Culture Start-up Loan available from 29 June for cultural and creative sector through Culture+Enterprise.

The Ministry of Education, Culture & Science is making €30 million available through Culture+Enterprise for the Culture Start-up Loan. This loan is part of the €300 million package of additional support for culture from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. The loan enables cultural and creative organisations to invest in the start-up of the new season. Applications for the loan can be submitted to Cultuur+Ondernemen from Monday 29 June at noon.

The Culture Start-up Loan offers organisations financial space to invest in productions, programmes, projects or products to regain income. This is needed precisely now, as the cultural and creative sector has been hit hard by the corona crisis and reserves to invest with their own funds are nil. Minister Van Engelshoven of OCW said, "The Culture Start-up Loan can contribute to the healthy operation of businesses in the cultural and creative sector. It can give just that little bit of support so they can make new performances and generate income again. And that is much needed."

It is great that the minister is releasing funds for loans within the €300 million. "For many cultural and creative organisations, borrowing is still unknown territory, while a cultural loan can be a suitable financing solution to realise artistic plans. Our practice shows that" said Titia Haaxma, director of Cultuur+Ondernemen.

About the Culture Start-up Loan

Cultural and creative organisations that generate at least 50% of their own income can claim a loan of €10,000 to a maximum of €500,000, with a maximum of two loans per organisation. The Culture Start-up Loan is provided at 1 % interest rate. Applications can be submitted from 29 June to 31 December 2020.

More information on the Culture Start-up Loan and its conditions can be found on the website www.cultuur-ondernemen.nl/cultuuropstartlening

About Culture+Enterprise

Cultuur+Ondernemen is the knowledge platform for entrepreneurship in the cultural and creative sector. Cultuur+Ondernemen supports and advises artists, creatives and cultural and creative organisations on entrepreneurship, financing and good governance. For years, Cultuur+Ondernemen has offered loans and guarantees for the cultural and creative sector through its Fund Cultuur+Financiering.