Bruins Letterbox

Lobbying season has begun. Today, two letters to our taciturn culture minister, who is trying so hard not to talk about art during this protracted government term.

Dance sector

Letter 1 is from the Dutch dance sector asking for more calm in the tent, and more attention to the specific problems of the dance world. Nice is the attention they ask for the whole chain, from school, through amateurs to the often short professional career. And, like many others, the dance people also advocate a more flexible subsidy system:

"Grants from the National Funds and the Basic Infrastructure could better match the often non-linear careers of dance artists by giving them the option to apply for 2, 4, 6 or 8 years. It would be good if grant opportunities matched the way a dance career develops rather than the career having to conform to the grant landscape."

Companies and creators should also be removed from the system less rigorously:

"Guarantee the position of mid-career makers in the dance system. They are essential for a vital dance landscape. They contribute to sustainable artistic development and connect generations. Precisely this group was hit hard in the subsidy awards for 2025-2028: many lost their subsidy, even though intensive investments had been made in them in recent years. Not securing their position now risks capital destruction. These creators are a powerful link to the national dance infrastructure and potential clusters and have a key role in deepening and growing the field."

Europe

Dutch governments have preferred not to take free money from europe since we became a right-wing country. That has been the story since Rutte 1:

Now support for Dutch art from Europe is threatening again, and to get ahead of any wavering from The Hague, Kunsten '92 is sending a European letter to Bruins. A strong piece, we find here:

"We appreciate your stance at the OJCS Council in Warsaw last April as well as your signature on the joint letter of European culture ministers in support of strengthening the cultural and creative sector through the Creative Europe programme2.
In your discussions on the Culture Compass strategy and the MFF, a valuable blueprint is at hand: namely, the principles that we, as the European cultural sector, have drawn up together with Culture Action Europe - the European network of cultural organisations of which Kunsten '92 is an active member. These are the principles 'Ask, Pay and Trust the Artist'. These principles stand for:

• QUESTION us for leadership: Artists and culture professionals should be part of any European policy discussion so that their creativity and innovative approaches are part of conversations and solutions.
• PAY us fairly: Ensure normal working conditions and fair payment in general and for the use of intellectual property in particular. Invest in culture. Invest in culture = Invest in a resilient Europe.
• Rely on our expertise: Embrace the unpredictability of the arts - we deliver results even when it doesn't fit within all the frameworks."