Waiting

I am referring, among other things, to the reactions some time back to the fact that three non-lawyers will be taking charge of national judicial affairs as ministers and secretaries of state. That criticism, by the way, came mainly from lawyers if I followed it correctly. What is also important, it is said, is knowledge and expertise about the political game. So wait and see. 

Both flirt with art and culture, love it and think it's important. What can we expect from them?

At the Ministry of OCW we are fortunately in a better position. There we have the internationally renowned scientist and alumnus of the Rietveld Academy Robbert Dijkgraaf, and Gunay Uslu, entrepreneur, scientist and administrator in culture. Both flirt with art and culture, love it and think it is important. What can we expect from them? On the website of the central government, Uslu says this: "Culture is making together, experiencing together. That is what we have have to miss out on. I want to work to restore the cultural and creative sector and work with creators and institutions to create a thriving cultural life." 

The question is whether this secretary of state, who is used to thinking and acting in broad strokes for large institutions, will have enough regard for the independent artist.

We can only guess at how the culture paragraph from the coalition agreement will be worked out and what this will mean for makers in the sector. The question is whether this secretary of state, who is accustomed to working in broad strokes for large institutions to think and act, will have enough regard for the independent artist. Or for the importance of the development of independent artists. After the training, a long road awaits the artist in the sense of development, looking for projects, setting up projects, residencies, networking with colleagues and possible clients, having and developing enough persuasiveness with regard to one's own work, finding work space (and living space at all). A difficult road, often with little income. From which come the makers in the cultural and creative sector, restored or not, at all? The Fair Practice Code is on the agenda, but have the institutions that have implemented it  have to carry out, sufficient resources for that? 

We can only guess at how the culture paragraph in the coalition agreement will be elaborated and what this will mean for creators in the sector.

All in all, it remains a matter of conjecture, but we can assume that even with this government, market thinking will prevail and the question is whether that will benefit talent development and thus the sector in the long run. 

capstone of the solutions balance sheet

And all of this is quite apart from the corona crisis, in which the sector - along with the hospitality industry - seems to be playing the role of the balance of solutions. The regional function that many large institutions fulfill is now turning against them, because opening these institutions would cause too many travel movements. This gives the problem within the national borders a false solution: the people with a cultural hunger travel to Antwerp, Brussels, Paris or Berlin, travel movements in abundance. We can do nothing but look forward to a strong Secretary of State who will be advocates for the entire sector. However, it is more likely that a politician is primarily advocating for the cabinet in which he or she participates. 

But first, let's wait and drink tea (with a sweetener) and look forward to the first culture debate.