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ACTUAL

All about politics, policy, society and how those things relate to culture and art.

‘We zijn voor nu even klaar met Zoomen’. Holland Festival kijkt met gemengde gevoelens terug op editie 2020 (met geluid)

Ze zijn voor het eerst sinds de lockdown op 13 maart weer gedrieën op het kantoor bij elkaar. Het interview, waarin directeur Emily Ansenk, muziekprogrammeur Jochem Valkenburg en theaterprogrammeur Annemieke Keurentjes  de balans opmaken van de eerste – en hopelijk enige – online editie van ’s lands meest prestigieuze podiumkunstenfestival, vindt een dag na de afsluiting plaats. Er was geen… 

Read More "‘We zijn voor nu even klaar met Zoomen’. Holland Festival kijkt met gemengde gevoelens terug op editie 2020 (met geluid)

HOLLAND FESTIVAL 2020 CONNECTS CREATORS AND AUDIENCES IN FRAGMENTED TIMES

The Holland Festival 2020 had an exceptional year; due to the corona pandemic, it did not physically go ahead for the first time in its history. Instead, it was given an online programme as its fulfilment. Holland Festival online programme 2.0-2.0 was the 73rd edition of the festival and the second to work with an associate artist. This year, that was choreographer, director,... 

Read More "HOLLAND FESTIVAL 2020 CONNECTS CREATORS AND AUDIENCES IN FRAGMENTED TIMES

The Platform for Freelance Musicians in action

29 June is an important day for culture: the Lower House will then debate emergency support for the sector. Our message to politicians: "300 million euros of emergency support that OCW has available for the cultural sector is nowhere near enough to keep the sector afloat. Adopt the motion of PvDA, GroenLinks and SP!" In... 

Read More "The Platform for Freelance Musicians in action

#metoo and me

In the Theatererkrant, 445 theatre makers posted an open letter addressed to Toneelgroep Oostpool, calling on creators and players to stop being afraid and report abuses to https://mores.online/. Summary of the foregoing: there were several complaints of sexual harassment by Oostpool's artistic director Marcus Azzini. An investigation ensued and Azzini... 

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Improper governance? Looks like it. Holland Festival expresses justified anger at Culture Council's arbitrariness (edited to make criticism of Oerol and lobby insightful)

The Council for Culture acted in violation of all policy agreements, its own advice and rules when it reduced the subsidy for the Holland Festival by over five hundred thousand euros. The Holland Festival, which is in serious trouble as a result, is now expressing its anger in a letter that went to the Lower House today. The organisation even speaks of "improper administration": a... 

Read More "Improper governance? Looks like it. Holland Festival expresses justified anger at Culture Council's arbitrariness (edited to make criticism of Oerol and lobby insightful)

Bart Rutten: we need to keep a close eye on parents in the Miffy museum in particular

'The spontaneous breeze should be planned at least 15 minutes in advance. After all, you have to buy tickets for a block of time. When you enter our venue, you immediately see all the security measures we have taken to protect staff and visitors. There are huge screens to separate the flow of visitors. There's a chance you won't get lost in... this time. 

Read More "Bart Rutten: we need to keep a close eye on parents in the Miffy museum in particular

Oui-Ja-Yes voor meer Spielerij op de podia. Voor én- vooral nu ook- achter de schermen.

Wat is de overeenkomst tussen blokfluitiste Lucie Horsch, pianiste Nynke Eekhof, hoboïste Dorine Schoon, zanger Tim Akkerman, deze Muziekverteller en nog vele anderen. Wat bindt hen behalve de muziek? Zij doen hun mond open. Geven inzicht in het leven achter de schermen. Door van zich te laten horen in kranten (Eekhof en Akkerman), op platforms, binnen organisaties en via blogs… 

Read More "Oui-Ja-Yes voor meer Spielerij op de podia. Voor én- vooral nu ook- achter de schermen.

Of course, when it comes to institutional racism, discrimination and exclusion, these are not feelings, as you claimed this week, but facts, Mr Rutte.

Dear Prime Minister Rutte, Dear Mark, We have met before. For you one meeting out of many, so you probably won't remember. For we have nothing in common, not in terms of political colour or skin colour, not in terms of our socio-economic class, not in terms of our nest, not our gender, height and possibly other distinguishing characteristics: much NOT... 

Read More "Of course, when it comes to institutional racism, discrimination and exclusion, these are not feelings, as you claimed this week, but facts, Mr Rutte.

When art is offered at such a high level, you can also expect value to be placed on it.

First of all, I would like to thank everyone who made it possible for me to receive the Dutch Music Prize here today. Not only all the people who have helped me during the years of my trajectory and given me so much inspiration and motivation, but also everyone who has supported me from an early age in my... 

Read More "When art is offered at such a high level, you can also expect value to be placed on it.

The BIS is dead, long live the Puppets

Let's just start with the good news: De Staat is a regular fixture in the Netherlands from now on. And so we are talking about the band De Staat. Who make fantastic music videos these days. They have been promoted from a four-year grant with the Performing Arts Fund to a four-year grant according to the Cultural Basic Infrastructure (BIS). With 55 other newcomers. All weighed... 

Read More "The BIS is dead, long live the Puppets

The advice is here. What will happen in Dutch subsidised culture over the next four years?

This is the recording of the presentation: And here is the full text of the press release. Explanation follows, but we will read first. More room for innovation and culture outside the Randstad provinces 04-06-2020 | 14:00 | The Hague The Council for Culture advises giving more institutions with innovative cultural offerings and institutions from outside the Randstad provinces the chance to be on... 

Read More "The advice is here. What will happen in Dutch subsidised culture over the next four years?

One-half-metre art is an economic disaster. But it is also a godsend. Make it a lottery.

As a professional art visitor, I rarely find myself in empty halls. Premieres are always full, press viewings and vernissages too. Full is of course very cool. Although those full rooms I am in then usually cost more money than they bring in, because the tickets are free and the drinks on the house. Outside the premiere, but especially outside the premiere city, the... 

Read More "One-half-metre art is an economic disaster. But it is also a godsend. Make it a lottery.
photo by karin jonker

Minister van Engelshoven visits Brabant performing arts sector

Minister of Education, Culture and Science Ingrid van Engelshoven spoke today at the invitation of Theatre Festival Boulevard with organisations and individual creators from Brabant about the impact of COVID-19. In the presence of the culture aldermen of the major cities and the new deputy for Leisure, Culture and Sport, the impact of the virus on the performing arts sector was mapped out. AND there was... 

Read More "Minister van Engelshoven visits Brabant performing arts sector

Good news from Ollongren: 60 million for local culture

Er lijkt toch enig zicht te komen op een betere onderkenning van de noden van de culturele sector. Die sector die nu wel een steunpakket ter waarde van 300 miljoen heeft gekregen, waar van alles over te doen is. Het ministerie van OCW is alleen niet de enige die over cultuur gaat. Ook Binnenlandse Zaken heeft met cultuur te maken,… 

Read More "Good news from Ollongren: 60 million for local culture
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Rights Sector Support Fund established for creators in culture and creative industries

Creators in the cultural and creative industries affected by the Corona crisis will soon be able to appeal to the Rights Sector Support Fund. Agreement was reached on Wednesday 27 May on the establishment of the support fund, which has a budget of 10 million euros available. Members of the Authors' Union can also start appealing to the fund. Where will the support fund... 

Read More "Rights Sector Support Fund established for creators in culture and creative industries

Why should the cultural sector level out when the problem is caused by external funders?

Het artikel van Ingrid van Frankenhuyzen over de hoge beloning voor sommige directeuren in de kunstsector (Vergeet KLM en Booking: ook in de gesubsidieerde kunsten zijn de directeuren grootverdiener.), en de toelichting daarop van Wijbrand Schaap in de nieuwsbrief van het Cultureel Persbureau missen context. Waarom vind ik dat?  Salarissen binnen culturele instellingen volgen CAO’s/loonrichtlijnen die in de branches zijn… 

Read More "Why should the cultural sector level out when the problem is caused by external funders?
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Additional funds for cultural sector worked out

The coronavirus outbreak has a major impact on artists, creators and organisations in the cultural and creative field. The cabinet has therefore taken several measures, which institutions and creators in the sector can make use of. These include cabinet-wide generic measures, specific measures for the sector and an additional package of €300 million. Minister van Engelshoven: 'Despite the... 

Read More "Additional funds for cultural sector worked out

Why the art world, subsidised and commercial, must stop campaigning NOW

A few months ago, I reported via this site that Eurovision Song Contest wanted an orchestra to perform, for less than no money. The post, including follow-ups, was read just under a hundred thousand times, so can be assumed somewhat familiar. Yesterday, I received a press release from a rather expensive public relations agency, which the culture world took action on... 

Read More "Why the art world, subsidised and commercial, must stop campaigning NOW
The sneaky demolition of the National Theatre in Tirana during Corona is just the beginning

The sneaky demolition of the National Theatre during Corona: This is just the beginning.

Albania's National Theatre, recently declared a protected monument by Europa Nostra, was unexpectedly destroyed on Sunday, 17 May, after two years of protests. Early in the morning, when it was still dark, the bulldozers came. A sudden wave of policemen wearing mouth caps chased activists and artists out of the theatre and formed a cordon around the audience.... 

Read More "The sneaky demolition of the National Theatre during Corona: This is just the beginning.

'I don't see Le Guess Who happening on a grass field'. Johan Gijsen on postponement of critically acclaimed festival

'At the beginning of March we were still a bit smiley about the virus, but a week later it became clear to me that we would be in serious trouble this year.' Johan Gijsen, director and founder of the Utrecht-based festival that brings together the most surprising artists from all genres of the international music world every November, is still visibly... 

Read More "'I don't see Le Guess Who happening on a grass field'. Johan Gijsen on postponement of critically acclaimed festival

'Deploy innovation power of arts sector for recovery to 'new normal'.' Culture Council asks minister for extra space for new plans.

'The spontaneous and creative initiatives and emergency solutions devised by creators and institutions during the current lockdown show that the sector excels in innovativeness.' According to the Culture Council, the solutions already being experimented with must be made available to everyone. The Netherlands' highest cultural advisory body considers this necessary if we ever want to move forward in the... 

Read More "'Deploy innovation power of arts sector for recovery to 'new normal'.' Culture Council asks minister for extra space for new plans.

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