Open Call Professionalisation and Practice Development

With this open call, the Creative Industries Fund NL is offering designers the opportunity to reposition or renew their practice. We encourage both individual and collective processes (in temporary collectives or other forms of joint learning) in which designers exchange knowledge, explore new strategic directions and work on shared issues around entrepreneurship. What role do you want to take up in your field of expertise, and what strategy do you need to strengthen that position? In this way, the Fund contributes to talent development and to a healthy, reflective and innovative design infrastructure.

This open call is intended for designers in the Netherlands and the Dutch Caribbean with an independent practice in design, architecture, digital culture, or any crossovers between them. By this we mean, for example, garden and landscape architects, graphic designers, urban designers, product designers, interior architects, fashion designers, digital storytellers, sound designers, jewellery designers and illustrators.

Applications may be submitted by designers who have had an independent professional practice for at least four years (to be demonstrated through the CV and portfolio). This can be done individually, or as a (temporary) collective. One of the participants acts as the lead applicant.

Read which conditions you need to meet to be eligible for the Open Call Professionalisation and Practice Development.

You are applying for a grant to address a professionalisation issue. For example:

• repositioning your practice towards a different target group or sector;
• developing a collective long-term vision or strategy;
• strengthening your network and visibility;
• exploring new revenue models;
• developing your working method through reflection, coaching or knowledge sharing with others.

View previously supported professionalisation projects in the awarded grants archive (in Dutch).

The Fund’s contribution is meant to give designers time, scope and resources for their professional development. The contribution could be used, e.g. to cover:

• repositioning your practice towards a different target group or sector;
• developing a collective long-term vision or strategy;
• strengthening your network and visibility;
• exploring new revenue models;
• developing your working method through reflection, coaching or knowledge sharing with others.

What will not be compensated:

• regular and recurring operating costs (such as studio or office rent);
• standard corporate identity development or website construction that is not demonstrably part of a distinctive professionalisation process;
• legal advice;
• ongoing activities;
• assets that retain value after the project has concluded;
• the development or production of design or creation projects;
• activities aimed at artistic and content-related development (such as conceptual research or material experimentation).

As the Fund wishes to encourage collective professionalisation with this open call, a fixed allocation method has been established for dividing the budget among the parties involved.

The allocation method is as follows:

• individual designers can apply for a maximum of € 8,250;
• from two designers onwards: the first designer receives € 8,250, each subsequent designer € 5,000;
• the maximum amount that can be applied for is € 28,250, based on a collective of five designers. Larger collectives may apply, provided that the plan and the problem statement remain workable. Collectives of more than five people therefore cannot apply for more than the maximum of € 28,250.

In order to prepare the application, it is important to acquire the right information based on the following documents:

Open Call Professionalisation and Practice Development

Applications are assessed on the basis of the Open Call Professionalisation and Practice Development, which describes the reason and objective, design challenges, phases, criteria and procedures.

Open Call Grant Scheme

Applications are also assessed on the basis of the Open Call Grant Scheme, which describes the general conditions, grounds for rejection, manner of publication, submission procedure, assessment, the award and any grant obligations.

Applications are assessed on the basis of the Open Call Professionalisation and Practice Development and the Open Call Grant Scheme.

assessment criteria

• relevance and acuity of the professionalisation issue
• the quality of the plan of action in relation to the intended result
• artistic quality and positioning of the practice(s) within the creative industry
• quality of the collaboration and division of roles

acceptance

When you have submitted your application, the Fund will check if your application complies with the formal requirements of the Open Call Grant Scheme.

assessment

An independent advisory committee will assess your application on the basis of the Open Call Grant Scheme and the Open Call Professionalisation and Practice Development. The committee advises the Fund’s Board.

decision

The Board takes account of the committee’s advice in its decision on the rejection or provision of the grant. You will be notified about the result in a decision.

accountability

If you receive a grant from the Fund, then you will have to comply with the obligations. Two weeks before the conclusion of your project, you will be asked by email to submit your accountability form in the application environment.

Open Call Professionalisation and Practice Development
Open Call Grant Scheme
Budget and Funding Plan Template (mandatory)