Projects eligible for support are those that:

• stimulate Dutch-Japan reciprocal, long-term cultural exchange between artists and creatives in Japan and the Netherlands and cultural institutions in both countries;

• contribute to collaborations in the field of cultural heritage;

• give creative and cultural professionals from the Netherlands exposure to Japanese audiences and that aid the international ambitions of these artists and creatives.

Criteria

• Activities take place in Japan (with an exception online activities organized by Japanese or Dutch cultural organisations aimed at audiences in Japan).

• The activity is yet to take place.

• Only professional organisations (legal entities) can receive funding. Purely commercial activities and amateur arts are not eligible for funding.

• Applications can be submitted by both Japanese and Dutch entities. Applicants based in the Netherlands must have a partner organisation in Japan. There is a strong preference for, and priority given to applications from organisations in Japan.

• There is a strong preference for, and priority given to applications from organisations applying for the first time.

• The artist(s)/creative(s) from the Netherlands must receive adequate fees. Applicants should prove that fees are in line with, or better than, recognised codes of practice and guidelines set by the relevant lead bodies/trade unions. Contributions from the Dutch Embassy will not exceed 50% of the total costs of the performance/presentation/residency of the Dutch artist(s)/creative(s). 

• Expenses that are not eligible for support are overhead costs.

Amounts of financial support

Financial support typically ranges between EUR 2000 and EUR 10.000 (or the equivalent in Japanese yen at a fixed yearly rate), depending on the scope of the project.
The embassy supports a maximum of EUR 2500 per person for travel and accommodation costs, based on an economy class airplane ticket and four hotel nights(taking into account fluctuations in these costs). Priority is given to applications that concern longer stays in Japan and sustainable ways of travelling are encouraged.
The hours that the artist has put into a project should be capitalized. The hours invested in an activity should be added to the budget proposal to provide a full overview of the activity.

Application procedure

1. Fill in the application form. (Download link here.)

2. Send in a project budget form separately. Send this to TOK-ICB@minbuza.nl, title the subject: Open Call – title of the project. We will confirm the application by e-mail.

3. The application will be taken up by one of the policy officers of the Public Diplomacy, Political and Cultural Affairs Section and checked for correctness and completeness. You will receive an confirmation of your application via e-mail. If necessary, extra information can be requested in the week following the application deadline.

4. The application will be discussed by the staff members of PPC after which you will be informed about the outcome. Five weeks after the application deadline, you will receive the decision via e-mail.

5. When a contribution from the Embassy is confirmed, it is a requirement that the participation of the Dutch creative(s) and the support from the Dutch government are clearly mentioned in the (marketing) communications.

Please note: filling out an application does not guarantee that a contribution will be provided. Priority is given to first-time appliers over past recipients of a contribution.

Beside financial support for projects the Dutch Embassy is interested in other forms of collaboration as well. For collaborations in visitor programmes, long term heritage and Artists-in-residence, or Dutch participation in world leading manifestations, please contact us.