Stimuleringsfonds

In the first grant period of the Design Grant Scheme of 2025, 14 projects have been selected. Coordinator Tibor Bijl reflects on the round.

June 19, 2025

For the first time since the introduction of the new way of working for the 2025-2028 policy period, this grant scheme has been carried out in two phases. In the first phase, 98 summary applications were submitted of which the predetermined maximum number of fifty applications could be be taken into consideration. These 50 applicants were given four weeks in the second phase to supplement their application with a detailed project plan, budget, schedule and communication plan. After a check on the formal criteria and completeness, 42 applications were then assessed by the advisory committee. Fourteen positively assessed projects will receive grants.

general impression

During the committee meetings, it became apparent that there was considerable diversity in the themes of the applications being considered. However, recurring themes could also be seen. For instance, there were several projects that centred on sustainability or co-creation. Notable this round was that many applications came from platforms or collectives, rather than individual makers. The committee did express criticism of the somewhat limited communication plans, with no clear strategy, and the meagre portfolios that lacked explanation of projects, context or relevance.

selection

A few notable projects from this round’s selection are:

K. Cheng – De gemiddelde Nederlander
In the project De gemiddelde Nederlander (The average Dutch person), data illustrator Kwennie Cheng uses 80 illustrations to explore different aspects of ‘the Dutch person’, ranging from demographics to habits and opinions. Bundled in a book, the illustrations show who ‘the Dutch person’ is according to data and encourage reflection: how average is the viewer themselves? Is the image of ‘the Dutch person’ correct, and what if you are not average? The project provides an innovative perspective on data visualisation by making statistics accessible and human, and shows how illustration can play an active role in data journalism and visual communication. The book will be published by Pluim publishers in autumn 2026.

MacGuffin – The Stitch

MacGuffin Magazine is a thematic, recurring publication about the use and context of design. Each edition takes an everyday object or material as its starting point. The personal, cultural, social and political role of these objects is considered from different perspectives. The publication The Stitch will appear in September. This publication focuses on ‘the stitch’ in various disciplines, ranging from textiles and fashion to architecture and digital media. The result discusses the stitch as a form of material history – one that reflects changes in the social and political landscape in which it is produced. MacGuffin Magazine is distributed in a circulation of 8,500 copies worldwide.

Stichting Halte Charlois – Halte Charlois

Halte Charlois is an ongoing socio-cultural fashion project based in and focused on the Charlois neighbourhood in Rotterdam-South. The programme consists of several annually recurring elements. This creates a collection about the neighbourhood, based on workshops, featured residents, images from the neighbourhood and collaborations with local entrepreneurs and associations. There will also be a documentary and Charlois Fashion Week, where the collection and documentary will be shown and workshops held. Halte Charlois was initiated in 2023 by fashion designer Nada van Dalen to capture the unique character of the neighbourhood in clothing, before it would be irrevocably lost in the waves of gentrification. The project focuses not only on the creation of an annual clothing collection, but also on promoting fashion-related culture and introducing fashion design and ‘tailoring’ to the neighbourhood in an accessible way through workshops and education for children, young people and senior citizens, among others.

Limestone Books – Publishing ūn-tōng-tiânn, Bookshop Takeover
Limestone Books’ Artist Takeover programme is an evolving, long-term programme, and the theme in 2025 is ūn-tōng-tiânn (a Taiwanese term referring to ‘physical exercise’ and social or political ‘movements’). In this programme, makers, platforms and collectives are invited to take over and transform Limestone Books’ space for four weeks. Two collectives have been invited for this edition: Bebe Books, a queer publishing collective from Belgium, and Pykë-Presje, an art bookstore and project space from Kosovo. Through various events, exhibitions and two publications, the content is shared in exchange with the public. The takeover of the bookstore by Pykë-Presje and Bebe Books will take place in September and November 2025, with results to be published in early 2026.

View here all the projects selected within the Design Grant Scheme.

numbers

The budget available for this round was € 395,000. As the total requested amount of the positively assessed applications exceeded the available budget, prioritisation was carried out. Of the 42 applications taken into consideration, 22 received a positive assessment, of which 14 applications are receiving grants.

follow-up

The next grant period, the third and final round of 2025, will be open from 19 August at 15:00, until 28 August 2025 at 16:00. Would you like to submit an application in this round? Take a look at the subsidy page of the grant scheme to prepare effectively.