Dutch Culture
Institutional cooperation in the field of international cultural collaboration
Complexity increased. Not only because several ministries were involved: Apart from Education, Culture and Science and Foreign Affairs also the Ministry of the Interior, which each had their own vision. Also because “Brussels” had to agree with the collaboration. It did not happen without a struggle, but in the end the merger of the Creative Europe Desk with the MediaDesk became a shining example for other European countries.
At the end of 2012 there was a widely supported strategic plan, the necessary funding had been awarded, Europe had approved, and a new organisation with one director arose. Soon after, the organisation moved into its own premises and received its new name. And, most significantly, the importance of international cultural cooperation was secure again.
When in 2011 the government moved forward with significant cuts in spending, this involved drastic measures, merging several institutes. All foundations engaged in something international are piled together. For the institutes involved, MediaDesk, Transartist and Sica this is not self-evident whatsoever. The merger seems even to face unovercomable juridical obstacles, in the unification of different Europe Desks with a nationally directed and financed cultural institute. Moreover, there are three offices, three teams, three directors, none of whom were willing to tie their vision and identity to another, let alone another two institutes. And time was pressing: within two months a plan had to be submitted to Education, Culture and Science to qualify at all for the funding that Mare was supposed to help acquire.
More information? please contact mare@marjovanschaik.nl