On March 18 we get to vote again, for the city council this time. Municipalities are rather important funders of art and culture, as they pay about sixty percent of the total public spending on art and culture in the Netherlands. So, what do you pay attention to when, as an artist and as a lover of art and culture, you cast your vote in the upcoming municipal elections?
Municipalities pay about sixty percent of total public spending on arts and culture in the Netherlands
Municipal elections, of course - like all elections - are about more than art and culture. They are also about paving stones, parking rates, housing, elder care, youth care, bicycle paths, public transportation, libraries, waste disposal, et cetera. Broadly speaking, you might say, they are about what kind of city or village we want to live in. Do we especially want to live in a municipality that makes room for imagination, experiment and encounters, or do we prefer a municipality where it is mainly efficiency that counts?
For anyone concerned about arts and culture, it is interesting to look beyond the slogans on election posters. Those are rarely if ever about arts and culture anyway. Something to pay attention to is how parties and speak out about space, not only literally (affordable studios, incubators and workspaces), but also figuratively. Is there a focus on temporary initiatives, vacant space and experimental projects? Or is the focus mainly on large, visible institutions and events? Both important and valuable, certainly, but they both say something different about the vision of culture.
Financial motives is also something to watch out for. Some party and emphasize the economic effect of culture, such as attraction for visitors and business. Others place more emphasis on intrinsic value, talent development and accessibility for residents. What balance is being sought and how concrete are the plans? And how will they be financed? Will it involve structural support, project subsidies or mainly occasional impulses?
Choices at the local level have great influence on the local cultural climate
Of course, the relationship between art and public space is important, such as commissions for art in neighborhoods, participation projects or space for spontaneous initiatives. How is culture connected to other policy areas, such as education, welfare or area development?
Perhaps there is also something in the programs about control. Are creators and cultural organizations involved in decision-making? Is there a focus on fair compensation and sustainable careers? Or is culture primarily a tool for other policy goals? All points that should be found either in the political programs or in earlier ‘behavior’ of different party and.
It has already been said: choices at the local level have a lot of influence on the local cultural climate. So check via your municipality's website how the various parties view culture: what have they done in the past and what do they plan to do in the future? Look for conditions necessary for a cultural climate in which art and artists can function optimally and preferably flourish.
English 
Dutch