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Baldwin Live

On Wednesday 1 August 2012, the Performing Arts Fund will announce the results of the lottery that granting arts subsidies has now become. Huge cuts are looming: companies and makers that by now seemed to be a permanent part of the Dutch arts landscape will disappear. Exactly what it will look like, we know officially so only from 12:00am Wednesday, August 1. To leak things in advance makes no sense, things are too dramatic for that.
What we do want to do is: collect responses. Of course we do that ourselves, but of the countless applicants, lucky ones and rejects, we don't have all the web addresses, or twitter and facebook accounts. Therefore: let us know what happens, your press release, cheering telegram or farewell letter we will post online in this liveblog as soon as possible. So send your reaction to:

kaalslag@cultureelpersbureau.nl

Below is the text of the liveblog we kept (last post first):

Our contribution to public broadcasting can be heard here: Radio 2

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 16.58, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Here's the contribution to NCRV on Radio 2. See if it works.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 15.57, Editors wrote:

Incidentally, the festival sector is being hit rock hard. 1TP5Calculation http://www.fondspodiumkunsten.nl/toekenningen/meerjarige_activiteitensubsidies_2013-2016/festivals/

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 15.38, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Soon I will comment on the cuts on Radio 2. 16:35. Hear it from someone else for a change.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 14.57, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Employers react furiously to grant award Fons Performing Arts:

'SLEDGEHAMMER BLOW FOR PERFORMING ARTS FIELD'

Amsterdam, 1 August 2012 - The outcome of the Performing Arts Fund is the last major intervention in the cultural system for the period 2013-2016. With this result, the full impact of the cutbacks of the outgoing Rutte government has become clear. Of the 157 theatre and dance companies and music ensembles that applied, 67 were granted full or partial subsidies. 90 institutions, often despite a positive recommendation, were not awarded grants due to a lack of budget. Many of the institutions no longer receiving grants will not be able to continue to exist. The Netherlands Association for the Performing Arts (NAPK) is very concerned about the diversity and spread of the supply and sees in this result the need for budget repair confirmed.

Within all disciplines, there has been an unprecedented clearcutting of supply. The removal of the financial basis for so many institutions represents a drastic impoverishment of the professional performing arts on offer. Onno Hoes, chairman of the NAPK board, says: "This is the final piece of the austerity operation that the caretaker government has applied to the cultural sector. Given the impact on the performing arts field, we urge that the consequences of this outcome be looked at very carefully. Where necessary for the chain in the cultural system, the diversity within the arts disciplines and the distribution across the country, the newly formed coalition must work hard to safeguard supply that is now at risk of being lost. To this end, the Performing Arts Fund should be given an additional budget. What is gone once, we will never get back. Not only is this dramatic for the institutions, ultimately the public is also duped. "

NAPK appreciates the critical-positive tone of the Performing Arts Fund in the accompanying text to the reviews. The Fund emphasises that, despite the great damage, there is also a chance of a new balance and perspective thanks to the resilience of the sector. However, as far as NAPK is concerned, that conclusion at this stage, with so many failures, is premature and unforeseeable.

In the coming months, NAPK will work intensively with institutions that have received a subsidy rejection or sharp reduction in subsidy to support them, where necessary, in drawing up social plans and work-to-work counselling. NAPK is once again appealing to the Lower House to contribute to this financially as appropriate. The finances promised by the ministry so far are so minimal that a reasonable social plan for both the theatre and dance sectors is out of the question. In addition, NAPK urges the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science to make progress in setting up the so-called patronage desk to help small and medium-sized institutions (further) develop private fundraising.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 14.48, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

In terms of media: quite a lot of Volkskrant, 1 Green and no NRC or other public journal people in the fund's committees: http://www.fondspodiumkunsten.nl/organisatie/commissieleden_meerjarige_subsidie/ 

(Pablo Cabenda, Vincent Kouters and Annette Embrechts are contributors to the Volkskrant, Klaas Backx writes for the Groene Amsterdammer).

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 14.17, Editors wrote:

"No opera" http://www.operamagazine.nl/featured/17932/het-fonds-podiumkunsten-geen-opera/

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 14.14, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Now the rejections are also added to the 'spread map'

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=211521521836494453141.0004c6319451a20cf4eae&msa=0&ll=52.1773,5.119629&spn=2.981247,4.44397

Retrieved from Wednesday, 1/08, 14.09, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Naughty Holland cheers fact-free again. http://www.geenstijl.nl/mt/archieven/2012/08/oh_nee_nederland_raakt_cultuur.html

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 13.54, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

A little more on the system behind the 'honorarium provided sufficient budget' : Fund Performing Arts says:

The line between a (honour) and b (honour as far as the budget allows) is always drawn above the institution that can no longer be honoured in its entirety due to the lack of sufficient budget. In all disciplines, there is therefore an a-category that is fully honoured, a b-category that is eligible in principle but can no longer be honoured in view of the budget, and a c-category whose overall rating is so low that it would have to be rejected even with sufficient budget. The first application in the b-category is partly honoured until the budget runs out. Applications below that are rejected due to lack of budget.

So here lies the vague space for political lobbying. Will they nibble at xthose highest rated, or will a few million extra go into the pot, lowering the saw line a bit?

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 13.19, Editors wrote:

Have politicians actually responded yet?

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 13.18, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

M-Lab also out of grant, despite compliments fund.

M-Lab, the Amsterdam laboratory for new and innovative musical theatre, according to the advice of the Performing Arts Fund, will not receive a multi-year activity subsidy for the 2013-2016 period. The advice is positive based on the plans drawn up by M-Lab, but there is not enough budget to honour it. The Performing Arts Fund announced this today.

This grant was applied for by M-Lab to fill an essential gap in its budget that arose after the removal of multi-year support from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science's Basic Infrastructure. In addition to the grant, M-Lab is supported by a substantial contribution from the VandenEnde Foundation and a host of other sponsors.

"We are disappointed that an institution successful with audiences, critics and creators is not supported by the Performing Arts Fund We will therefore carefully study the Fund's reasoning and enter into discussions with them based on this. Furthermore, we are looking for solutions on how to still achieve our objectives. To this end, we have a number of alternative scenarios in mind. Together with the team and the board of M-Lab, we will do everything we can to continue to exist, but it is certain that we will need help from other funds, companies and individuals. For musical culture in the Netherlands, it is a great loss if musical theatre cannot develop with new small productions and new talent, in addition to fully commercial musicals. Because that is what M-Lab stands for," said Ton Fiere, general director.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 12.50, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Interesting map showing the geographical distribution of grants awarded. https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=211521521836494453141.0004c6319451a20cf4eae&msa=0&ll=53.026348,4.76532&spn=1.461956,2.221985

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 12.44, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

And then there were the 6 million from the Cultural Participation Fund to distribute. The press release: http://www.cultuurparticipatie.nl/nieuws/nieuws_en_persberichten/Fonds_voor_Cultuurparticipatie_stimuleert_talentontwikkeling/

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 12.40, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Let's see if the new hashtag works.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 12.28, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

This is the time when there are more websites about performing arts than performing arts creators can live.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 12.22, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Oerol Festival cheers 'appropriate':

Oerol received a positive decision from the Performing Arts Fund on 1 August on the festival's multi-year application. The awarded grant of €250,000 per year (the maximum requested was €300,000), thanks to additional support from the Municipality of Terschelling and Province of Friesland, ensures that the foundation of the festival organisation can continue to exist for the next four years. Oerol founder Joop Mulder; "Due to its consistently innovative character and the space it offers to new makers in an exciting landscape, Oerol has an exemplary function for festivals both at home and abroad. We are very happy with the recognition from the Performing Arts Fund. The foundation for the future has been laid; but the amount of money still means quite a bit of downsizing so we invite everyone to come and build the rest of the house with us."

From the advice : "There is no other festival in the Netherlands that focuses on the specific form of landscape theatre that Oerol has a patent on.... The committee notes that for (inter)national peers, Oerol represents an important state of the art of landscape and site-specific theatre....".

Oerol is surprised that the €50,000 innovation supplement requested for the laboratory for talent Atelier Oerol was not honoured, while the committee itself notes that "Due to the great attention young creators receive at the festival, Oerol makes a substantial contribution to talent development". Marelie van Rongen, general director of Oerol, responds, "That's a nice observation, but without funding it's an empty shell. Of course, we will look for other partners who are keen to associate themselves with innovation and tomorrow's talent. It is the breeding ground of Oerol."

Appropriate cheering

The very limited financial framework within which the Fund has had to advise due to disproportionate cuts means that many collaborative partners such as other fellow festivals, theatre companies and production houses are taking or will take big hits today. Van Rongen: "While they too have done well. The question is whether these same groups can still develop productions, let alone travel to the island. We do cheer, but appropriately."

Els Swaab responds

Els Swaab, chairman of the board of Oerol since 2012, is particularly pleased with the Fund's verdict. "Combined with the cultural entrepreneurship shown and the extensive audience, Oerol is emphatically a festival with a future. With the positive opinion of the FPK this has been confirmed, hopefully many more partners from funds to individuals and companies will follow suit."

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 12.13, Editors wrote:

We collected the tweets and facebook updates for a while. Don't know if they are so visible. Read the Storify story "Baldrige" on Storify

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 12.02, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Remarkably, a number of former production houses, such as the Toneelschuur, Korzo, BonteHond, Zeelandia, Feikes Huis, Veem and Bellevue (for playwrights), and the post-academic institution VocaalLAB are now successfully deploying their expertise as innovators and talent developers as producing institutions. Conversely, they thus ensure a good connection between artistic practice and new talent.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 12.00, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

For example, from 2013 the Fund supports relatively many youth dance and smaller theatre companies, proportionally more larger music ensembles, less text theatre, no opera and musical but rather the newer, often smaller-scale music theatre. In each of the main genres, the Fund supports one festival.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.57, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

The Fund speaks:

Almost 60% of the 118 existing fund institutions are not returning. These include many well-known and prominent names such as de Appel, het Toneel Speelt, Carver, the Nieuw Ensemble and Theatre Festival Boulevard, for example. We make no bones about it: the damage caused by the cuts is extensive.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.55, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

So this is what barrenness looks like.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.49, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

The Dancers continue

The Performing Arts Fund has not honoured De Dansers' application for multi-year activity subsidy 2013-2016. The company's board is disappointed with this decision and does not recognise its advice on artistic identity. However, the Municipality of Utrecht has embraced De Dansers' plans. With support from this important partner, De Dansers will continue to make and perform performances for young and old. The company will not abandon the 10,000 people who came to watch the dancers in 2013.

The Dancers are a close-knit group of dancers, musicians and circus performers who stand firmly for art in society. Young dogs create new performances together with experienced choreographers on an ongoing basis. With this dance work, the group travels town and country in search of fans.

Next season, De Dansers will open in their own Giant Hall in Overvecht with the Overdreven Festival. Then Café Ed Sanders, a performance between rock concert and dance performance, will go on international tour to France, Berlin and Vienna, among others. In 2013, the acrobatic piece Tetris will make almost one hundred appearances in theatres, squares and buildings throughout the country. Especially for all Utrecht 13-year-olds, De Dansers organise the festival Ik ben 13 (I am 13) in cooperation with the Treaty of Utrecht.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.49, Daniel Bertina wrote:

Actor collective Wunderbaum, last seen at the Holland Festival, may also rub their hands together. with the award of both the two-year basic grant, and the supplement. With that money, a web documentary will also be made. About Detroit again?

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.45, Daniel Bertina wrote:

Dance theatre group ISH, whom I interviewed a few days ago for Het Parool's Uitmarkt Special, are delighted. Both the application and the allowance have been granted. €1,044,000 for two years.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.37, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Wow.  http://www.fondspodiumkunsten.nl/toekenningen/meerjarige_activiteitensubsidies_2013-2016/

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.36, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

 

The fund speaks:

CULTURE CUTS ARE GIVEN FACE AND DAMAGE IS GREAT BUT RESILIENCE PERFORMING ARTS SECTOR OFFERS CHANCE FOR NEW BALANCE AND PERSPECTIVE

 

The Performing Arts Fund will provide multiannual activity grants to 80 instead of 118 institutions from 2013. Of 203 applicants, 39% will thus be honoured. Based on the assessments, almost twice as many institutions would be eligible for grants. Well-known institutions including de Appel, het Toneel Speelt, het Nieuw Ensemble and Theaterfestival Boulevard receive a positive recommendation, but cannot be honoured due to insufficient budget. Only 48 of the existing 118 fund institutions return. Seventeen of the 80 institutions honoured are new; they did not previously have a four-year grant from the Performing Arts Fund. The remaining 15 institutions were previously funded directly by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.

George Lawson: "The result has a double message. The Fund's decisions give the cultural cuts a face. The damage is immense, but the decisions, thanks to resilience of the sector, also offer a chance for a new balance and perspective. The damage to pluralism has thus not been undone, but it has been limited as much as possible.
The artistic spectrum of the performing arts undeniably becomes less richly populated due to the cuts, but attempts were made to continue to do justice to the main colours. The Fund therefore focused on performing arts forms that are not created in the commercial circuit or in the basic infrastructure. The consequences of this are that from 2013, the Fund subsidises relatively more youth dance and smaller (music) theatre companies, at least one festival from each major genre, more relatively large music ensembles, less text theatre and no opera and musical.

Sparked budget used to best effect
Institutions that were already receiving four-year grants from the Fund applied for 30% less grants on average. This is the result of capping grants and using standard amounts linked to performance. This made it possible to support more institutions with the shrunken budget (€24.5 million).

George Lawson: "The caps and standard amounts were a hard sell for many institutions, but have allowed more institutions to receive grants. The budget decline is stronger than the number of institutions at almost 40% (30%)."

Level of applications high, competition high
Competition and selection was incomparably much tougher than four years ago. The excess demand was as high in numerical terms, but due to the relatively high proportion of subsidised applicants, the average quality of applications is many times higher than four years ago. Nevertheless, there are 17 newcomers, of which 10 institutions have made the necessary flight hours with a two-year project grant from the Performing Arts Fund.

Assessment and decisions; transparent, objective and factual
Five advisory committees of the Performing Arts Fund assessed the applications by discipline: music, dance, theatre, music theatre and festivals. The assessment took place on the basis of clear criteria and a transparent points system that shows before and after how heavily each criterion counts in the assessment.
Quality was as important as ever, but the other criteria (pluralism, entrepreneurship, geographical spread and matching with other governments) carried more weight than before. This is to ensure that the choices are socially and economically sustainable, that the unique Dutch diversity of the performing arts is preserved as much as possible and that it can be seen in as large a part of our country as possible.

Vital sector
Topical, original and groundbreaking is the image of the performing arts that emerged from the applications. An important observation is that high artistic quality often goes hand in hand with good entrepreneurship. Remarkable steps forward were made in terms of audience approach, cooperation, local support, reduction of subsidy dependency and visibility in the country.
The total income of institutions consists of a smaller proportion than before of subsidies from various governments. The share of other (especially own) income increases by eight per cent. Thereby, local support for institutions grows: proportionally, the Fund will contribute less, and the municipality and province more. Institutions thus also spread their economic risk.

Henriette Post: "It is a vital sector that stands out for its artistic quality, increase in social commitment, more direct communication with the public and unconventional forms of presentation."

Decisions and opinions of the 'multi-year activity grants 2013-2016', introduction, justification and introductions by sector can be found at find here >

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.35, Editors wrote:

Youth theatre/puppetry group Gnaffel happy.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.32, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Almere is also losing Toneelgroep Suburbia, so all art is disappearing there, as the PVV wanted.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.31, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Positive reports on Jakop Ahlbohm (magic theatre), Toneelschuur productions and Adelheid Roosen.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.29, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Bad news for Arnhem, but especially for Willibrord Keesen: Keesen & Co loses subsidy.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.27, Daniel Bertina wrote:

From a French campsite, Sadettin Kirmiziyüz lets us know: "It's a fantastic feeling, but also a bit double, of course. Because many groups will also disappear. Still, it's wonderful that Troubleman has been given the opportunity to continue. The news overwhelms me a bit, but I am overjoyed and grateful..."

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.26, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Theatre Plays is also flying out. Everything is beginning to point to a rather rigorous rejuvenation of the line-up.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.23, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

ViaAnja Krans: Youth theatre Table of Five is through, also applies to Ulrike Quade. http://www.tafelvanvijf.nl/

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.19, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Drama group De Appel is out. For the second time. 'Black day'

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.18, Daniel Bertina wrote:

Good news for Sadettin Kirmiziyüz and Troubleman Foundation. Their application was granted. So again at least in 2013 and 2014 wonderful theatre about The split between Dutch and Turkish culture ...

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 11.06, Editors wrote:

In our zeal to be fast and good and cheap, something has gone wrong. The 'live blogging' - plugin we use inimitably disables the comment option on this page. We came up with the following solution: a separate comments page. Open it in a separate tab, and it can go loos.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 10.58, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Today, 25 million will be distributed, while 50 million has been requested.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 10.47, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

The decision on Incubate has now been posted online by the festival: http://issuu.com/incubate/docs/fpk_incubate

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 10.30, Editors wrote:

Corridors: Huis aan de Werf Utrecht positive. Circo Circolo negative, November Music positive.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 10.24, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Theatre festival Boulevard is out.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 10.18, Wijbrand Schaap wrote:

Festival Noorderzon is also through. With money.

Retrieved from Wednesday 1/08, 10.14, Editors wrote:

The first positive decisions are trickling in via social networks: Theatre Festival TF, Matzer. And the first tragic circumstance also already presents itself: Incubate, the progressive festival in Tilburg, is judged positively, but does not get any money because there is none. How many more such judgements come along today?

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