Stimuleringsfonds

The Creative Industries Fund NL has selected 44 starting designers for development grants of € 25,000. In the coming year, they will have the space to further develop their practice artistically and professionally.

18 September 2025

Talent Development Grant Scheme and Open Calls

Thirty makers were selected through the regular Talent Development Grant Scheme, which is open to recent graduates (one to four years ago) in design, architecture or digital culture. In addition, 14 makers received grants through two new open calls: the Open Call Self-taught Designer for self-taught makers or makers with an MBO diploma, and the Open Call Emerging Design Practices ABCSSS for designers from the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. The development year runs from September 2025 to November 2026.

Pitch day Aruba Open Call Emerging Design Practices ABCSSS, 15 May 2025

General impression

The advisory committee was generally positive about the quality of the development plans received this year. There was appreciation for the fact that makers position themselves well within both the field and the social context, with a clear desire to develop and long-term goals. However, the committee notes that applicants who related to the theme of identity often motivated this from their own personal life stories, where greater critical distance and reflection is desirable. It was also noticeable that a proportion of the applications seemed to be project applications rather than development plans.

Within design, there is a great deal of interest in the intersection of craft and identity (and new applications in this area). César Rogers is examining the dominance of Latin script by making connections with Chinese printing and typography, Mathild Clerc-Verhoeven is experimenting with 3D weaving on manual looms, and Farbod Nael is delving into endangered Persian ceramic practices. Their work connects personal and cultural questions with broader themes about representation and production.

Architecture shows a clear focus on participatory and ecological approaches. Julia Kannegieter explores new connections between nature and human experience through art, poetry and landscape architecture. Alina Paias is studying structural issues within architecture by researching Dutch firms. These makers are striving for more inclusive and future-proof approaches to spatial design.

Within digital culture, the critical attitude towards dominant technology platforms stands out. Anke Sondi Rumohr explores alternative gaming practices from ecological principles and diasporic identities, Teresa Fernandez Pello connects high-tech with the mystical through microchip design, and Jean Oneli Blaise develops VR detective games in which players meet local Caribbean heroes. Their practices are looking for more inclusive and ethical approaches to technology.

Diversity and inclusion

There is a high level of diversity within the Talent Development Grant Scheme and this is expressed in different aspects: educational level, academies, cultural background, gender, neurodiversity and location. The committee is positive about the way makers relate to themes ranging from climate to queerness, taking different positions that range from contemplative to activist. However, the committee does advise applicants to also seek expertise outside their own network for more diverse perspectives.

Numbers

In the 2025 round for the Talent Development Grant Scheme, the Fund received 162 applications. After a check on the formal conditions, 146 applications were submitted to the advisory committee. In total, the advisory committee gave 65 applications a positive assessment, of which 30 could be honoured within the available budget of € 750,000.

For the Open Call Self-taught Designer, 58 applications were submitted. Of these, 23 makers were allowed to make a pitch, from which 10 makers could eventually be selected for a development grant within the € 250,000 budget. For the Open Call Emerging Design Practices ABCSSS, there were six pitches, four of which could be honoured within the € 100,000 budget.

Follow-up

The development years of the 2024 – 2025 cohort will be shown in a video installation at Dutch Design Week 2025. In the spring of 2026, starting designers can once again submit an application for the Talent Development Grant Scheme, the Open Call Self-taught Designer and the Open Call Emerging Design Practices ABCSSS.

Banner: Amy Fiona Lewis