Research, Act & Reflect – 9 projects and programmes selected
Last autumn, the Creative Industries Fund NL issued the Open Call Research, Act & Reflect for the third and final time. The open call was aimed at grassroots platforms, collectives and organizations whose activities contribute to a multi-voiced and inclusive creative industry. There was considerable interest in the open call and ultimately 9 of the 44 proposals submitted are being supported.
9 February 2023
By means of the open call, the Fund aims to encourage activities relating to decolonization, gender diversity, social justice, anti-racism and emancipation of marginalized groups, or issues at the intersection of these topics. These activities amplify unheard and/or marginalized voices. As a result, they contribute to multiperspectivity and enrichment of the creative industries, and increase equality of opportunities within the sector. The proposals could consist of a reflective programme, in which the existing frames of the design field are questioned, or focus on the development of individual makers.
general impression
The applicants approached the themes in their own way and from a wide variety of different perspectives, such as black culture, feminism, heritage, queering and visible and invisible disabilities. The committee was most positive about applicants with an intersectional approach who were able to provide a good explanation of their working method and positioning in relation to the stated issues.
assessment
The advisory committee, which consisted of Branko Popović, Farida Sedoc, Harriët Mbonjani and Lucien Kembel, selected nine projects and programmes. All the proposals were discussed and assessed on the basis of four criteria:
- The artistic or reflective ambition in the project;
- The approach to the theme and link with the design disciplines;
- The extent to which the theme is effectively translated into a programme and an appropriate audience;
- The level of support within the described community.
The committee also looked at regional distribution, the social impact of the proposals and the extent to which grassroots organizations or initiatives not yet recognized or acknowledged by subsidizing bodies are involved.
selection
In the final selection, the various themes mentioned in the open call turned out to be well represented. As a result, the selection demonstrates the scope of the grant scheme. For instance, there is a programme specifically for and by the indigenous diaspora, and there are designers who focus on raising the visibility of black female feminists. A project about the colonial history of food and a project on the perpetuation of Bonairean heritage have also been selected. The selection also includes an event relating to the representation of Asian designers and a grassroots platform that focuses on strengthening diverse black communities in the Netherlands.
The following projects and programmes have been selected:
- Memorials (werktitel) – We Sell Reality
- Levend Bonairiaans Erfgoed – Stichting Terramar Museum
- Non Native Native Fair 2023 – Non Native Native
- Atelier Code Noir – Code Noir
- Archival Textures – Tabea Nixdorff
- Designing Reparatory Justice and Social Change – New Urban Collective / The Black Archives
- People’s Liberation – Stichting Aralez
- Zwart Ibis: The Spirit of Black Intimacies – Black Speaks Back
- Shared History of the World – PRINS27
Read more here about the selected projects.
numbers
In the third and final Open Call Research, Act & Reflect, 9 of the 44 subsidy applications considered were positively assessed. This brings the percentage of applications receiving grants to 20%. The budget for this open call was € 300,000.
