The Prince Claus Fund and Cultural Emergency Response were founded on the belief that culture is a powerful agent of change—especially in places where it is under threat. Supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other key partners in the Netherlands, we have been investing in international development through culture on a global scale for almost 30 years.
Cover: courtesy of 2023 Seed Awardee Milko Delgado.
Wars, political turmoil, natural disasters, economic instability, and threats to cultural heritage—these are the challenges that the Prince Claus Fund and Cultural Emergency Response have been tackling for decades. From the Prince Claus Fund Award granted to Al-Jazeera in 1999, when the network was newly established, to Cultural Emergency Response’s first cultural rescue in 2003 following the looting of the Iraq Museum after the U.S. invasion—these moments mark key milestones in the beginning of our legacies of supporting culture under threat.
With over €90 million in government funding alone, we have helped to foster cultural resilience worldwide. Yet now, all this progress—along with the broader international development sector that the Netherlands has nurtured for nearly 50 years—faces the risk of being erased.
Prince Claus was a visionary thinker who inspired generations of Dutch citizens—his ideas remain strikingly relevant today and continue to guide our work. As author and previous board member of the Prince Claus Fund Adriaan van Dis notes, real change comes slowly. He recalls Prince Claus removing his tie in a symbolic act of liberation: "Only two years later everyone was standing with a tie tied around their neck again during the Prince Claus Fund Award Ceremony. Then you see: you want to change, but it goes millimetre by millimetre."
The longstanding relationship between organisations like ours and government ministries has remained stable, with visible support from representatives such as Liesje Schreinemacher—former Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation—who endorsed the launch of Cultural Emergency Response as an independent organisation in 2022, stating that “protecting cultural heritage is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.”
The four-year subsidies constitute a relatively small but crucial financial foundation for the cultural and creative sector. Despite making up only 0.3% of the total national budget, this sector contributes 3.4% to the Dutch economy and sustains 410,000 jobs.
The proposed policy changes amount to nothing short of capital destruction. Decades of investment that have fortified cultural networks, fostered economic growth, and enhanced global stability are now at risk.
The Netherlands has built a strong reputation in the creative sector and heritage protection for which it is known for worldwide. Cultural cooperation strengthens diplomatic relations, unlocks economic opportunities, and cements our position as a leader in global culture. By leveraging cultural expertise, the Netherlands promotes stability, strengthens trade relations, and upholds democratic values.
Foreign aid currently accounts for just 0.62% of the national budget, with a mere 0.2% allocated to international cultural cooperation. Despite its modest size, this funding is instrumental in transforming lives both in the Netherlands and worldwide. Under the new policy framework, this essential 0.2% will be eliminated entirely, causing irreparable damage to the infrastructure and partnerships that have been carefully built over decades.
Cultural cooperation is a proven diplomatic tool that fosters stability in vulnerable regions. By supporting cultural initiatives, we address risks at their root.
Cutting off funding to international partners and programmes would isolate the Netherlands and diminish its global standing. Cultural initiatives play a crucial role in rebuilding communities, advancing social cohesion, and protecting human dignity in times of crisis.
The stakes could not be higher. We must act now to safeguard the future of international cultural cooperation before decades of progress are undone. We call on policymakers and our communities to reject these cuts and reaffirm the Netherlands’ commitment to protecting culture as a vital force for connection and global solidarity. Culture is not an afterthought.
