We are politically neutral and even in the subsidy debate we try to maintain that. After all, every coin has a flip side and it is not the media's job to always and forever take sides. But now this. Mark Rutte was interviewed by Clairy Polak in Buitenhof on Sunday 16 January 2011 and they talked about culture for a minute. Rutte defended the plan for the big attack on the sector in a way we are not used to hearing from statesmen.
Unfortunately for him, his report that state secretary Halbe Zijlstra did visit theatres and concerts daily was still denied by the same state secretary in VN that week.
But we have such a feeling that no one really cares.
You may respond.
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The alleged "venues with only a handful of audiences" Rutte talks about, he performs as synonymous with subsidised and unsupported cultural Holland. A nice narrow view. Culture is who we are. Culture is our history and our future. It is our signature. Culture deserves respect. It hurts to have voted for Rutte!!!
Was Mark Rutte interviewed on 16 June 2011? (third sentence) I guess that must be 16 January.
Oops. Corrected in the meantime. Thanks!
4 billion turnover in the arts sector without giving the government headaches.
1 billion turnover in the arts sector giving the government a headache because of alleged empty halls.
1 billion for 170000 according to the cbs officially working artists that's just under 6000€ per artist on an annual basis.
You may assume that a minimum wage of 20000€ is underpaid for an academic but in the arts sector it should be possible. so there the government contributes a small third per artist.....
What does the government really want for a quality????
Surely it is right then that the halls where staff are severely underpaid are empty?
Your video is also not entirely correct, if at all. Rutte says that a total of 5 million is spent in the cultural sector (I haven't checked) and that the government takes care of about 1 million of this, which is correct according to the national budget. Furthermore, Halbe Zijlstra says he will not be present at every premiere or opening, which of course is something else than never being in a theatre. Fortunately, Clairy Polak is sharp!
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