Stimuleringsfonds

A total of 13 projects were selected in the second edition of the Open Call Platforms for design-based learning. A reflection on the selection.

9 December 2023

general impression

With the Open Call Platforms for design-based learning, the Creative Industries Fund NL aims to give an impulse to initiatives that introduce young people and starting designers to Dutch manufacturing and design culture. As an answer to the growing focus on young people developing technical, artistic, practical and other professional design skills.

This round includes projects from a variety of disciplines within the design field such as fashion, product design, architecture, coding and social design. Both the number of applications submitted and the quality of most projects was high this round compared to the previous edition. It is noteworthy that more applications were submitted that focus on the youngest target groups. The selected platforms are in Arnhem, Amersfoort, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Maastricht, Vlaardingen and Nijmegen.

selection

The following 13 projects have been selected:
- AIR – Leren in de Metropo(o)lder
- Afdeling Buitengewone Zaken – SEED Programme 2
- Archiklas – Kinder Klimaat Atelier 2024
- Creative Coding Utrecht – CCU Living Lab 2024
- Design Museum Den Bosch – Design Station (photo above)
- Kitsunya – aHOUSEforHOME: BUILD UP
- POST NEON – POST SCHOOL
- Rambler Amsterdam – Unlock your Talent Pro programma 2024
- Ruimtekoers – Ruimte om te leren
- Sonic Acts – Next
- sQuare – Each One Teach One
- STORE – Design Club Programma 2024
- Terra Nova – Democratisch Design Ontwerpen voor de Buurt

assessment

To arrive at a selection, the proposals were assessed according to the following criteria:
- The set-up of the programme;
- The role and quality of the designers involved;
- The accessibility of the programme;
- The positioning within the existing infrastructure.

An additional assessment criterion applies to applications for € 50,000 - € 100,000, namely:
- The sustainability of the programme and positioning of the organization.

The assessment took the form of a tender: a number of proposals were preferred to the other submissions. The advisory committee, chaired by Marjolein van Breemen (sector director Naturalis), consisted of: Branko Popoviç (artistic director FASHIONCLASH), Marwan Magroun (photographer and director) and Shirley Hendrikse (head of education STRP).

numbers

From the 42 applications assessed, 13 were selected, bringing the percentage of applications being awarded grants to 33.3%. The available budget of € 900,000 for this call was not sufficient to award a grant to all 21 positively assessed applications. As a result of an underspend of € 187,150 within the Impuls Makers objective for which the fund previously received COVID funding, the board decided to add this amount to the budget of the Open Call Platforms for design-based learning. This allowed three additional, positively assessed programs to be supported. The maximum contribution per project was € 100,000.

impact

The first reactions after the conclusion of the first edition of the Open Call Platforms for design-based learning are positive. Among other things, the committee was impressed by the reflection on STORE’s programme. The portfolio sessions organized by STORE Rotterdam during their programme for 10 Design Club participants have been an important linking point to gain admission to academies. Participants report that the Design Club made them consider following creative studies. Before that, being creative was just a hobby. After attending the programme, the young people applied for admission to various creative further-education studies. They have all since been accepted at various courses of study at Design Academy Eindhoven, Willem de Kooning Academy, Royal Academy of Art The Hague, Rietveld Academie, St. Joost School of Art & Design and the Department of Architecture at Delft University of Technology.