In recent years, the Dutch cultural scene has become increasingly international. The inclusion of artists, writers, curators, and thinkers from diverse geographies, especially from the Global South, strengthens the sector by enhancing its diversity. Against the backdrop of a rightwards shift in the Dutch political landscape, the commitment to a global public sphere in the Netherlands feels more crucial than ever.
Cover: courtesy of visual artist, researcher, and 2021 Seed Awardee, Wan Chee Michelle Chan.
In collaboration with Boekman Foundation, we present “Internationalisation(s)”: a “Seeing Like a Fund” event taking place on 3 October between 15:30-18:00 (CEST) at Boekmanstichting in Amsterdam.
Join us for a discussion with artists and cultural workers who reflect on how the internationalisation of the Dutch cultural sector can help push for a sustainable global solidarity that includes everyone.
Full programme
15:30 – 15:50 Opening and introduction
By Jasmin Sharif (Boekmanstichting) and Laura Alexander (Prince Claus Fund).
15:50 – 16:00 Performance by Rah Naqvi with Antigoni Seferli
Rah Naqvi (he/they) is an Indian artist currently based in Amsterdam. Their work engages in narratives themed around religious and societal polarisation, often using art as a tool to question structural hegemonies. The materiality and techniques in their work are at play to create familiarity with the viewer; with satire, whimsical props, and themes of softness you are made to believe something joyous awaits. Rah uses this familiarity, these grounds for communion to navigate more complex and dynamic subjects of belonging and imposed colonial identities. Intrinsic to their work is their trans-ness, as explored in their performances, Rah seeks for trans-masculine joys in unlikely spaces, dwelling in the overlaps of trans marginal solidarity with the working class. The language of queer defiance extends to their practice of singing, alluding to the polyphonic nature of love and revolution while cautioning against the monotony of a choice-less future.
Antigoni Seferli was born and raised in Athens, Greece. She started taking cello lessons at the age of 8 and many years later she completed three circles of studies in western classical music at the Athens Conservatoire, the State University for Music and Performing Arts of Stuttgart and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Currently she is active mostly as a chamber music player with her string quartet PuraCorda, a group exploring the work of overlooked, mainly female, composers of the 20th century. Her practice expands to the territories of free improvisation and interdisciplinary practices, using art forms such as poetry and spoken word. Along those lines, she collaborates with the Queer Choir Amsterdam and with artist Rah Naqvi, amongst others.
16:00 – 16:15 Language
Featuring Ola Hassanain. We will discuss how artists and other cultural practitioners in the Netherlands navigate the dynamics of language in their working lives. In what kinds of circumstances do they find themselves expected to speak Dutch, and what kinds of costs are attached to speaking or not speaking fluent Dutch? In the Netherlands, English is often seen as the default language of “internationals”, despite not being the first language of many non-Dutch practitioners either. What can be done to ensure a thriving and inclusive multilingual cultural sector?
16:15 – 16:30 Bureaucracy
Living and working internationally often creates significant bureaucratic complications - from struggles around visas and the right to work, to complex tax legislation around cross-border workers. The burden of this administrative labour typically falls on the individual to deal with on their own. Furthermore, these hurdles are often more difficult to navigate for those without access to significant economic resources, exacerbating economic inequality within the cultural sector. What can institutions within the Dutch cultural sector do to support artists and cultural workers from outside the Netherlands when it comes to bureaucracy?
Featuring Maardewân, a community of migrant creatives who have found themselves and each other in the Netherlands. Coming from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, they are bonded by their friendship and a shared understanding of mutual aid and collective learning. Together, they lift each other up and blend diverse perspectives and practices to create meaningful experiences that foster creative synergy. They cherish and rely on their togetherness to overcome bottlenecks originating from external structures and systems.
Maardewân will be represented by a subgroup of members, namely Tuba Kılıç, Ezgi Aktuğ and Dicle Gülşahin.
16:30 – 16:45 Knowledge
Why does it even matter that the Dutch cultural sector is an international one? Different forms of knowledge exchange, audience interaction and sharing are created within cultural spaces in the Netherlands by the centering of diverse voices and stories. How does a diverse and inclusive arts ecosystem strengthen cultural life in the Netherlands, and what are institutions doing to facilitate this?
Featuring Dilara Kanık, an arts and culture advisor who has initiated numerous cross-cultural exchanges and artistic collaborations. During her time at the Prince Claus Fund, she contributed to various initiatives, including managing cultural activities and exhibitions that showcased global artists and fostering connections between artists, cultural institutions, and practitioners. Drawing on her bi-cultural perspective, Dilara brings a deep understanding of diverse narratives to her work. She is currently working as an arts and culture advisor at the municipality of Zaanstad. Committed to social justice and cultural equity, Dilara strives to create a more inclusive cultural landscape, ensuring that the arts are accessible and reflective of the city’s rich diversity.
16:45 – 17:05 Panel discussion
17:05 – 17:25 Open conversation
17:25 – 18:00 Concluding remarks and drinks
Share your story with us!
For this event, we are inviting artists and cultural practitioners from the Global South who live and work in the Netherlands to anonymously share their stories via the link below.
About Seeing Like a Fund
"Seeing Like a Fund" is an event series by the Prince Claus Fund, which brings together cultural changemakers from the Fund’s network to critically examine vital issues shaping how culture is supported globally, sparking new ways of thinking about and doing funding.
