Fourteen of the most prominent Dutch cultural organisations are calling on the culture minister to establish a generous fund to support the cultural sector during and after the coronavirus crisis, the Parool reports.

In a letter to culture minister Ingrid van Engelshoven and the culture departments of the four big cities, the Rijksmuseum, the Concertgebouw orchestra and the National Opera & Ballet say the cultural and financial damage to the companies ‘is huge and is endangering the survival of the country’s cultural infrastructure and employment.’

A ‘robust fund’ is needed, the organisations wrote, to pay for measures such as a rent deferment, the inclusion of freelance arts workers in the financial support measures and a compensation package which takes the 1.5m social distance rule into account.

 ‘We are also worried about the long term. Perhaps the cultural life of the country will be back to ‘normal’ in a year or two but much will have changed by then,’ the organisations said.

Survey

The letter comes in the wake of a recent survey by the association of Dutch museums which showed that 100 of the 400 museums represented by the association would have to close their doors by the end of the year.

Actors who perform in productions which do not depend on subsidies, some 60% of the total, have asked for financial support for producers. Some 5,000 shows have been cancelled already, the actors said, and independent producers will not be able to carry the financial burden for long.

Lost season

In an interview on Monday, Van Engelshoven told Erik Akkermans, acting chairman of cultural sector research institute ACC, that ‘the present season is lost.’

‘I dread to think what next year’s schedules will look like,’ the minister said.

The minister also said that the financial loss would be far too great to be compensated in full. ‘We have to be clear about that. My aim is to support the sector in such a way that as soon as things are back to the new normal we can create demand again and the culture chain can start up again,’ Van Engelshoven said.

The fund for freelancers is ‘not huge and it is no fun if you have to depend on it’, she said. However, the minister said, the money set aside for sectors affected by COVID-19 are sufficient to ‘get through this difficult time.’