A group of artists calling themselves Dutch Artists 2011 have placed an advert in The New York Times newspaper warning of a cultural meltdown in the Netherlands.

‘Do not enter the Netherlands, cultural meltdown in progress,’ states the quarter page advertisement. It goes on to warn that the Dutch government is ‘decimating’ support for the arts and that Dutch artists will no longer be able to maintain their position on the world stage.
The government plans to cut spending on the arts and culture by 25% from 2013, and has already increased the tax on theatre tickets from 6% to 19%. The performing and visual arts will be hardest hit.

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