Netherlands maybe a small country but it has a lot of freedom for the performing arts. Artists from all genres of the arts have over the years enjoyed a free pass to express themselves and showcase their various talents to audiences all over Netherlands.
Netherlands maybe a small country but it has a lot of freedom for the performing arts. Artists from all genres of the arts have over the years enjoyed a free pass to express themselves and showcase their various talents to audiences all over Netherlands.
Dutch music dates back to as early as 1958 when a 14 year old violinist Dick Bor performed a solo in the Dutch youth Ochestra during a concert at the Kurhaus Scheveningen. The concert was held during the Holland Festival which is an annual event held in Amsterdam and is a platform for the dutch performing arts as well as the international arts.
The Dutch Youth Orchestra has been a breeding ground for the arts alongside such establishments as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra which was established in 1888.These institutions have both been a great contribution to Dutch music as well as the growth of many talented musicians. The RCO is world renowned and many from the international performing arts industry are always honored to work with it.
This teamwork between different artists not only goes to inspire the Dutch performing arts but also brought about the realization of their importance to the government. This led to the creation of the Raad Voor Cultuur which is the arts council so as to advise the government on management of the arts.
This council was established in 1956 in the Hague by the minister for Education, Arts and Science. The council board is made up of well respected people from the different sectors of the Dutch performing arts. For instance, the Dutch theatre is headed by Sonia Gaskell a renowned ballet dancer.
The performing arts are well sponsored by the government as well through the cultural office in the Dutch embassy. This office is responsible for the exchange of information with other performance arts missions in countries like the United States. Their biggest tasks is to implement Dutch national and international cultural policy in the United States.
The cultural office informs American cultural professionals such as curators, publishers and journalists about the arts and artists in the Netherlands. The cultural office also facilitates a smooth transition for Dutch performing artists by advising them on how they can get funding for their work. The office also represents the Dutch government in performing arts events like festivals and conferences.
However, the cultural office makes a clear distinction between what it does and does not do Although they are very much in support of the Dutch performing arts, they do not promote individual artists or companies .The office does not also book any performances for Dutch music or theatre. Nevertheless, they do offer advisory services to ensure that performing arts events are organized by the right people and that they get proper funding.
Dutch performing arts enjoy a favorable atmosphere in the United States and this has led to such sectors as the dance and Dutch theatre receiving funding and recognition. The result is that the theater is doing well which is important because it is proving that investment in cultural policies is not a waste of time.
Investing in the Dutch Performing Arts
