The BNG Culture Fund supports projects in the field of art and culture. Read about our assessment criteria, conditions, and how to start an application for support for your project.
Assessment Criteria
We assess project applications based on three main criteria.
Regional visibility and involvement
- The project is demonstrably aimed to reaching a wide audience in a specific region. For performing arts, this could mean performances or a tour.
- A project is preferably set up or carried out in collaboration with local and regional professionals, or with (external) content experts.
- Financial involvement from one or more municipalities is an advantage. This also applies sot contributions form urban, regional, or provincial institutions or funds.
Quality
- Projects must be of high artistic quality. Always mention the name of the artists involved in your application, as well as any collaboration with regional or national support institutions, curators, or other content experts. This helps the jury recognise quality.
Distinctive or innovative character
- The BNG Culture Funs is an incentive fund. Applications should preferably be new, unique, special in content, or experimental. They may also serve as an example for other parties (institutions or municipalities).
- All projects must be special in content.
- For heritage projects, there must also be a clean connection or historical relationship with the place or region. Additionally, it is important that they fit well with the area or region, and it must be clear which audience the project is intended for.
Conditions
- The BNG Culture Fund only awards a contribution once.
- Applicants (institutions and organisations) may submit a new application 48 months after their last project was submitted.
- The BNG Culture Fund does not contribute to costs for projects aimed at investments in material and/or personnel costs. It is about projects, exhibitions, and productions. So no restoration costs, building subsidies, furnishing and operating costs, permanent staff costs, etc.
- The BNG Culture Fund does not contribute to repeats.
- The fund is cautious about granting applications from institutions that already receive structural government subsidies. In that case, clearly explain the importance and why you still need support from our fund for that specific activity.
- The BNG Culture Fund aims to make a difference with its contribution. This means our support must be in proportion to the total budget. The amounts provided by the BNG Culture Fund range from €1,000 to €15,000.
- Purely educational projects are not supported by the BNG Culture Fund. However, we may support projects, exhibitions, and productions that include an educational element. Activities within schools are not eligible for funding.
- When assessing applications, we consider geographical distribution and a spread across different art and culture disciplines.
Application Procedure
Send the completed and signed (by authorised persons) application form and all required documents by email to aanvraag.cultuurfonds@bngbank.nl. Clearly state the name of the institution and the project. The required documents are:
- A clear project plan of up to 5 pages
- A detailed budget and/or quotations for the project
- A recent extract from the Chamber of Commerce
- Current statutes
You can only apply by email. Handwritten or posted applications will not be considered.
Submission and Response Deadlines
There are four moments per year when you can apply. The table below shows all application rounds: