Stimuleringsfonds

In the first period of International Vouchers in 2025, 25 applications were awarded grants. With the vouchers, the Fund aims to contribute to strengthening the international practice, experience and exchange of Netherlands-based professionals in the fields of design, architecture and digital culture.

15 April 2025

International Vouchers is a Creative Industries Fund NL grant scheme, aimed at Netherlands-based professionals in the fields of design, architecture and/or digital culture who have been invited by a foreign party to give a presentation, lecture or workshop, for example. The grant is intended as a contribution to the costs of an activity abroad, such as reimbursement for hours, travel and accommodation costs directly related to the activity. With the grant scheme, the Fund aims to increase the impact of existing projects (and projects previously supported by the Fund).

general impression

The supported activities range from workshops to lectures, presentations and exhibitions, spread over 18 different countries worldwide. Besides European countries such as Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Greece, Finland, Norway and Turkey, projects take place in several countries outside Europe, including the United States of America (several projects), Japan, China, Colombia, the Philippines, New Zealand, Egypt and South Africa.

assessment

The International Vouchers procedure is low-threshold and geared towards quick processing. Applications are evaluated internally by the Fund on the following points:

- The applicant has been positively assessed by the Creative Industries Fund NL in the past five years;
- The applicant has a written motivated invitation from a foreign party;
- The inviting foreign party covers a proportionate part of the costs to be incurred in carrying out the foreign activity;
- The activity abroad contributes to the applicant’s professional practice.

You can see the selected projects here.

numbers

A budget of € 50,000 was available for this time period. The maximum contribution per project is € 1,500 or € 2,500, depending on whether the activity takes place inside or outside Europe. A total of € 46,848 has been awarded.

follow-up

The new grant scheme time period opens before the end of summer. This period closes when 30 complete applications have been submitted. As a result, we expect to reach the subsidy ceiling – the available budget – for this period.