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Brabant

Photo: Thomas, Sacha and Jos | Edit: Guy Vording

Theatre show 'Two old ladies' by Toon Tellegen at Boulevard Theatre Festival 

Theatre collective Thomas, Sacha and Jos creates performance about universal love After years of fruitful cooperation with master storyteller Toon Tellegen and several performances based on his work, theatre collective Thomas, Sacha and Jos will perform Two Little Old Ladies at this summer's Theatre Festival Boulevard. Tellegen's book consists of 43 love stories, each starring two little old ladies. Thomas, Sacha and Jos made a... 

Read More "Theatre show 'Two old ladies' by Toon Tellegen at Boulevard Theatre Festival 

Municipalities cannot be trusted with culture money. Therefore, they should preferably get everything.

The most recent bulk of cultural rescue money was distributed to municipal councils without the obligation to actually spend that money on culture. Indeed, that so-called 'earmarking' was too cumbersome and time-consuming, according to now outgoing culture minister Ingrid van Engelshoven. (Malicious people suggest that this way Rutte and Wiebes were willing to cross the bridge, because the money would not... 

Read More "Municipalities cannot be trusted with culture money. Therefore, they should preferably get everything.

Opinion: Arts and culture are thrown out with the rubbish in Brabant

On 24 December 2020, the provincial hearing and objection committee issued an opinion to the Provincial Executive of the province of North Brabant in response to eight submitted objections. Then -only a month later- on 26-1-2021, a communication dated 26-1-2021 from the College of GS to Provincial Councils and a press release to the cultural institutions that submitted an application 2021-2024 appeared.... 

Read More "Opinion: Arts and culture are thrown out with the rubbish in Brabant

'Warm Right' keen to invest in full houses - Culture spokespersons Lower House in debate

'There is no other sector in the Netherlands that is as controlled and regulated as the cultural sector.' D66 MP Salima Belhaj sighed this towards the end of the debate organised by the assembled cultural sector lobby clubs on Monday 8 February. 'It takes an incredible amount of work, time and especially money. And the basis is distrust.' The most culture-friendly party of... 

Read More "'Warm Right' keen to invest in full houses - Culture spokespersons Lower House in debate

13 foundations and one private limited company. Controversial Brabant grant decisions raise more questions every day.

To get a subsidy in the Netherlands, you have to jump through a lot of hoops. Every farmer knows that, and so does every artist. In the cultural sector, for instance, it is important that you have a form of organisation that is controllable and approachable. You cannot have a profit motive either. That is why you can usually only apply for funding as a foundation, so you have statutes, a board and a... 

Read More "13 foundations and one private limited company. Controversial Brabant grant decisions raise more questions every day.

'Sender Boulevard': Intimate and grand. A successful exercise in getting closer.

Under the banner 'Sender Boulevard', the organisers of Theatre Festival Boulevard signed up for six weeks of live encounters in 's-Hertogenbosch. More than 40 different projects delivered an extraordinary variety of performances, performances and installations. Based on the theme 'Nader de ander' (Closer to the other), Boulevard more than ever entered into dialogue with makers and audience, which led to an intense dialogue with results.

With local rooting of subsidised art, you take the wind out of populism's sails

In recent days, tentative proposals for a new system to fund the arts in the Netherlands have appeared in various places. Tricky pieces, and so far not attesting to very much incisiveness. In Het Parool, a number of prominent figures, including Tinkebel and advertising man Kessels, think that we should think less in pigeonholes, and that, besides quality, we should also... 

Read More "With local rooting of subsidised art, you take the wind out of populism's sails

'Sender Boulevard': a small-scale summer programme of theatre and more, from the makers of Boulevard

Under the banner 'Sender Boulevard', 25 performances, performances and installations are popping up in 's-Hertogenbosch this summer, especially in the second week of August. Their shared motto is 'Approach the other'. Because after months of isolation, appropriate distance and avoidance, the desire to get [a little] closer glows. Boulevard celebrates the resilience of makers and audiences in 2020 with a programme... 

Read More "'Sender Boulevard': a small-scale summer programme of theatre and more, from the makers of Boulevard
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

Brabant is making extra cuts to festivals, cycling and fresh air, but now mentions 'culture'. How happy should the sector be with that?

The theatre seats, which served as the tractors of the arts in North Brabant on Friday 15 May 2020, have had an effect. At least, so it seems. Indeed, the province's Provincial Executive has restored the word "culture" to the budget. However, it appears to be a Pyrrhus victory, because at the same time the province is also not going to follow the agreements with the State, and... 

Read More "Brabant is making extra cuts to festivals, cycling and fresh air, but now mentions 'culture'. How happy should the sector be with that?

Alexander Plooij argues for a different approach to lobbying the cultural sector: 'The artistic should be central, not creativity.'

'When the economic interests of involved parties outweigh the interests of the cultural sector, you end up getting movements like the ones we are seeing now in Brabant. Art makes itself more important than it is, and that sets off bad blood.' We have a conversation with Alexander Plooij, entrepreneur and once active in the cultural sector as a professional trumpet player, manager of music schools and... 

Read More "Alexander Plooij argues for a different approach to lobbying the cultural sector: 'The artistic should be central, not creativity.'

The lobby has made art just a little too big. Now populism is reaping the benefits of that.

Naturally, I stand speechless along the sidelines watching Dutch art get hit by a 'perfect storm'. Two, maybe three deep depressions crossing each other at the worst possible moment, creating a surge that sinks even the strongest ships. In this case: an extremely weak minister, a cultural sector divided to the bone ... 

Read More "The lobby has made art just a little too big. Now populism is reaping the benefits of that.

Brabant FvD council cuts at least 25% (but probably 100%) on culture, and only talks about 'Leisure'

(8 May: updated to clarify that the cut is probably 100%) The new provincial government of North Brabant is still going to help the heavily corona-affected cultural sector to overcome this year's blow. Right after that, however, there will be a cut of at least 25 per cent in the total 'leisure' budget. According to the... 

Read More "Brabant FvD council cuts at least 25% (but probably 100%) on culture, and only talks about 'Leisure'

'Meat sandwich' still most popular at food festivals Festival Atlas sees festivalisation declining

De piek van de festivalisering van Nederland lijkt achter ons te liggen. Het aantal festivals is in twee jaar tijd met ruim 10% teruggelopen. Dat blijkt uit onderzoek van de Hogeschool van Amsterdam naar het festivallandschap in Nederland. Verantwoordelijk lector Harry van Vliet (Crossmedia): “De daling in het aantal muziekfestivals was al zichtbaar in 2017, maar de afname is het… 

Read More "'Meat sandwich' still most popular at food festivals Festival Atlas sees festivalisation declining

How a small riot in Eindhoven could have major consequences for all subsidies (But for now, it's just a blunder)

Dankzij een tip van een lezer zagen we dat in Eindhoven gedoe is rond subsidies. Nu gebeurt dat wel vaker, maar hier was iets speciaals aan de hand. Het Eindhovens Dagblad meldde (Blendle link €) dat de voltallige Raad van Toezicht van de Stichting Cultuur Eindhoven was opgestapt. Er was stront aan de knikker omdat, zo schrijft het ED, de… 

Read More "How a small riot in Eindhoven could have major consequences for all subsidies (But for now, it's just a blunder)

Een lugubere, ultieme daad van liefde. Joris van Casteren schrijft een prachtig boek over een man en zijn dode moeder

Waarom bewaart iemand het dode lichaam van zijn moeder in huis? In Moeders lichaam schetst Joris van Casteren een fascinerend en liefdevol portret van een man, zijn moeder en een Limburgs dorpje. ‘Heb je dat verhaal gehoord over die man met zijn dode moeder?’ vroeg zijn oud-docente journalistiek een paar jaar geleden. Nee, dat had Joris van Casteren niet. Doordat hij… 

Read More "Een lugubere, ultieme daad van liefde. Joris van Casteren schrijft een prachtig boek over een man en zijn dode moeder
M carbunaru [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

All balls to Cuijk. Why it really is a good idea for the Netherlands to have a Capital of Culture every year.

How nice it would be if Zutphen were to be Cultural Capital of the Netherlands next year, proudly representing itself and thanks to a strong impulse from its surrounding area: the province of Gelderland. They could immediately tackle the hopeless situation of the local theatre, the kids from the suburbs could also go to hip-hop in a real hall and everyone in the Netherlands would know... 

Read More "All balls to Cuijk. Why it really is a good idea for the Netherlands to have a Capital of Culture every year.

Children's music saved, but relationship between North Brabant and philharmonie zuidnederland remains 'cool'

What exactly was said remains unknown for now. That there was considerable discussion is clear. In any case, the result is clear: the Philharmonie Zuidnederland (which does not want to be written with capital letters) is back in business with the arts education projects in North Brabant. The brass band and kettle music, with which the Limburg-Brabant merger orchestra earlier announced all the little kids, together with three smaller youth theatre institutions, in... 

Read More "Children's music saved, but relationship between North Brabant and philharmonie zuidnederland remains 'cool'

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