Principles Culture Grants 2025-2028

The assessment criteria for the 2025-2028 period are:

• Artistic and/or content quality: quality of (inter)national level is a prerequisite for funding by the state.
• Social significance: each institution relates to its social environment.
• Accessibility, i.e. there is a connection to the needs of the public and everyone is welcome.
• Sound business management: i.e., realistic, entrepreneurial plans and budgets.

Moreover, there should be attention to pluralism of (sub) sectors and disciplines and an emphasis on new disciplines and genres as well as geographic distribution, taking into account local roots and connection.

Fair Pay

The implementation of the three codes will also factor into the assessment. Fair Pay has high priority in this regard. From the start of the new bis period in 2025, €34.1 million is available for better pay.

In early June of this year, fair pay was made mandatory for institutions receiving grants through the Basic Infrastructure (bis). They must work on fair pay in the coming subsidy period. This means, among other things, that they must join collective rate agreements for the remuneration of artists, technicians and makers, for example. It is expected that the other governments will follow the example of the national government.

In early June of this year, fair pay was made mandatory for institutions receiving grants through the basic infrastructure

"I want to land resources where they are most needed. This will not solve all the bottlenecks. It is a step, but choices have to be made by institutions. These may lead to less production. Research is being conducted from the sector into the additional costs of fair pay per sub-sector. The results are expected in the fall, before the start of the application process. I want to use these data as a basis for the distribution of the €34.1 million among the bis institutions and national cultural funds. In addition, I call on other governments to also take fair pay as a starting point." , said the State Secretary.

State Culture Funds

The six state cultural funds are an important instrument in cultural policy. The funds are image-defining.

"The funds focus on the Netherlands, the Caribbean part of the Kingdom and operate in an international context. They provide renewal and experimentation, innovation and talent development, and actively seek to connect with audiences through the activities they support. The funds also have a signaling function for developments in the field. The cultural funds are part of the basic infrastructure and finance institutions as well as projects and makers. The funds thus make activities and supply possible. This forms an important addition to the supply that is directly made possible by OCW, by other governments and by market parties and private funds."

For the period 2025-2028, the secretary of state requests the funds:

• Attention to proper distribution across the country and the local context in which activities take place.
• Open up as many regulations as possible to the Caribbean countries in the Kingdom (Curaçao, Aruba, St. Maarten).
• Indicate how they incorporate the three codes into their regulations and assessment.
• Deploy resources for international cultural policy according to the policy framework.
• Address digital transformation in the field.
• With regard to sustainability, follow the approach with the state also for applications to the funds.

In addition to the general position and role of cultural funds, each fund has a fund-specific task

In addition to the general position and role of cultural funds, each fund has a fund-specific task with associated objectives. For the visual arts (and heritage) fund, the Mondrian Fund, this is:

• Contribute to a good foundation for development of visual arts and cultural heritage.
• Encourage presentations of high-quality visual arts and cultural heritage from the Netherlands.
• Contribute to the creation of lasting connections between various actors within the professional arts and heritage field among themselves.

On June 29, the culture debate took place in the House of Representatives. The State Secretary felt supported in her plans by the House. Several motions were submitted that were voted on after this BK information went to press.

Check here for current information on Basic Infrastructure 2025-2028