Friday, April 12, there will be a 'Film Summit' at Eye, Amsterdam. Government, producers and financiers will spend a day discussing what needs to be done to help the Dutch film industry get through the winter. This Film Summit came about at the request of the filmmakers, who hope for a Dutch version of the 'tax shelter'. Such a tax measure makes it a lot more attractive for financiers to put money into films. In Belgium, very nice Dutch films have been made for a while, such as Matterhorn. So that should be possible in the Netherlands too.
So far, so good.
Who does not appear to be invited to tomorrow's film party is the Culture Council. At least, that is what we should conclude from the letter which the council sent today to the relevant ministers Bussemaker (culture), Kamp (EZ) and Dijsselbloem (finance). In that letter, the council stresses that while it is nice to come up with plans for the film industry, it would also be a nice idea to see if something like this is not possible for the entire cultural sector. And that whole cultural sector was a bit sidelined anyway, because the Top sector policy of Rutte does speak of a creative industry, but that they have not thought of the creative industry at all in terms of art creators.
Which is indeed a bit strange.
So in lobbying, the Council was asleep a few years ago, while Rutte I thought all this up. Now comes a note indicating that they are quite willing to join the conversation again:
"As an independent advisory body, the Culture Council is happy to offer its expertise."
Actually looks a bit weird. As if the government no longer knows that there is a Council for Culture established by itself. A Council that used to make all of The Hague tremble on its foundations if even the smallest cat call was pushed under its door. This lion, who stood up for the arts, now modestly squeals that he is willing to think along for a change.
Not being invited, and then such a note. Somewhere something has gone very wrong in lobbying for the arts.
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