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Master painter Henk Helmantel honours the creation story: 'I don't have the impression that I make old-fashioned paintings. My work fits well in modern interiors.'

Museum Gouda will soon show the exhibition Faith, Harmony and Silence by master painter Henk Helmantel. In 2008, he was named artist of the year. At the same time, there are major exhibitions by Helmantel in Gorssel and in Taiwan. His paintings are characterised by a gossamer texture, careful composition and sophisticated lighting. As subjects, he often chooses still lifes and tranquil... 

Read More "Master painter Henk Helmantel honours the creation story: 'I don't have the impression that I make old-fashioned paintings. My work fits well in modern interiors.'

Utrecht rules: Make Tivoli Oudegracht the venue for the reborn Performing Arts Sector Institute

The Culture Council wants it. Everyone wants it. And Utrecht wants it too, of course. A physical sector institute, where in a corner an old PC is humming with the total digital archive of Dutch theatre, and music, of course. Plus a library. With real books, scripts, photos. In 2012, the building was divested and the memory could... 

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Fanny Mendelssohn: in the shadow of Felix

Fanny Mendelssohn (1805-1847) was the four-year older sister of Felix Mendelssohn. They both received a solid musical education, with her surpassing him in virtuosity at the piano. Her relationship with Felix was intense, but also suffocating. At his hands, Fanny Mendelssohn failed to build an independent career as a composer. To this day 

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Art Rotterdam 2018, Anne de Vries

Art Rotterdam 2018: Measures the feverish temperature of contemporary art

Is the prevailing flu wave raising the feverish temperature of contemporary art? From today, 8 February, you can come and take the temperature of the current state of contemporary art in person at a positively moody Art Rotterdam. From 8 to 11 February 2018 at the Van Nelle Fabriek in Rotterdam. It is a broad-based art fair where... 

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Publicity image Gesualdo. Photo: Sofie Knijff

At the Holland Festival, Mackenzie is opening the doors to a new avant-garde among the audience.

The neat couple next to me, in the front row at the Holland Festival press conference, hadn't counted on it for a moment. Four members of the Nederlands Kamerkoor starting to undress one by one down to their pecker-sized nakie. A giggle, a small cough, but hey, this is the Holland Festival, they said to each other. So too... 

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Marijke Muoi alone is a reason to come to Leeuwarden. Why the Netherlands should have a new Capital of Culture every year.

Bouke Oldenhof. Where was he all this time? Writing, but mostly in Frisian (which also meant he had no time to work on his website). And so you can't get through to the rest of the Netherlands. The man who won countless hearts with the unique gem 'Rolbrug'. Mine too, and... 

Read More "Marijke Muoi alone is a reason to come to Leeuwarden. Why the Netherlands should have a new Capital of Culture every year.

Playwrights and cultural exploration (2) Sophie Kassies: 'A pool of plays that don't find an audience is an erosion of the profession'

The previous cultural exploration among playwrights gives cause for further exploration. From the earlier article, we take away that further privatisation only partially captures public money and objectives. See also from elevation ideals to efficiency thinking. We also take away that a public as all-important leads to one-sided popular culture, entertainment and false competition with the free circuit. It all has very little... 

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Keith Haring, Untitled (velum), 1986. Installation 2017. Photo: Gert Jan van Rooij. Collection Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam

I call on the cultural sector of the Netherlands: put 80% of your marketing budget into cultural education.

In my work, I entice people to come into contact with art. And especially art with a big K. The art that is often marketed as 'difficult' or, in an attempt to get rid of its negative image, as 'vulnerable'. Liberal politicians would perhaps say art that 'doesn't act normal'. It is the kind of... 

Read More "I call on the cultural sector of the Netherlands: put 80% of your marketing budget into cultural education.

Why a universal basic income is necessary for the survival of the arts

A hopeful experiment has begun in Finland. In the Netherlands, too, they are trying to get something off the ground, although the government is thwarting the plans for now. Why is unclear. Because even big-capitalists like Elon Musk (Tesla) and Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) are now saying it: a Universal Basic Income (UBI) is the only way we can advance our society, and with it our civilisation... 

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In Bruges, everything that could go wrong went wrong. Painter Pieter Pourbus escaped by marrying conveniently. (And being stone-faced.)

The (in Flanders) famous portrait painter Pieter Pourbus is from Gouda. You have never heard of him. Soon you will. Museum Gouda is bringing the first Pieter Pourbus exhibition to the Netherlands from 17 February 2018 to 17 June 2018. In preparation for this, you should first visit the Groeninge Museum in Bruges. In the unabashedly burgundy World Heritage city, the exhibition Pieter Pourbus and... 

Read More "In Bruges, everything that could go wrong went wrong. Painter Pieter Pourbus escaped by marrying conveniently. (And being stone-faced.)

Our readers' list. What we should all never forget from 2017.

Well, we're not big on hypes and traditions here, but still. The dark days around Christmas are very dark this year, so why not something with lists. This year, no list of toppers from the editors, but random entries from random readers, in random, if slightly alphabetical order. Motto of the readers' question was: which things... 

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Brian Elstak wrote Tori. Finally a book for all children? Afke Bohle asked hers. The answer is surprising.

A Quattro Mani's pop-uprecent Afke Bohle takes up the challenge of reading a book with her sons. After good experiences with Suzie Ruzie and Susan van 't Hullenaar's The Green Hand series, she is now venturing into Tori, Brian Elstak's recent children's book in collaboration with author Karin Amatmoekrim, touted as: 'finally a book for all children'.... 

Read More "Brian Elstak wrote Tori. Finally a book for all children? Afke Bohle asked hers. The answer is surprising.

Save and destroy: charge against squandering cultural heritage

A Saudi prince is paying $450 million for a mediocre painting by Leonardo da Vinci; a Dutch politician is pledging a crate of beer for a new composition. In a nutshell, these two extremes capture our current dealings with culture. Total contempt on the one hand and unimaginable overvaluation on the other are two sides of the same coin. We do not judge art for its... 

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A déjà vu as fresh as an oven bun: The Hague is truffled with artworks by Jan Goeting. But you don't see them until you know

Every city in the Netherlands has artists who enjoy local fame and glory but just beyond the city limits yield only questioning looks. Take the Goeting family of painters from The Hague. They are Jan Goeting (1918-1984), his wife Catharina (1912-1987) and son Joep (1946-1986). The nice thing about this family is: every Hagenaar or Hagenees over 55 knows many works by at least Jan... 

Read More "A déjà vu as fresh as an oven bun: The Hague is truffled with artworks by Jan Goeting. But you don't see them until you know

Karim makes Ducky, the successful wooden brother of that Utrecht bunny.

Het is een regenachtige dinsdag. Op loopafstand van Utrecht Centraal, vlak achter de altijd levendige Kanaalstraat in de wijk Lombok, zie ik aan mijn rechterkant een molen staan. Dat is waar ik Karim Eharruyen zal ontmoeten vandaag. Molenpark 10. Karim’s atelier bevindt zich op een verborgen idyllisch plekje in Utrecht. Op het bijzondere terrein bekijk ik eerst een voor een zijn buren:… 

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Performing Arts Fund subsidy leads to more performances for fewer audiences

Currently, the amount a performing arts company receives in subsidy depends on the number of times it plays. The Performing Arts Fund, which is responsible for that subsidy, has now investigated the effect of this. That research shows that companies are increasingly struggling to sell performances of a single production. This causes companies to... 

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The current distribution of grants across genres and institutions

Culture Council: 'No more distinction between high and low art' (and much more)

Musicians are no longer allowed to perform for a pittance. At least, not if the club they work for, or perform in, receives a subsidy. In a sector opinion released today, the Culture Council argues that the structural underpayment of workers in the creative sector is no longer sustainable. 'If that means fewer programmes can be made (or that there... 

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At last: a piece with real vision from the Culture Council

'Successive interventions have stripped, juridified and amended the BIS and the state funds. But more importantly than that, trends and developments in and around cultural life are making new demands on the cultural system. It is out of date in several respects.' So says the Council for Culture in its 'reconnaissance' published today. In it, the contours of the future... 

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Dear Minister @ivanengelshoven, my dream is that the Dutch government would have a real cultural vision.

'What do you desire from Ingrid van Engelshoven, the Minister of Culture?" asked Culture Press in a newsletter to subscribers. Good question! Especially after that first nod she made by generously pledging an extra 10 million to the Performing Arts Fund for the well-performing but not yet receiving anything, 'because the money had run out'. Very nice that band-aid, but... 

Read More "Dear Minister @ivanengelshoven, my dream is that the Dutch government would have a real cultural vision.

Dobrinka Tabakova writes double concerto for Lucas and Arthur Jussen: 'It shimmers with energy'

The AVROTROS Friday Concert cherishes mainstream masterpieces as well as less heard and new repertoire. In the 2017-18 season, no fewer than five (world) premieres are on the programme, three of them composed by a woman. - Come and see that among the national orchestras. Friday 17 November will hear the brand new double concert Together Remember to Dance by British/Bulgarian Dobrinka Tabakova. She composed it on... 

Read More "Dobrinka Tabakova writes double concerto for Lucas and Arthur Jussen: 'It shimmers with energy'

4 reasons why 'cultural entrepreneurship' and subsidy don't mix.

Afterwards, it actually dawned on me what had gone wrong at No Man's Land. The event, a sort of combination of networking drinks, symposium and mega workshop was set up from the best of intentions. Initiated by The Cooperative, the club not to be confused with The Cooperative. The latter De Coöperatie is based in Amsterdam and is an alliance of freelance... 

Read More "4 reasons why 'cultural entrepreneurship' and subsidy don't mix.

Amersfoort, O Amersfoort. My cultural vision of lack

In a lost hour, I read the Cultural Vision Amersfoort 2030. Not reading material to sit on the edge of your seat, but perfectly suitable for a train journey. I am not used to reading policy documents. It struck me that the tone of the Amersfoort Cultural Vision was confident, focused and determined. Firm language. No room for doubt. I asked myself... 

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Jan Fabre's Exciting Friends vs the Curators (part 2): At breakneck gallop through Ostend

Jan Fabre is a bit like the Jan Cremer of Flanders but younger, five times more talented, multidisciplinary and eight times more social. 'It is quite an honour to succeed Jan Hoet,' says Jan Fabre. Together with art historian Joanna De Vos, he is the curator of HET VLOT. Art is (not) lonely. The exhibition is intended to highlight the Mu.ZEE and Belgian... 

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Artist team of Jan Fabre delivers devastating defeat to curators in Ostend (1)

On Saturday evening 21 October, Belgian artist Jan Fabre opened 'his' expo 'Het Vlot. Art is (not) lonely'. This was done in a playful way at the KV Oostende stadium with 'A beautiful match between artists and curators'. The artists, including characters such as Goya, Da Vinci and a bloodied Van Gogh, turned back the curators 3-2. Angry tongues in the audience claimed... 

Read More "Artist team of Jan Fabre delivers devastating defeat to curators in Ostend (1)

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