Culture and politics in Rotterdam
On the ups and downs of advisory body versus politics in Rotterdam
On May 31, Rotterdam's alderman for education, culture and tourism, Said Kasmi announced the dissolution of the Rotterdam Council for Art and Culture (RRKC) as of January 1, 2023.
In its response, the RRKC states that this decision was taken on unsound grounds and was made in a careless administrative manner and calls on the previous Municipal Executive to reconsider its decision because of the far-reaching and far-reaching consequences it has for the independence of cultural advice in Rotterdam, while it is a generally accepted principle that politics does not judge art and culture, and limits itself to creating the right conditions for a flourishing cultural life.
A second objection by the RRKC concerns the evaluation on which the alderman's decision is based. That decision is largely based on the evaluation of the RRKC for the period 2017- 2020, which consists of the delivery of a report by the organizational consultancy firm Rijnconsult. The production process deviated from the usual procedure of evaluation and the report itself seems to be colored and pointing in a certain direction. The alderman's decision further lacks concern for the new culture plan procedure, according to the RRKC.
The RRKC proposed that a new study be carried out jointly into a structure that would be suitable for all parties - the city council, the sector and the advisory council - and called for a reconsideration of the decision by the previous municipal executive (in the meantime, the new municipal executive has taken office with the same alderman for culture - ed.). The outcome of the discussion in the Rotterdam City Council was not yet known at the time this BK information went to press.
Online supplementation
On June 28, 2022, the Municipal Executive of Rotterdam decided to discontinue subsidizing the Rotterdam Art Foundation as of January 1, 2023. The RKS is not in agreement with this and therefore requested the Rotterdam District Court on July 14 to suspend the decision until it is clear whether the decision can be upheld legally.
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