Stimuleringsfonds

In 2025-2026, 16 cultural institutions will be supported through the Creative Industry Activities Programme Grant Scheme. The grant scheme is the second important grant scheme for institutions in the creative industry for the period 2025-2028, after the Four-year Institutional Grant Scheme for the Creative Industry. Unlike the Four-Year Institutional Grant Scheme, the focus is not on the institution, but on the activities programme.

12 December 2024

Executive director Syb Groeneveld: ‘The Fund’s grant schemes for cultural institutions are designed in such a way that we offer financial security to the selected institutions with multi-year support, making stability and qualitative development possible, but also providing room within the design field for innovation and experimentation. With the limited resources at our disposal, it means that we have to make astute choices. In addition, we also value regional distribution. Unfortunately, the reality of the outcome of the four-year and two-year grant schemes is that not all the positively assessed plans submitted by institutions can be supported. With a view to maintaining the continued development of the still rapidly growing design ecosystem, the Fund finds this situation worrying.’

limited budget

After assessing all the applications, it became clear that, based on the available budget of € 3.7 million for the next two years, half of the positively assessed applications can be supported. Sixteen institutions can implement their plans in 2025-2026 and make a positive contribution to the development of the professional fields and the sector.

The advisory committee was generally impressed by the quality of the applications. They describe it as a strong selection despite the limited resources. The committee notes that in addition to high-quality programming, there is increasing focus on business practices and implementation of the codes. Several institutions that have received support for their activities programme in recent years have been able to professionalise.

selection

Cultural institutions whose core task relates to design, architecture, digital culture or a crossover between these fields could apply for a maximum of € 250,000 in total for two years. The following 16 cultural institutions have been selected (the advices are only available in Dutch):

Institutions with a positive recommendation, but no budget after prioritisatio
Institutions with a negative recommendation

assessment

Chaired by Lucien Kembel, the Creative Industry Activities Programme Grant Scheme’s advisory committee advised on 48 programmes from cultural institutions. The advisory committee further consisted of Henk van Dillen, Roberto Luis Martins, Evelien Pieters, Hellen van Rees, Stephanie Schuitenmaker, Yagiz Soylev, Katía Truijen and Marije Vogelzang.

All applications were assessed on five criteria:

quality of artistic direction and content;
contribution to the professional field and social significance;
accessibility and public outreach;
business practices and organisation;
consistency in the application’s purpose and set-up.

When assessing the applications, the advisory committee paid close attention to whether there was actually a fully-fledged activities programme and the institutions’ core task clearly lies within design, architecture, digital culture or a crossover between these fields. There was also significant focus on the business practices and resilience of the institutions.

next round

A new round of the Creative Industry Activities Programme Grant Scheme will open in 2026. Cultural institutions in the fields of design, architecture and digital culture can then submit an application to support their activities programme in 2027-2028.