Festivals and public presentations – 16 projects selected

In the first Festivals and Public Presentations round in 2023, 16 projects have been selected. Coordinator Anouk Laverge reflects on the round.

25 May 2023

broad reach

The Festivals and Public Presentations Grant Scheme has a strong focus on reaching a broad audience and regional distribution. The resources for this scheme are therefore divided over five different regions of the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. Eight applications from the West region and four from the East region were awarded grants, two applications from the South region, one application each from the Central Netherlands and North regions, and from the Caribbean region no application was included in the selection in this round.

All applications were assessed on the following four criteria:
- contribution to public interest in the creative industry in the respective part of the country;
- substantive significance for the creative industry;
- effectiveness of set-up, audience strategy and level of support;
- contribution to diversity and inclusion within the field of activity.

general impression

In this round, both returning festivals and some newcomers were selected. It is notable that no applications were submitted for special presentations. For the first time, a writing grant will be awarded in this round to the Wiede Wold festival. This grant is intended to develop the proposal and may serve as a stepping stone for writing a revised application in the next round.

The applications showed a wide range of themes. For instance, AFFR is placing the theme Contested Space at the centre of the upcoming edition. What are the forces behind contested spaces and how do they shape the landscape, the city, architecture, our climate and especially our social order? New platform Zip explores the meaning and limits of the word ‘Asian’ and experiments with the different connotations this term carries. Zip’s programmes are designed to raise questions and continue a dialogue, in order to confront the uncertainty and fragility of identity. Stichting FOW is organizing the festival Van wie is de economie? It is an invitation to join in the experience of new forms of economy with the aim of re-appropriating the subject and making it understandable.

selection

From the 24 applications, the following 16 projects have been selected:
- Cross Comix ­– Stichting C.PB.R.
– Van wie is de economie? – Stichting Future of Work (FOW), (conditionally)
- GLUE 2023 – GLUE amsterdam connected by design
- Wasteland: Streams – Stichting Thick Present
- LUNA 2024 ­– Stichting Mediaart Friesland
- Manifestations 2023 – St. Art & Technology
- Schemerlicht Festival 2023 – Stichting Schemerlicht
- Fantastic Alchemy - Virtual Alchemy – Imagine Film Festival
- STRP Festival 2024 - A Matter of Freedom – Stichting STRP (photo above)
- Contested Space – Architectuur Filmfestival Rotterdam (AFFR)
- Physicaldigital-digitalphysical-physicaldigital – Stichting Uncloud
- Africa is not a country – East Africa edition: Liquid Traces – Stichting Afro Vibes
- Ipdong 2023 Festival – ZIP (conditionally)
- Ruigoord 50 jaar – Ruigoord
- The Overkill 2023 – Stichting Guido
- Wiede Wold – Stichting Wiede Wold (writing grant)

The following projects give a good idea of the breadth of the selection:

Stichting Thick Present © Alex Heuvink

Wasteland: Streams – Stichting Thick Present
The transdisciplinary Wasteland festival is a jointly initiated programme by Stichting Thick Present and Collective Wasteland. The festival invites audiences and participants to consider the journey of ‘waste’, to trace its impact in different places, on humans and non-humans, to identify any problems and look for solutions. For 21 days, Wasteland tracks global and local waste streams in an exhibition featuring work by national and international designers, artists and initiatives. The project consists of several weekend talks, workshops and screenings, a networking programme promoting experimentation and collaborations, public interventions, parties and events. The festival brings together designers, artists, thinkers, researchers, activists and waste-management professionals to reach a wider audience. The organization wants the festival to act as a stimulus to exchange between designers, the waste-management industry, professionals and start-ups. The organization’s intention is to attract more than 9,000 visitors, to raise awareness of waste and its impact, and to increase and strengthen interest in design and innovative solutions. Wasteland will take place in The Hague from 10 to 26 November 2023.

Stichting Schemerlicht

Schemerlicht Festival 2023 – Stichting Schemerlicht
In this rapidly changing world, the comfortable position of humans – as the centre of everything – has come under pressure. For the necessary interpretation, people can turn to art and science. Stichting Schemerlicht believes in the meaningful coming together of the two to create awareness. In this way, Schemerlicht Festival 2023 is contributing to a creative society that is equipped to meet the challenges of the future. The programme is shaped by the collaboration between scientists and makers, starting with a three-day lab. Especially for Schemerlicht Festival 2023, they are creating audiovisual works using themes, data or techniques from nature. During 11 evenings in October, a route along these installations forms a Gesamtkunstwerk in the Goffertpark in Nijmegen. This year’s theme is Aarde Lagen (Earth Layers). Stichting Schemerlicht endeavours to build lasting relationships with partners in the region and with the public. The organization aims to reach a wide audience and welcome 7,500 visitors.

Stichting Afro Vibes

Africa is not a country – East Africa edition: Liquid Traces – Stichting Afro Vibes
Contemporary design, fashion and performing arts from Africa are attracting strong interest from young audiences, makers and designers in the diaspora and beyond who use or would like to use African influences in their work, according to Stichting Afro Vibes. The aim of Stichting Afro Vibes is to give design by contemporary African and Dutch artists and designers a permanent place in the festival Africa is not a country – East Africa edition: Liquid Traces. They see diversity as an important source of artistic innovation. The festival’s programme includes an exhibition of jewellery design from Zimbabwe in two cities, three fashion presentations by Dutch fashion designers in the diaspora, a residency
programme and discourse programmes with Dutch artists and designers in the diaspora and African artists. The programme of Africa is not a country – East Africa edition: Liquid Traces takes place between 4 and 15 October 2023 in theatres in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht and connects design with performing arts. Young Dutch designers and designers of colour present their work in a context with African makers and artists. The organization aims to increase interest in design, fashion and creative arts among their two main audiences. The programme contributes to a cultural debate about past and present and how collaborating with African makers and designers can change your perspective on the world.

Read more about the selected projects here.

numbers

Of the 24 applications assessed, of which 12 were in the field of digital culture, 2 in architecture and 10 in design, 16 received grants. This brings the percentage of applications receiving grants to 63%. The budget was distributed over the five parts of the country as follows:

- Middle € 24,000
- Noord € 77,500
- East € 112,000
- South € 170,000
- West € 339,307

In 2023, the Festivals and Public Presentations Grant Scheme has two application rounds. The next closing date is 24 October 2023 for festivals and presentations taking place between 1 March 2024 and 1 March 2025.