With the pilot, we are exploring which direction the sector should work towards from 2025 onwards. The projects funded through this pilot will form the input and foundation for a national amateur arts agreement. 

For some time now, the structure upon which the amateur arts rely has faced challenges. These include a withdrawing government, ageing members and boards, declining membership figures and higher demands being placed on volunteer boards. The need for a strong and vital support structure became even greater during the COVID-19 pandemic. The time has come for nationwide and coordinated support for the amateur arts field. With this pilot, we are making funding available to provincial support institutions (including the Raad van Twaalf) and local institutions, and asking them to work together across borders. 

With this pilot, we support projects that contribute to: 

• the substantive strengthening of amateur arts practice and cultural education outside school  
• and/or the future-proof strengthening of the support structure 

Who can apply for a grant? 

The grant can be applied for by a cultural institution. Each project concerns a collaboration between at least: 

• one amateur arts umbrella organisation, provincial or municipal support organisation 
• one other professional organisation working in the field of amateur arts and cultural education outside school 
• one amateur arts group or collection of groups 

What kind of project is it? 

The project contributes to strengthening (support for) amateur arts and cultural education outside school. This is done by working on at least one of the core ambitions: 

1. Everyone in the Netherlands who wishes to do so engages in cultural practice, individually or in groups. The provision meets the evolving wishes and needs of amateur artists, recognises and encourages talent and is accessible, inclusive and safe. 
2. Cultural practice in all its diversity is visible in and valued by society, encouraging people to participate. 
3. Amateur arts groups (cultural practice in groups) are vital and future-proof. They match new ways of practising culture in terms of artistic content and organisational form. 
4. Amateur arts groups are aware of their value and role in society and have the skills and tools to deploy them. Connections exist both in practice and policy between other domains (such as welfare, care, sport) and amateur arts groups. 
5. There are plenty of artistic supervisors, artistic frameworks and art teachers for cultural practice and they have an attractive professional practice. 

How do you apply for the grant  

On this page, you will find all the important information for submitting an application in the box to the right under 'Documents'. There, you will find the grant regulations containing all the conditions based on which your application will be assessed. You will also find sample forms to help you with your application. 

You can apply for a grant via Mijn Fonds: our online application environment. Click on ‘Mijn Fonds’ or ‘Subsidie aanvragen’ at the top right to create an account (this may take a few days) and start your application.  

Good to know 

• The scheme will open on 30 October 2023 at 1 p.m. Amsterdam time and will close on 28 February 2024 at 5 p.m. Amsterdam time. 
• The project does not start before your application is approved (this takes a maximum of 13 weeks), but does start within 6 months after you receive our decision. The project will run until 30 June 2025 at the latest. 
• In case of a cooperation, a cooperation agreement will be drawn up and signed for all parties involved. 
• You can apply for a maximum of €375,000. The amount requested may cover 100% of your project costs. The contingency on your budget may not exceed 7% of the total costs. A maximum of 10% of the grant may be used for material investments. 
• The minimum and maximum amounts to be applied for in this chapter have been chosen in such a way that the Fund can support regional pilots of substantial size, well distributed across the Kingdom. We therefore advise smaller or locally active organizations that want to participate in development and participation, but for whom the amounts are too high, to contact the provincial support institution in their region to enter into cooperation.
• Applicants based in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom may include the cost of currency exchange in the application. 
• You apply the three cultural codes. The extent to which your application will be assessed on these codes depends on the amount you apply for. 
• You will actively participate in LKCA's development process, which is conducted as part of the National Agreement on Amateur Arts. 
• If you are based in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, there is a special working method for differences in currency. You can find the method on the right in the grey box under 'Documents'. 
• Applications are processed in order of receipt, until the end of the budget is reached. Therefore, be sure to start on time; do not wait too long to apply. 
• The grant ceiling is € 2,857,152.