Open Call Platforms for Design-based Learning

With this open call, the Creative Industries Fund NL and the Cultural Participation Fund want to give an impulse to initiatives that familiarise young people with Dutch creative and design culture. Think of product design, textile and fashion design, spatial design, creative coding or visual storytelling, for example.

Through this support, the funds strive for a more inclusive design sector, in which talent development is accessible to everyone. The goal is to remove barriers for new, potential makers and thus stimulate active cultural participation.

The call is aimed at organisations, institutions or platforms that:

• know well what is happening in the living environment of the intended target group because they for instance have emerged from the grassroots (from the community itself);
• know the needs of the target group;
• reach new potential makers with diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds;
• create a programme focused on education in or participation within the design field and creative culture.

To promote regional spread, there is room for at least one proposal for the following regions:

• The Caribbean part of the Kingdom: the constituent countries Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the special municipalities Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba;
• Central: Flevoland, Utrecht;
• North: Drenthe, Friesland, Groningen;
• East: Gelderland, Overijssel;
• West: Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland;
• South: Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Zeeland.

• programmes with a duration of maximum one year (start by 1 April 2026 at the latest);
• programmes in which one or more professional designers are involved;
• programmes aimed at young makers (ranging from children of primary school age to young people up to 28 years old), who either want to take the step towards professional practice or have little to no experience;
• activities such as extracurricular education, knowledge development, knowledge transfer, developing design strategies, portfolio building, strengthening networks, starting one's own practice
• activities aimed at the professionalisation of one's own organisation (maximum 35% of the grant amount to be applied for).

In addition to Article 5 of the Open Call Grant Scheme, a grant application within this open call will not be processed if:

• The application is submitted by an applicant who already receives support via the Specific Cultural Policy Regulations (basic infrastructure) or a four-year grant from one of the national cultural funds.
• The application is submitted by an educational institution.
• A grant is already being provided for the same activities via the Specific Cultural Policy Regulations (basic infrastructure) or via another scheme from one of the national cultural funds.

Before applying, read these three documents:

Open Call Platforms for design-based learning

The assessment of applications takes place based on the Open Call Platforms for Design-based Learning. This contains the context and objective, central questions, criteria and procedure.

Open Call Grant Scheme

The assessment of applications also takes place based on the Open Call Grant Scheme. This describes the general conditions, grounds for refusal, method of publication, method of submission, assessment, award and grant obligations.

Applications are assessed based on the Open Call Platforms for Design-based Learning and the Open Call Grant Scheme.

Assessment criteria:

• programme set-up;
• role and quality of the involved designers;
• accessibility of the programme;
• positioning within the existing infrastructure;
• sustainability of the programme.

Processing

After you have submitted your application, the fund office checks the application against the formal requirements from the Open Call Grant Scheme.

Assessment

An independent advisory committee assesses your application based on the Open Call Platforms for Design-based Learning and the Open Call Grant Scheme. The committee provides advice to the board of the Creative Industries Fund.

Ranking

The assessment of the open call takes the form of a tender: this means that within the available budget, a number of proposals are chosen over others. Only positively assessed programmes can be supported.

Decision

The board takes the committee's advice into account in the decision to grant or refuse the subsidy. You will be informed of this decision via a formal decision letter.

Accountability

If you receive a grant from the Creative Industries Fund, you also undertake obligations. Two weeks before the completion of your project, you will receive an email request to submit your accountability via the application platform.

Open Call Platforms for Design-based Learning
Open Call Grant Scheme