Open Call Professionalization and deepening of the practice

With this open call, the Creative Industries Fund NL presents makers with the possibility of developing a distinctive strategy for a future-proof design practice. Developing a long-term vision and strategy is important for your design practice. In a professional practice, you schedule time for both your artistic development and your growth as an entrepreneur. How do you find the right balance between the two? What is your vision of the future and which strategy can you use to achieve that?

This open call is intended for makers and designers with their own practice within the field of digital culture, design or architecture and any cross-overs between them. By this we mean, amongst others, garden and landscape architects, graphic designers, game developers, urban designers, product designers, social designers, interior designers, fashion designers, digital makers, observers, storytellers and makers in many other subdisciplines. Collectives may also submit an application.

Proposals can be submitted by applicants who are located in the Netherlands and who have been running their own practice for at least three years.

No application can be submitted by:
- designers or design studios that were supported in a previous edition of this open call and have not yet completed the project that was supported;
-designers who, at the time of submitting an application, are receiving support for implementing their development plan under the Fund’s Talent Development Grant Scheme.

Please note: If you received a contribution from a previous edition of this open call and that grant process has been completed, we ask you to reflect on the results of the previous support when submitting a new plan. The plan must be clearly distinguishable from the previously supported application.

With this open call, the Fund wants to strengthen the design field and promote connections between culture, entrepreneurship and society. For that reason, we hope that your proposal gives insight into:
- how you currently work;
- your problem formulation and goal;
- your present and future vision;
- your plan of action.

Specifically, the following costs can be covered using the Fund’s contribution:
- your own hours to carry out this project;
- hiring specific knowledge;
- travel expenses;
- any minor material costs.

Please note: Normal business expenses cannot be applied for, such as:
- work space rental;
- office costs;
- developing a corporate identity and website;
- obtaining legal advice;
- further developing a current design.

You have to engage at least two advisers/mentors for the implementation of your project plan. For example, a business coach, an artistic coach, a financial adviser or somebody who can advise you about impact. You could also ask curators, intermediaries or other designers for advice.

Motivate your choice for these partners or parties by making a link with the goal and your long-term vision as stated in the project plan. Explain in detail why these persons match the goals you have set yourself.

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

Grant Application Guidelines
The Grant Application Guidelines provide guidance and tips on preparing a grant application. You can use them to draw up your application as completely as possible.

Open Call Professionalization and deepening of the practice
Applications are assessed on the basis of the Open Call Professionalization and deepening of the practice #11, which describes the reason and objective, design challenges, phases, criteria and procedures.

Open Call Grant Scheme
The Open Call Professionalization and deepening of the practice #11 takes precedence. 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 Professionalization and deepening of the practice #11 and the Open Call Grant Scheme.

assessment criteria
- the astuteness of the reflection on the development of your own practice up to now and how this step could be of added value to a more future-proof practice;
- the quality of the plan of action in relation to the intended result;
- the artistic quality of the portfolio;
- the quality of the contribution of the partners/advisers involved.

acceptance
When you have submitted your application, the Fund Desk 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 Professionalization and deepening of the practice #11. 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 Professionalization and deepening of the practice #11
Open Call Grant Scheme
Grant Application Guidelines