht School of the Arts and Coaching in de Cultuur. There will be four courses. Sector organisations and public funding bodies will provide the necessary information.
The procurement procedure for the financing and fund-raising coach will commence in July. The purpose of the coach is to help institutions and individual culture-makers acquire gifts and build relationships with sponsors. The coach will help implement specific projects and assist institutions and culture-makers in analysing their problems, drawing up an action plan, and implementing it. The priority will be to teach them the necessary competencies. The information and expertise that we obtain throughout these procedures will be made available to the entire sector via the website www.daargeefjeom.nl, which therefore also serves as a platform for the donation campaign.
The culture sector and the creative industry have numerous own-account workers and small companies. At least 87% of all creative businesses in the Netherlands employ fewer than five people. The creative sector is flexible and operates on the basis of ever-changing networks. It is often regarded as a testing zone and forerunner of the new economy.30 This status also has its weaknesses, however, particularly in periods of economic crisis. Creative professionals and culture- makers need to possess specific expertise and sources of financing. My Ministry is offering them
30 Creatieve industrie in topvorm. Topteam Creatieve Industrie (2011). 13 low-threshold support by subsidising the Cultuur-Ondernemen Foundation. On the one hand, this foundation gathers information on entrepreneurship and passes it on to its clients. On the other, it supports the sector with a number of financial instruments, such as micro-credits and cultural loans in cooperation with Triodos Bank.
Match between professional arts education and the labour market In 2011, the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences [Vereniging Hogescholen] drew up a sector plan for professional arts education. The purpose of the plan is to improve the match between education and the labour market in terms of both quality and quantity. Part of the plan involves universities of applied sciences revising their programme profiles based on the updated professional profiles. I have asked the Culture Federation [Federatie Cultuur] to work with the universities of applied sciences on this. Finally, in its memorandum Macrodoelmatigheid mbo [Macro-efficiency in VET], the Government has described how a better match can be achieved between vocational education and the labour market and also how to create more cohesion in a fragmentary vocational education and training sector.31
Art restoration programmes When I visited the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, I was felt inspired by the skilled workmanship and passion of the craftspeople who had worked on the building’s restoration. Many people are concerned about the survival of traditional crafts, such as roofers and smiths, and the degree of appreciation they are shown.32 The former Government Adviser for Cultural Heritage made various recommendations in this regard in his advisory report Aandacht voor Restauratieambachten [Focus on the Restoration Trades]. I will provide financial support for the Restoration Training projects, in which young construction workers are trained in restoration work, until 2017. I will also investigate how I can support cooperation in the restoration sector and encourage greater appreciation for its work. Last year, the Netherlands signed the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. One of the priorities of the Convention is to keep alive the knowledge and skills required to produce traditional crafts. I am extending funding to support intangible cultural heritage in the Netherlands. My focus this year is specifically on traditional craftsmanship. I intend to prepare a nomination for inscription in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
3 Creative industry Creativity and innovation are essential for the growth of our knowledge society. The creative industry33 is excellently placed to link these ingredients to technology and innovation, and to design new applications that are useful in such areas as healthcare, infrastructure or the automotive industry. In that sense, it contributes to the Netherlands’ economic growth and to the resolution of social issues. In order to exploit the power of the creative industry to our advantage, we need to
31 Parliamentary document, session 2012-2013, 31254, no. 166. 32 The Social and Economic Council will issue an advisory report on the skilled trades before the summer. 33 The creative industry consists of creative business services, media and entertainment, and the arts. 14 get the education sector, knowledge institutions and the authorities working with the creative industry.
In its new business policy, the Government has identified the Creative Industry as one of the Netherlands’ key economic sectors. The aim is for that sector to turn the Netherlands into the most creative economy of Europe by 2020. I will continue working with the Minister for Economic Affairs on supporting and promoting the key economic sectors policy for the creative industry.
Sustainable carpeting for aircraft KLM’s new airplanes are being refurbished with sustainable carpeting and upholstery. The carpet was developed by Desso in partnership with the design studio of well-known Dutch designer Hella Jongerius. The project is part of Desso's special 'Take Back™' programme, in which old carpet is recycled into new carpeting and upholstery, and, in other cases, as a secondary fuel and raw material in the cement industry.
CrowdAboutNow CrowdAboutNow are crowdfunding specialists who help small companies find financing in their own networks. They make it possible for customers, local residents, business partners, fans, friends and relatives to invest small sums in a company. The investors can extend credit on favourable conditions and the company can make optimum use of its own network. Those who have the most to gain from the company’s success become its investors. CrowdAboutNow works closely with banks. Crowdfunding can encourage banks to also extend smaller and higher risk loans.
Give a freelancer as a gift JO Cadeau is a good example of an idea that got off the ground with CrowdAboutNow’s assistance. JO Cadeau is a gift website where customers can order a freelancer’s services as a gift. The services range from music lessons to designs, and from odd jobs to guided city tours. The initiators set up the site to boost the local economy and to support freelancers.
Fashion District, Arnhem Arnhem’s fashion district – which has dedicated housing and studios, production facilities and shops – offers a good example of how an all-round approach has transformed an underprivileged neighbourhood into a desirable residential, office and commercial district with a national and international appeal.
In keeping with my responsibility for education and the arts and culture, I am emphasising the firm relationship between cultural policy and the creative industry, the development of creative skills in education, and applied and practical research. Within this context, I have special points that I wish to highlight in my policy on the creative industry.
15 Linking culture and the creative industry In order to reinforce the ties between culture and the creative industry, the separate areas of talent development, knowledge generation and knowledge-sharing in architecture, design and new media have been united in the Creative Industries Fund NL. The fund's tasks include encouraging cross-sector collaboration, promoting good commissioning practices and increasing public awareness. The fund has also been commissioned by my Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to implement the follow-up to the DutchDFA (Design Fashion Architecture) Programme. The Creative Industries Internationalisation Programme is meant to boost the position of Dutch architecture, design and e-culture in the international marketplace and to improve their social and economic relevance. Another initiative is the launch of The New Institute, which will act as an expertise platform for the same disciplines in their communication with professionals, students, the authorities, companies and the general public. The New Institute’s task is to encourage interaction between the disciplines by means of debates, presentations and other events. The Creative Industries Fund NL and the New Institute work together and are complementary.
Education Human capital is the key to making the Netherlands the most creative economy of Europe by 2020. Children start to develop their creative skills at a young age during art and culture lessons in primary and secondary school. In their ‘human capital’ agenda, leading representatives of the creative industry (the ‘Topteam Creatieve Industrie’) indicate that collaboration in vocational and higher professional education is essential to the development of creative skills. The creative industry also needs talented individuals who are capable of building bridges from their industry to other sectors in order to design new cross-over products. Educational institutions can key into this demand by helping to build such bridges, in collaboration with businesses. The creative industry would benefit enormously if the programme profiles in secondary education were aligned with the demand for innovation, creative thinking, demand-driven design and other skills in continuing education.
The value of culture and creativity was also confirmed in the Technology Pact that was recently concluded by the Government, industry and education.34 In line with the recommendations of leading creative industry representatives, the Technology Pact takes a broad approach to technology. It is vitally important to all the various subsectors of the creative industry that businesses are able to employ and retain skilled professionals. I believe that the Technology Pact supports and supplements the creative industry’s ‘human capital agenda’.
With regard to senior general secondary and pre-university education, I will communicate the creative industry’s wishes to the SLO. Their job is to indicate whether the current courses and subjects are up to date. The pre-vocational education sector is currently undergoing a major overhaul in terms of vocational subjects. I wish to consult representatives of the field about what
34 The National Technology Pact 2020 (www.techniekpact.nl). 16 is needed for creative subjects. I plan to help businesses and Regional Education Centres (ROCs) find the necessary funds to set up a Centre for Innovative Workmanship for the creative industry.
Research An effective research agenda – one that is developed jointly by knowledge institutions, the creative industry, civil society and other key economic sectors – is vital to innovation within and beyond the creative sector. I consider the international THNK programme for creative leadership and the Creative Industries Scientific Programme (CRISP) as good examples of partnership between businesses, universities and designers.35 Tangible products include clever, sustainable applications for textiles, robotics, and game elements in the care sector that help motivate and stimulate patients. The results of CRISP will be carried forward by CLICKNL, the top network for knowledge and innovation in the creative industry, which has been charged with implementing the industry’s knowledge and innovation agenda.
Following on from this, I will emphasise practice-based research in higher professional education. I recently made extra funding available for this purpose (rising to € 13 million per annum). This money will added to the funds available in the RAAK funding scheme (Regional Action and Attention for Knowledge Innovation),36 which will be allocated by a new coordinating body operating within the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). I believe this will help satisfy the huge demand in higher professional education, small and medium-sized enterprises and the public sector for more practice-based research. I trust that there will be special emphasis on the creative sector when these funds are allocated. Practice-based research is often the only link between the many small businesses in the creative sector and the knowledge sector, and it is this type of research that can generate cross-overs with other sectors.
Film summit Following the recent Film Summit, I will continue my dialogue with the film sector. I will also consider how the sector, as part of the creative industry (a key economic sector), can make better use of existing economic incentive measures and how the key economic sectors policy can help it achieve its ambitions.37
Access to financing There are a growing number of public and private initiatives focusing on creative start-up companies and on entrepreneurship. They require venture capital. Alternative forms of financing are emerging that the creative industry can put to good use. Leading representatives of the creative industry are working to improve access to financing. I am interested in how they are
35 CRISP was started by my predecessor in office in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs, NWO, the universities of technology, Design Academy Eindhoven and private parties. The Ministry will contribute the sum of € 10 million over a four-year period. 36 Funds made available by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science for the RAAK Programme (Regional Attention and Action in Knowledge Circulation). 37 Parliamentary document, session 2012-2013, 32820, no. 75. 17 tackling the subject of financing and wish to continue discussing this subject with the sector and the Minister of Economic Affairs.
4 Digitisation Our growing access to digital information is culturally enriching. It allows us to enjoy and work with forms of artistic and cultural expression at times that suit us best. Thanks to digitisation, more people are exposed to and make use of art and culture. Examples include museums, archives and libraries that put their collections online, performances that are streamed live, or apps based on open-access cultural data.
Digitisation is impacting the markets for cultural products. Although those markets are growing along with access to them, it is no longer possible to capitalise on that growth in old, familiar ways. Those who produce and sell physical media (books, newspapers, CDs) are losing ground to ‘substitute’ media. These trends demand new revenue models, marketing strategies and modes of cooperation.
Digitisation leads to new forms of collaboration. A good example is the photographs that the National Archives of the Netherlands has placed online. Visitors to the website are able to comment on the image labels. Since 2004, the Archives have received 8000 comments with additional information or corrections. Visitors have added key words to almost 90% of the 1717 photographs that the Archives placed on Flickr.
I believe that the growing use of digital tools in the culture sector makes it possible to boost quality and public outreach, increase the extent to which forms of artistic and cultural expression are used, and improve the sector’s productivity. I believe that we now face three challenges in that respect: we need to digitise content (archives, books, museum collections, audiovisual material, etc.), ensure its long-term preservation and make it accessible to the public; we need to improve the culture sector’s ability to deal competently with digital content, and with ICT as such; we need to improve connectivity between the data, people and networks required to utilise digital information more efficiently.
Heritage institutions and libraries are already making enormous efforts to digitise their materials. Examples include a major digitisation programme for audiovisual materials (Images for the Future), collaboration between the National Library and Google on digitising books published before 1870, and the digitisation and online availability of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.
I believe it is important for cultural content to be digitally accessible and available for use by the public, researchers, creative businesses and cultural institutions. That means improving the networks that make digital sources available, including their technical infrastructure and the relevant technical standards as well as collaboration between institutions. My predecessor in office
18 submitted various proposals to improve digital access within the scope of his archives and library policy.38 There are also numerous initiatives in the audiovisual, museum and research sectors. In an effort to promote digital access to cultural content, I have taken steps to cooperate more closely with the National Archives of the Netherlands, the Cultural Heritage Agency, the National Library, the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision, Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS), Digital Heritage Netherlands (DEN), and other heritage institutions.
Good digital content can make physical facilities such as museums, libraries, archives and other cultural institutions more meaningful and appealing, and vice versa. It is precisely the interaction between the two that is so important. I am therefore preparing a bill governing collaboration and coordination between the national digital library and physical library facilities. I have asked the Council for Culture to advise on the bill and hope to submit it to the House in the autumn.
When digitised, works of art and heritage items can be a wonderful educational resource that should be put to better use, whether or not within the realm of cultural education. The State Secretary for Education and I plan to promote the use of digital cultural material in primary and secondary education within the context of the ICT breakthrough project Digital Educational Resources.39
The information society requires us to develop new competencies. In addition to ICT skills, these include critical thinking, the ability to evaluate and use media, and creativity. I believe that culture and media can play a bigger role in helping us develop these crucial competencies, including through the channel of education. Media shrewdness merits a place in primary and secondary school curriculums. It is important that schools and teachers are properly trained and equipped to handle this subject and cultural institutions can make a valuable contribution in that regard. In order to give schools and teachers sufficient leeway, we should consider this issue in the broader framework of the curriculum and teachers’ continuing professional development. The State Secretary and I will be reviewing this.
5. Public dialogue I am adding a fifth measure to this series of action points as emphasis. I regard this memorandum as the start of a genuine dialogue about culture. That dialogue should focus on the value of culture for society and the legitimacy of cultural policy. It should also concern the relationship between the culture sector, the public, and those who participate in cultural life. The involvement of volunteers, amateurs and the public is often neglected in the interaction between culture, care, nature and education. I will ask the cultural funds to collect examples of such involvement and to highlight and support them. I am also interested in an initiative by the Performing Arts Fund NL to develop new accountability methods. The fund is road-
38 Parliamentary document, session 2011-2012, 28330, no. 51. Parliamentary document, session 2010-2011, 26643, no. 187. 39 The coalition agreement identifies the goal of ten ICT breakthrough projects. These projects focus on using ICT to accelerate economic growth and tackle problems in society. 19 testing its new approach at twenty institutions that it subsidises. The impact of an institution’s artistic efforts is measured by such factors as the level of participation by the public, artists, funding bodies and other stakeholders.
I want to make the relationship between cultural trends and social and scientific trends more explicit. Public debate should be more open to the perspective and meaning of culture. The old connection between science and culture has been diluted, but the two domains have much to offer each other. That is why I will be discussing the launch of a new programme with the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. I will ask the Academy to involve the Boekman Foundation in this project. Other potential partners are the Council for Culture and the Culture Federation. The Academy has already taken the first step with its proposal to set up an Academy of Arts. I expect profound self-examination, argumentation and contributions to the public debate on the value and meaning of culture. I would also like to ask others – specifically those operating outside the culture sector – to express their views on the meaning of art and culture. This will give me a better idea of what people expect of the culture sector and the way in which culture and creativity can help tackle the issues society is facing today.
C. System The current funding period, which runs from 2013 to 2016, has introduced major changes in the Dutch culture system. The basic infrastructure for culture – i.e. the sum total of cultural institutions subsidised directly by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science – has shrunk considerably in size, and the division of responsibilities between the cultural funds and government has also changed. My meetings up and down the country made clear that the municipal and provincial authorities and parties in the sector itself still have many unanswered questions. I have been asked to look more closely at the ‘blind spots’, meaning those activities and institutions that are not or no longer being subsidised as part of the Basic Infrastructure. There are also questions concerning the way the overall funding system operates, as it now focuses on maximum advancement and on changing cultural institutions and organisations. I would like to make the system less complex than it now is. For example, I believe that we can streamline the funding application process considerably, as well as coordination between the national authorities and other tiers of government. We need to revise the way we cooperate with local government. I believe that government cultural policy would be more meaningful if it were more closely coordinated with local, regional and national policy. The larger municipalities and the Association of Netherlands Municipalities agree with me in that regard. The advisory system can also be streamlined and better coordinated, leading to a simpler administrative system. I would also like to look more closely at how cultural institutions perform and what their value is for society. It is important to take that performance into account in assessing them. In my policy memorandum on museums, I list a number of specific points that merit our attention, for example cooperation, education, and outreach to new target groups. I would like to explore how best to proceed with these objectives for the entire Basic Infrastructure. I also intend taking the results of a broad evaluation into account and will consider how best to reach agreements with other authorities
20 in this respect. During my working visits, I was also asked to consider altering existing funding eligibility criteria in the light of such trends as crowdfunding and the growing input by private funding bodies.
A number of studies are under way into the structure of the national government, and these could well have an impact on the structure of the culture system. In its Coalition Agreement, the Government announced that it would be considering the usefulness and necessity of various autonomous administrative authorities (ZBOs). We will also be looking more closely at the various advisory systems. After the summer recess, I will submit a memorandum concerning the consequences of the above-mentioned trends for the structure of the arts and culture sector in the 2017-2020 funding period.
D. Allocation of budget to cover friction costs Pursuant to my undertaking to the House, I will explain how I intend to allocation the budget covering friction costs.
Allocation of budget covering friction costs Following passage of the Werf-Bosma motion, the budget covering friction costs comes to € 138 million40 (Parliamentary year 2010-2011, 32820 VIII, no. 16). The table below shows how the budget has been allocated. Friction costs Total (all amounts in millions of euros) 138
Allocated from budget covering friction costs: Friction costs resulting from cancellations of/reductions in funding 89.1
B3 institutions and former BIS institutions 77.2 Cultural funds 7.7 amount destined for institutions subsidised by the funds 6.4 amount destined for the cultural funds themselves 1.3 Museum objection procedures 4.2
Motions submitted by the House 11.0 Ancillary labour market policy 7.5 Metropole Orchestra 3.5
Culture pass 37.9 Culture pass starting in 2013-2014 school year 37.9 (ten-year agreement)
Balance 0.0
B3 institutions, cultural funds and other institutions
40 Parliamentary document, session 2010-2011, 32820 VIII, no. 16. 21 Most of the budget covering friction costs has been allocated to B3 institutions (specifically orchestras and opera companies) and paid out in 2012. These institutions are receiving what seems, at first glance, to be a large sum of money because they have had to absorb a relatively large share of the budget cuts; they are also obliged to pay any unemployment benefits awarded to former employees by the Social Security Agency (UWV) and cover the supplementary and follow-up benefits. If the collective agreement covering the employment relationship between the B3 institution and the employee also provides for a supplementary unemployment benefit, the institution has no recourse to the Social Security Agency for that particular part of the benefit. In addition to the B3 institutions, there are allocations made to former BIS institutions that are paid via the Cultural Participation Fund and to other non-B3 institutions in the BIS. Finally, the cultural funds have received funding to cover the friction costs at their 'own' institutions, and a small portion of the budget was also allocated to them to cover such internal friction costs.
Museum objection procedures As a result of various objection procedures, the building budgets for a number of museums have been adjusted.
Culture pass We propose using the remainder of the budget for friction costs (€ 37.9 million) to cover the culture pass for several more years. We will supplement this amount by drawing on funds reserved in the culture budget. Altogether this means that we will be spending almost € 50 million (the total sum for a ten-year period) on the ‘new’ culture pass.
Motions submitted by the House: Ancillary labour market policy and Metropole Orchestra Ancillary labour market policy: This refers to the motion submitted by Representatives Klijnsma and Peters (House of Representatives, 2011-2012, 33 000 VIII, no. 33) requesting ‘assistance in setting up a mobility centre for potential unemployed persons in the culture sector, analogous to the mobility centres in other sectors during the financial crisis’.
Metropole Orchestra: This refers to the motion submitted by Representatives Van Dam and Huizing (House of Representatives, 2012-2013, 33 400 VIII, no. 103). Lump-sum coverage will be drawn from the funding that become available from the budget covering friction costs.
Earmarked funds covering subsidised institutions The institutions subsidised by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science often have an earmarked fund on the balance sheet. This is money left over if they do not spend their entire subsidy. They may in fact need a fund of this kind to weather seasonal fluctuations. If they operate at a profit, they deposit a sum into this earmarked fund every year. Once I have finalised the subsidies for the 2009-2012 period, I will notify the institutions of my decision concerning sums held in the Ministry’s earmarked fund. My decision will be that the institutions may use this sum for activities that will be continued after 2012. Institutions that have a sum built up in the Ministry’s
22 earmarked fund will have a bigger financial cushion, making them better able to absorb the impact of the austerity measures and the economic crisis.
23 Appendix 1: List of the Minister’s working visits* and round table meetings (March-May 2013)
East 25 March Visit to Loevestein Castle, Poederoijen: Round table meeting with the Gelderland Heritage cooperative 3 April Visit to Arnhem Fashion district Signing of 2013-2016 agreement on culture with public officials from the East Region Netherlands Open Air Museum: Round table meeting on heritage education
West 24 April Visit to Leiden: Round table meeting at the National Museum of Antiquities (RMO) on the role of museums in research Round table meeting at the National Museum of Ethnology (RMV) about collections
South 7 April Visit to Tilburg: Textile Museum and De Pont Museum 18 April Visit to ‘s-Hertogenbosch: Dutch Restoration Fair 2013 6 May Visit to Eindhoven: Van Abbe Museum: Signing of the 2013-2016 agreement on culture with public officials from Noord-Brabant, South Region Visit to Maastricht: Jan van Eyck Academy and Centre Céramique Signing of the 2013-2016 agreement on culture with public officials from Limburg, South Region Opera Zuid / Southern Netherlands Philharmonic Bonnefanten Museum 22 May Visit to ‘s-Hertogenbosch: Presentation of 'The Cultural Filing Cabinet’ project Central 15 May Visit to Utrecht: The Utrecht Archives HKU, Utrecht School of the Arts Signing of the 2013-2016 agreement on culture with public officials from the Central Region Conference Kunst Versterkt on the social value of active participation in culture Round table meeting on archaeology at Museum Catharijneconvent 24 CrowdAboutNow (Dutch crowdfunding platform) Kytopia (musical collective)
Amsterdam 4 April Round table meeting on cooperation between museums Signing of the 2013-2016 agreement on culture with the City of Amsterdam’s executive councillor Gehrels Visit to the House of Literature, home of the Dutch Foundation for Literature, Stichting Schrijvers School Samenleving, Stichting Lezen UNStudio 10 April Meeting with Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Meeting with the Culture Federation, Federatie Dutch Creative Industries and Kunsten`92, Association for Art, Culture and Heritage 20 April Amsterdam Public library
The Hague 10 April Meeting with the Association of Netherlands Provinces and the Association of Netherlands Municipalities Meetings with the Association of State-funded Museums (VRM) and Netherlands Museums Association (NMV) 11 April Film Summit 7 May Round table meeting on extramural arts education Signing of the 2013-2016 agreement on culture with the City of The Hague’s executive councillor De Jong June General meeting with House of Representatives about popular music
Rotterdam 25 April Witte de With, Showroom MAMA, TENT: Round table meeting on cultural education Signing of the 2013-2016 agreement on culture with the City of Rotterdam’s executive councillor Laan
* A scheduled visit to the North Region unfortunately had to be cancelled. Visit and signing of the 2013-2016 agreement on culture will take place later this year.
25