Stimuleringsfonds

In the second and last round of the Internationalisation of the design sector Grant Scheme in 2024, 24 projects were selected for support. Coordinator Roxanne da Graça reflects on the round.

21 January 2025

general impression

What stands out this round is the focus on ecological aspects relating to soil and land. For example, Studio Philipp Kolmann’s project The Collective Belly explores sustainable food preservation via an earth cellar in eastern Switzerland. In the coming years, workshops and events focusing on soil, sustainability and food culture will take place here.

A number of selected projects have an activist angle, such as Lina Chang’s experimental soundwalk Peace Palace. Chang is investigating the life and mysterious death of Korean activist Yi-Jun in The Hague, who died after being denied entry to the 1907 Second Hague Peace Conference.

Warp Weft Wool – Crafts Council Nederland

In terms of themes, the committee observed a continuing trend of applications focusing on social, societal and climate-related issues. One example is Warp Weft Wool by Crafts Council Nederland, which focuses on knowledge exchange between Dutch and Indian makers. Through a visual dialogue, artisanal techniques of processing local wool into carpets are shared, with translocality at the forefront.

In addition, a few notable projects from this round’s selection are:

The Twelfth Island: As We Surrender to the Tides – RAW Material Company
For The Twelfth Island, filmmaker Janilda Bartolomeu focuses on undocumented Cape Verdean histories in Dakar. During a residency at RAW Material Company in Senegal, she is exploring the connections of displaced communities with their heritage. The project explores stories of Afro-diasporic women and the history of Cape Verdean communities in Senegal. The results include an artistic film, a publication, an exhibition and three public programmes between Senegal and the Netherlands.

Artefacts – STUDIO BAKOVIC
The Artefacts project by STUDIO BAKOVIC develops an experimental framework for design, production and marketing within the fashion industry. The aim is to create a sustainable business structure that can operate successfully in the international fashion field. The project explores how artistic principles such as parametric design can be integrated into business processes. An artistic shoe collection is being developed, there are experiments with a future-proof supply chain, and a collaborative presentation and marketing model is being established. The results will be presented at Paris Fashion Week in February 2025.

Clay Breath Research Project – Gemma Luz Bosch
With Clay Breath Research Project, Gemma Luz Bosch investigates how clay sounds when it comes into contact with water. In collaboration with indigenous ceramists, earth scientists and the Medellin Museum of Modern Art, this phenomenon is being studied at three locations in Colombia. The project focuses on the ‘clay breath’ - the air that escapes when dried clay is placed in water. By listening attentively to these sounds, the unique properties of the material for ceramic design, water harvesting and agriculture can be explored.

numbers

Of the 58 applications taken into consideration, 24 received a positive assessment. The available budget in this round was € 375,000, supplemented by € 195,752 from underspent OCW funds, bringing the total budget to € 570,752. With 24 positively approved projects, the percentage of applications receiving grants this round comes to 41%.

follow-up

For the policy period 2025-2028, the Internationalisation of the design sector Grant Scheme has been amended. From the first round in 2025, starting grants will fall under a new grant scheme that will accommodate small projects: the Creative Industries Kick-start Grant Scheme. We expect to publish the new grant scheme in March.