"LKCA only partially meets the first condition: providing insight into the activities to be undertaken for the grant period 2025-2028. The requested planning and budget are missing. The addendum gives a picture of which activities will be divested, but only partly clarifies how these activities will be secured elsewhere and how the acquired knowledge will be safeguarded."
The Culture Council is snide in its opinion on the National Knowledge Centre for Cultural Education and Amateur Arts. Back in July this year, The Council made mincemeat of the application. It demanded answers to a number of pressing questions by 1 November. Should that answer not be sufficient, the Council recommended withdrawing the subsidy of just over €6 million. Now it turns out that the answer provided by the LKCA is not sufficient. However, the Council does not advise stopping the subsidy. It does suggest to the minister to keep a close eye on the matter during the next subsidy period.
90 per cent overhead
The Council's main objection is the lack of concrete implementation of the LKCA's tasks. For example, 90 per cent of its turnover goes on overhead, including wage costs. According to the Council, the advisory function the LKCA boasts of would be better placed with Boekman. That foundation was created especially for research.
The council is also critical of the fact that no new budget has been submitted. In fact, the council is proposing to put the knowledge institute under receivership: "Based on the foregoing, the council recommends that the Minister of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) thoroughly review LKCA's revised plans. It further recommends frequent and critical monitoring of the progress of LKCA's transition and the results achieved during the 2025-2028 grant period."
Low confidence
At least as hard is the Council on the Reisopera. The Enschede-based opera company found itself in serious trouble four years ago problems after Nicolas Mansfield's artistic engine stalled. As also described on this site, it was not possible to create a new face find. The company chose to continue working without a high-profile lead (Reisopera seeks new director. And an artistic colourist. - Cultural press) . The Council had already severely criticised that. That the new application still lacked a clear artistic vision was unpalatable.
Now a new artistic director has been in place since 1 September, but the council still lacks a clear vision. Also, nothing is yet known about who, what and why the Brit Sam Brown is. In terms of vision and plans: "It had expected the Reisopera - a BIS institution, claiming a substantial grant - to seize the opportunity to explain its application and make clear what difference the artistic director, who will take office on 1 September 2024, intends to make. Judging by the text before us, the council must unfortunately conclude that this did not happen: the explanation is still brief and therefore does not inspire much confidence."
Opera South
Like the LKCA, the Council urges the minister to keep a close eye on De Reisopera over the next four years. Especially also where the separation of roles between artistic and business management is concerned. The hassle at the Enschede-based company is all the more galling now that Opera Zuid's continued existence is under threat due to too low a subsidy.
In any case, it means that at least two leading institutions have their fate in their own hands until 2028, and have every reason to fear for their survival.
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