Professionalization and deepening of the practice – 34 projects selected

general impression
With the Open Call for Professionalization and deepening of the practice, the Creative Industries Fund NL offers makers the opportunity to develop a distinctive strategy for a future-proof design practice. The open call was aimed at both starting and experienced makers with their own practice in the field of design, architecture, digital culture or the crossovers between these fields.

The applicants who submitted the selected proposals come from a variety of disciplines and are in different stages of development. All of them occupy a special position within the creative industry. They are design studios that have consistently worked on quality projects, making them as a result demonstrably significant for the development of the field. They know how to substantively justify their visions of the future and the strategies envisaged are a logical next step in their further development.

Many applicants are honest and open in their proposals, and raise urgent and relevant issues about creative autonomy and innovation. They are transparent about their challenges and obstacles and know how to translate this effectively into opportunities and solutions. They are also clear about the role that chosen advisers can play in this process. The proposed professionalization strategies are straightforward and forward-looking. Taking control of their own practice and focusing on building a business structure that supports artistic development is central to the selected proposals.

selection
The following 34 applications have been selected:

Set Margins'
OD205SL BV
Barbara Neves Alves
MANON MALAN
Stichting Monobanda PLA
Common Practice - Common Practice - story & strategy
The Phoney Club
REM atelier
Thalia de Jong
Yin Aiwen
KRAFT architecten
Studio Wiersema!
Tanja Busking
M4ryonline
MUSA Intimates
Sharon Vos Visuele Communicatie
Spatial Codes, Studio for Architecture & Inclusion
Niels Vrijdag
Dubbelbeeld
Studio Bakovic
Werkstatt
Maatschap Mooves
Sissel Marie Tonn – Petersen
David Veneman
Studio Philip Vermeulen
Cantero Architecture
Studio Pluis
Time to access
Femm
Studiospacious
XML
Johannes Verwoerd studio
Ruben van Leer studio
Frolic Studio

assessment
The applications were assessed by Cye Wong-Loi-Sing (digital culture), Frank Verkade (design) and Lada Hršak (architecture). To arrive at a selection, the advisers assessed the extent to which the proposals were consistent in purpose and design and how well they fit in with the theme of this call and the Open Call Grant Scheme. The following criteria were used:

- The sharpness of the reflection on the development of their own practice until now and how this step can add value for a more future-proof practice;
- The quality of the action plan in relation to the intended result;
- The artistic quality of the portfolio;
- The quality of the contribution of the partners/advisers involved.

numbers
With 59 applications taken into consideration, this round is significantly larger in size than the previous edition, which saw 37 applications being considered. From the 59 proposals assessed, 34 proposals were selected, bringing the percentage of applications being awarded grants to 57%. The selected projects are distributed over the disciplines as follows: design 15, digital culture 6, architecture 9 and interdisciplinary 4. A budget of € 250,000 was available for the Open Call Professionalization and deepening of the practice. The maximum contribution per proposal was € 7,500.

Keep an eye on the Fund’s website, newsletter or social-media channels to be informed of any follow-up to this open call.

Photo above: Common Practice