Impact budget cuts: 60% rejected by Performing Arts Fund

Last Wednesday, the Performing Arts Fund NL, which administers government funding to the fields of dance, theatre and music, announced its allocations for the next four years. 'Never before have cuts to the arts been so abruptly taken,' the fund said. 'The damage is enormous.'

As of 2013, 80 organisations instead of the 118 funded in 2008-2012, will receive a four-year grant through the Performing Arts Fund. Of the 203 organisations that applied only 39% will receive funding. Well known institutions such as Nieuw Ensemble, Amsterdam Dance Event and theatre company Bambie will lose their funding.

Only 48 of the previously funded 118 will return in 2013-2016. Seventeen of the 80 awarded institutions are new. They did not previously receive a four-year grant from the Arts Fund. The other 15 organisations were, until now, directly funded by the ministry of Education, Culture and Science.

Due to its reduced budget, the Fund has put an emphasis on performing arts and genres that are not produced in the commercial circuit of by the established institutes funded by the ministry. The consequences are that the Fund supports from 2013 relatively much youth dance and smaller (music)theatre companies, at least one festival from each major genre, relatively more large ensembles, less text based theatre and no opera and musical theater.

Sources
Overview results Performing Arts Fund (in Dutch)
Arts cuts begin to bite at DutchNews.nl
European arts cuts: Dutch dance loses out as Netherlands slashes funding