The supervision of cultural institutions in the Netherlands must be set up better and more professional. The Council for Culture states this in a advice published on Tuesday to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). The report entitled Supervision in the cultural sector: an art in its owncontains recommendations for both the Ministry and Subsidies, Branche organizations, Cultural Institutions and Supervisors themselves.
According to the Council, many supervisory boards fulfill their role carefully, but the social and political requirements have become heavier in recent years and therefore the challenges have become greater. “It is good that more attention has now been paid to issues such as social safety, fair pay and hiring of the self -employed,” says Kristel Baele, chairman of the Council for Culture. But now it is important, according to her, that those developments within cultural institutions can also be properly implemented.
Smaller organizations in particular are struggling with a shortage of qualified supervisors. Since the cultural sector consists of many small institutions that often operate on a project basis and – partly due to the subsidy system – have no constant financial security, the necessary creativity of the regulator is requested. Training and recruitment can do better, and a better payment can also contribute to a more professional interpretation of the position. The Council also proposes to bundle supervision, with several institutions jointly receiving one supervisory body.
Corporate culture
The Governance Code Culture, the leading code of conduct for the sector, is due for renewal according to the council. An independent committee should now be responsible for this. In addition, clear rules regarding confidants and whistleblowers are needed to signal abuses in time.
In addition to rules and codes, behavior and corporate culture also play a role, the council writes. Mutual relationships between regulators and directors now appear to have too much influence on the decision -making of an organization. There is also a need for a central information point where institutions and supervisors can go early with questions.
The advice was sent to outgoing Minister Gouke Moes (OCW).
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