North Brabant Culture Fund invests €60,000 in creative makers

This article is written by Cultuurfonds Noord-Brabant

The Prince Bernhard Culture Fund North Brabant is opening a special scheme for new makers. The New Makers scheme aims to offer creative professionals space, time and confidence to fully focus on an artistic process for a continuous period. Applications for a financial contribution can be submitted from 1 January to 15 February 2023.

Creators from all art disciplines can apply to engage in an artistic project, experiment and/or creative process. This could include time for idea or text development, the creation of new work, as well as a public presentation, exchange or entering into a collaboration process. "With this low-threshold scheme, we offer starting, creative professionals even without legal status (such as an association or foundation) the opportunity to 'buy' time and do what they are good at; making distinctive work, composing or writing, for example, via a financial contribution. And that is badly needed, at a time when venues and presentation places are packed and lack the financial elbow room to opt for more risky programming of unknown talent," says Jan Speelman of Cultuurfonds Noord-Brabant.

Criteria

Applicants live and work in North Brabant, must have graduated from an art school (mbo/hbo) a maximum of five years ago or, in the case of self-taught artists, have been working as an art professional for a maximum of five years. Another condition is that applicants do not receive a financial contribution from one of Brabant's talent hubs.

For the 2023 opening, one wildcard is available for an exceptional creator from Brabant who does not meet the criteria but manages to convince the board with an exceptional artistic project or process. For more information on the criteria and procedure, visit www.cultuurfonds.nl/provinciale-afdelingen/noord-brabant.

Speeddating

Makers can pitch their idea via www.cultuurfonds.nl/provinciale-afdelingen/noord-brabant. A selection will be made from the submissions based on artistic quality for speed dates in March, where applicants will explain their ideas in more detail. The same week, the makers will hear whether their plans will be supported. A maximum of €4,000 will be awarded per application.

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