Dutch Festivals Join Forces

Dutch festivals already loosely joined in spring last year to raise awareness for the importance of their events through joint pamphlets, leaflets and letters, signed by subsidized festivals all over Holland. The efforts led to an increase in the government’s performing arts fund to euro 2.5 million for 2016.

The aim is to raise at least another euro 2.5 million per year for festivals in the period between 2017 and 2020, Mark Hospers, the coordinator of the newly formed association, told theaterkrant.nl. He also stressed that there was a lack of understanding for the cultural and economic importance of festivals for the local, national and international infrastructure. To help policy makers understand their importance better, a report called “Leve de Festivals” (long live festivals) was published alongside the formation of De Verenigde Podiumkunstenfestivals.

Member festivals include Eurosonic Noorderslag and Noorderzon Performing Arts Festival (Groningen), Spring Performing Arts Festival (Utrecht), Canal Festival and Dutch Theatre Festival (Amsterdam), Motel Mozaïque and Opera Days (Rotterdam), Gaudeamus Music Week and Le Guess Who? (Utrecht) and the Holland Dance Festival (The Hague).

Peter Smidt, creative director of Eurosonic Noorderslag, told Pollstar: “This association was founded to lobby ministries and government on behalf of all festivals; not only pop music but also theater and classical music etc.Eurosonic Noorderslag is member from the early start. We believe that sometimes it will help to operate together in order to put items on the agenda.”