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Lees het originele advies in het Nederlands: timewindow_advies_2023_kiezen-voor-makers

Provide sufficient financial and production resources that actually end up with the artists. Right now, there is the threat of an irreparable breakdown of the cultural base in our city.

The budget for arts & culture remains the same. We expect that this will be at the expense of creators in this city, because:

1. The cost of energy and real estate goes up. This increase in costs mainly affects the established cultural institutions who own buildings. As a result, a lower percentage of their budget going to programs and creators. Outcome: fewer opportunities and income for creators.
2. Fair Pay is mandatory and salary costs go up. This is good, but then there is less budget available for programming and activities: again, this leads to less income for creators.
3. In addition, the performance pressure for the cultural sector is brought down by demanding fewer results from the funders demanding fewer results. At its core, also good! But, less performance means less productions and programs and less work for artists. Conclusion: again, less income for creators.

Our advice: follow the money!

Make sure that the engine of the arts – the maker – can keep running.

This is how you do it:

1. Have all institutions demonstrate what percentage of the budget goes to the makers (in relation to other items) and develop guidelines for each type of institution.
2. Let the amount of the share of the budget that goes to artists weigh heavily in the choice of grant funding and for the amount of contribution to an institution.
3. Reward organisational forms that are creator-centered and have a high impact on the development and livelihood of creators.
4. Reward larger organisations (fair chain) that work on equal footing with smaller ones – with trust and autonomy for the performer/creator.

On behalf of all 50 artists at TimeWindow.