Culture brings people together, and this often starts in one's own municipality. Unfortunately, in more and more municipalities, less and less money is available for basic cultural facilities, such as the library, amateur associations and cultural centres. This affects residents' well-being and living together. It also makes a municipality less attractive as a place of business. The Culture Council's heart cry on the eve of the municipal elections is therefore: "Bring or keep the cultural basis in order for everyone, in every municipality, everywhere in the Netherlands."
The heart's cry is a document entitled: " The Cultural Base in Order. Art, Heritage and Media for all, in every municipality, everywhere in the Netherlands." The appeal is based on the council's opinions of recent years and addressed to municipalities and provinces. To underline its importance, the appeal was presented to Hein Kuiken, alderman for culture in Leeuwarden and portfolio holder for culture at the Association of Netherlands Municipalities. The handover by Kristel Baele and Stef Avezaat, chairman and member of the Council for Culture, took place at the Opus '78 Foundation, the practice building of the Pasveer Corps Leeuwarden.
The government plans to release an additional 170 million euros a year on a structural basis for culture, heritage and media. The council believes that these extra investments will bear more fruit if municipalities and provinces also remain committed to strengthening local cultural basic facilities. In many smaller municipalities, basic cultural facilities have disappeared. Or there have been gaps: in a number of municipalities, the library, for example, is in order, but musical societies are again lacking, or local media offerings. As a result, the minimum basic level of facilities is at stake and with it the connecting value of culture for society.
The council identifies a number of areas in which each municipality can invest, alone or in cooperation with neighbouring municipalities. These include amateur art, cultural education, libraries, local media and heritage. The council also points out the importance of providing physical space for local makers and keeping a focus on archaeology. "It is of course up to municipalities themselves to make choices in this regard," the council said.
Finally, the council points to the danger of a further decline in basic cultural facilities through further municipal cutbacks on culture and media, whether forced or not. Participating in culture often starts close to home, but then there must be a basic offer in one's own municipality.
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