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DALL-E 2023-11-14 17.16.50 - A noir-style, black and white illustration of modern jazz musicians performing in the Dutch House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal

IN PERSPECTIVE 18: Has it already started, or is jazz policy in the Netherlands already over?

In the series In Perspective, Erik Akkermans looks back and ahead at developments in cultural policy and practice. Today: policies for jazz and improvised music. From the Oude Schans to Rijswijk May 1983, Monday morning, a quarter past eight. Location: the soulless office tower in Rijswijk housing the Ministry of Welfare, Public Health and Culture. Minister Brinkman addressed the members of the Working Group on... 

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Cabinet strengthens approach to sexually transgressive behaviour and sexual violence with government commissioner

On nomination by the cabinet, Mariëtte Hamer will become government commissioner for sexual transgressive behaviour and sexual violence. Several incidents in recent years expose a broader issue on which action is required. With the new government commissioner, the cabinet wants to do more to raise awareness and create a safe culture, because intimidation and abuse do not belong in the Netherlands. In doing so, among other things, the culture should... 

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Task force: 'Emergency support must not lead to structural increase in reserves'

Today, the Cultural and Creative Sector Taskforce sent yet another letter in draft form to the ministry of OCW. In it, the assembled umbrella of all creative and cultural organisations reiterates its earlier criticism of the relaxation of coronagraph measures, which brings no relief to the cultural sector and nightlife in particular. Special attention is given to DJs and... 

Read More "Task force: 'Emergency support must not lead to structural increase in reserves'
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Additional support for cultural and creative sector, especially for self-employed workers

Since 26 January, the doors of the cultural and creative sector have been open again, but with conditions. There are still strict restrictions on the number of people in a venue and a mandatory closing time at 10pm. That is why, on top of the previous support of €195.1 million for the period from 12 November, the cabinet is drawing an additional €56.5 million... 

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Johannes Vermeer Prize 2021 awarded to visual artist Natasja Kensmil

Minister Ingrid van Engelshoven of Education, Culture and Science today presented the Johannes Vermeer Prize 2021, the Dutch state prize for the arts, to visual artist Natasja Kensmil. At Het HEM in Zaandam, Minister Van Engelshoven handed over the trophy to Kensmil. Natasja Kensmil was praised by the jury for her work that is healing, edifying and critical at the same time. Minister ... 

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Dear Hans Teeuwen, art has nothing to fear from boring men.

It is a great thing that there are comedians who keep a finger on the pulse of society. Hans Teeuwen, for instance, has once again made himself angry. He has joined the small chorus of (mostly) men who see the end of the world coming because of a rebuttal. That is the rebuttal that now comes via social media 

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Yet another hassle around MusicalMakers: Fleischmann becomes director despite objection from Culture Council

News arrived this week that Andreas Fleischmann, the highly esteemed director of Amsterdam's DeLaMar Theatre, has now officially become director-director of Stichting MusicalMakers, the foundation he had set up last year, a day before the deadline for grant applications for four-year state funding. And that is not allowed.

Burn letter from festivals: 'It's going wrong with the performing arts in the Netherlands'

A fire letter from the United Performing Arts Festivals. One of more than a hundred lobbying organisations in the arts, but a very important one. After all, the festivals are the place where audiences were introduced to arts and entertainment in its full breadth. That doesn't happen anywhere else. And beautiful: they stand up for all performing arts, because, as loyal readers of this site know: they are quite the hare, and become even more the hare with every half-hearted rescue.

Culture Start-up Loan available from 29 June for cultural and creative sector through Culture+Enterprise.

The Ministry of Education, Culture & Science is making €30 million available through Culture+Enterprise for the Culture Start-up Loan. This loan is part of the €300 million package of additional support for culture from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. The loan enables cultural and creative organisations to invest in the start-up of the new season. Applications for... 

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No audience cap in theatres; playing to wider audiences possible again

From 1 July, more people will again be able to attend performances and cultural festivals. In theatres, cinemas and concert halls, a maximum of 30 people will no longer apply. From then on, the space will be leading instead of the number of visitors. However, basic rules such as 1.5 metres must be observed. In addition, a health check takes place beforehand, advance booking is necessary and... 

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HOLLAND FESTIVAL ONLINE PROGRAMME 2.0-2.0

From 11 to 21 June, the Holland Festival will present an online programme as close as possible to the core and essence of the original programme, which was cancelled due to the corona crisis. Together with artists from around the world who were due to perform in the 2020 festival, an alternative online programme has been put together. The festival theme, suggested by... 

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Good news from Ollongren: 60 million for local culture

There does seem to be some prospect of better recognition of the needs of the cultural sector. That sector which did now receive a support package worth 300 million, about which all sorts of things are going on. But the Ministry of OCW is not the only one that deals with culture. Home Affairs too has to do with culture,... 

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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... 

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HOLLAND FESTIVAL 2020 CANCELLED, 'ONLINE FESTIVAL' IN PREPARATION

It is with great regret that the Holland Festival is forced to cancel the 73rd edition, which was to take place from 4 to 28 June 2020. The corona pandemic's persistent, domestic and foreign restrictions and uncertainties make it impossible for the international performing arts festival to take place. The ongoing, restrictive measures that the central government had to announce 21 April last,... 

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OCW finds reporting 'premature': 'No extra Corona money to rescue cultural sector' Ministry of OCW must solve crisis within existing budget.

The Culture Council will soon be commissioned to produce a plan for the cultural sector to survive the one-and-a-half-meter society. The commitment of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science is, to solve this within the existing financial frameworks. This is what sources at the top of that ministry have reported.

This is the ticket scheme. We share the official FAQ.

We take a post from the site 'Cultuurmarketing.nl', adding that the main purpose of the scheme is also to compensate the creators, the performing artists. So don't think: "my theatre gets subsidy, right?", because that subsidy is usually just enough to pay the rent. Performances are almost always paid for directly from ticket sales: Comin' To... 

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Culture ministry's support package is a joke. Why a culture strike is needed. And easier than ever.

Slowly but surely, the absurdity of the rescue measures for the cultural sector is sinking in. The national museums will not have to pay rent for three months for a while, but will have to pay it back retroactively once the crisis is over. Entrepreneurs can get extra support worth 4,000 euros, provided they have business premises outside their homes. Actors, directors (also freelance journalists, by the way) and artists... 

Read More "Culture ministry's support package is a joke. Why a culture strike is needed. And easier than ever.

Culture sector support package: subsidies continue, rent arrears are allowed, and please don't ask for your money back just yet.

It's not 50 billion, like in Germany, but it's more than nothing: the support measures Minister Ingrid van Engelshoven announced today for the hard-hit cultural sector. And, who knows, this may offer openings to do a few things completely differently after this crisis. For instance, it is great that the national museums do not have to pay rent for a while,... 

Read More "Culture sector support package: subsidies continue, rent arrears are allowed, and please don't ask for your money back just yet.

LKCA: First estimate: corona damage cultural associations already at least 12 million 

The damage caused by the corona crisis for cultural associations, such as music societies and choirs, is already expected to be at least 12 million euros. This is according to an initial inventory conducted last week by KNMO, Koornetwerk Nederland, Raad van 12 and LKCA. In the cultural sector, the consequences are currently being mapped sector-wide and added to the... 

Read More "LKCA: First estimate: corona damage cultural associations already at least 12 million 
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UPDATE: House passes motion. Minister works on 'support package'. Culture Council sounds alarm. (And look what the eastern neighbours are doing!)

UPDATE Friday, March 13, 9:30 a.m.: After the Culture Council sounded the alarm on Thursday night, the House of Representatives passed a motion urging a support package for the affected cultural sector. The text of the motion, tabled by D66, Groen Links, PvdA, Partij van de Dieren, Denk and 50Plus, reads as follows: 'The Chamber, having heard the debate, whereas meetings with... 

Read More "UPDATE: House passes motion. Minister works on 'support package'. Culture Council sounds alarm. (And look what the eastern neighbours are doing!)

There is chaos in the Cultural Basic Infrastructure grant application process. Therefore, we leave you to read the email. 

That government distrust of citizens in the Netherlands has reached bizarre proportions is proven by the hassle with benefits at the tax office and the state of affairs at the UWV. Or your average housing landlord where you want to report a leaky tap. Thanks to a politics influenced by false entrepreneurialism and rabid populism that treats citizens as fraudsters... 

Read More "There is chaos in the Cultural Basic Infrastructure grant application process. Therefore, we leave you to read the email. 

Why measuring leads to knowing less and measuring even more. On the futility of trend reports and indices

They have learned something at Boekman. The foundation, which since this year has had the honour of managing the culture index, understands that trend graphs say precious little. We have observed this several times on this site, and the researchers now confirm this wholeheartedly. So this year the club is doing things differently. For the past few months, sixty wise men and women have been... 

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OK Boomer. The Diversity & Inclusion Code is going to change the art world. Or had it changed long ago?

From 42 to 18 pages. Actually, that says it all about the new Diversity and Inclusion Code that saw the light of day on Friday 1 November. After all the wooliness and ifs and buts of the original Cultural Diversity Code, the new thing is a miracle of clarity. Is perhaps also necessary, in these times of identity wars, where on the left and... 

Read More "OK Boomer. The Diversity & Inclusion Code is going to change the art world. Or had it changed long ago?

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