Fonds Podiumkunsten Fair Pay resources: room for better remuneration

Between 2025 and 2028, the Performing Arts Fund NL will receive 9.6 million euros annually from the Ministry of OCW (Education, culture, science). This contribution is intended to strengthen the position of makers and other professionals in the cultural sector. These resources were allocated originally by state secretary Uslu.

The budget of 9.6 million euros is distributed across various schemes, including multi-year and project schemes. The focus is on improving the remuneration conditions for performing artists and other professionals involved.

Multi-year grants: producers, festivals, performance venues
The additional allocations have already been made within the long-term production scheme and long-term festival scheme [ Only in Dutch: Fonds Podiumkunsten Verdeling fair pay middelen meerjarige subsidies voor productie en festivals ].

In addition, the grants for venue programming will be raised with more than 20 percent. This allows programmers to make better financial arrangements with performers, companies, ensembles, and others. This concerns a sum of over 2 million euros per year, divided among the four-year performing venue scheme and a prospective new two-year scheme for programme and presentation (to launch in autumn of 2025).

Higher project grants
The budgets for a number of project schemes will also be raised, with approximately 20 percent. This will contribute to the development and implementation of innovative projects in the sector. It concerns the schemes for the composer development grant, theatre text contribution , composition commission grant, urban projects grant and production grant. In total we will distribute an additional sum of over 600,000 euros annually across these schemes.

Fair pop
To improve the payment of pop music performers on stage, we are reserving 525,000 euros per year. This enables a follow-up to the Fair Pop Pilot that was carried out in 2024. These resources will be allocated in consultation with the Ketentafel Popmusici.

These investments in Fair Pay contribute to the fair remuneration of people working in the performing arts sector and to the sector’s sustainability.