‘Not everything is possible everywhere’. This time not the title of the nitrogen report by Johan Remkes, but it could be the title of the Drenthe Culture Memorandum that is yet to be drawn up.
Drenthe receives relatively little money for culture from the cabinet, while the costs for cultural institutions have risen sharply.
The new culture memorandum for the next four years has yet to be drawn up. What the Provincial Executive wanted to know from the Provincial Council is what they should or should not take into account in the policy.
Although that policy is more dominated than in other policy areas by money, or rather: too little money.
If there is no more money from The Hague, the Drenthe government will have to make stricter choices. There is 18.5 million euros to be distributed annually. That seems like a lot, but a large part of that money (15.4 million) goes to institutions such as the Drents Museum.
This is the problem that the Provincial Executive and Provincial Council are facing together: “The province is an important financier because the government hardly invests in culture in Drenthe. In addition, we do not have large cities, such as in the Randstad, that finance the cultural sector is responsible for,” the provincial government writes.
The distribution of cultural funds is skewed twice, according to the provincial government. The total amount that Drenthe will receive from the cabinet is clear. There is no personal choice in this and that amount is too low. For comparison: in North Holland, 61 euros per inhabitant comes from the government’s cultural budget, in Drenthe it is only 2 euros.
VVD States member Hilda Mulder: “Drenthe is at the bottom and receives 0.3 percent of the national total cultural funding, which is pitiful. The Provincial Executive must obtain at least 10 percent more from the government.”
Deputy Jisse Otter thinks that the Drenthe message has landed in The Hague. He thinks that regional distribution of cultural money will improve. “That is my impression from conversations with State Secretary Gunay Uslu (D66). I don’t know how, but the major funds do get that message from her. If that does not help, we will have to work with the new cabinet ourselves.”
When distributing the money within Drenthe, politicians make their own choices: for years, the majority of the budget for museums has gone to the Drenthe museum in Assen. But if you have little to distribute, should you put a lot of money in a few institutions, or a little money in a somewhat larger number of institutions? These currently include the Drents Museum, the libraries and subsidies that promote cultural education, cultural participation or language development.
The province had its own cultural policy examined by the Berenschot agency. PVV faction leader Nico Uppelschoten reads in that report that subsidies must be used in a more targeted manner. “So probably for larger institutions. I agree. But there must be a budget for small-scale local initiatives. Shooting clubs, flower parades and theater clubs. No money for elite art expressions such as IntoNature.”
CDA and PvdA do not want any distinction. PvdA committee member Bruins: “Everyone should be able to participate, put Drenthe’s growth talents better on the map. Make no distinction between flower parades, fanfare and international theater companies.
At least one thing is very clear for the Provincial Executive. Talent development must be maintained here in Drenthe. Think of location theater performances such as the Van de Peer Group, youth theater Garage TDI in Assen and theater school Loods13 in Emmen. Although Shed 13 does not appear at all in Berenschot’s research. The theater school therefore sent an urgent letter to the province.
“Not only Loods13 is missing from the research and therefore the report, but also, for example, the Pauperparadijs foundation, production house Mrs. Ogterop and The Puppet Festival, which is supported by the FPK for several years,” writes Loods13 director Eva Wortmann.
The cultural sector has been struggling for twenty years. First there was the long economic downturn after the banking crisis in 2008. Major cuts in cultural subsidies followed.
Three years ago, cultural life virtually came to a standstill due to corona. After the Russian attack on Ukraine, inflation rose so much more money is now spent on heating, housing and salaries, leaving less for performances and exhibitions. Annelies Bakelaar, director of Biblionet Drenthe, came to draw attention to the high cost increases.
At the same time, cuts are being made to people who work as self-employed people for a cultural institution or are artists. The Party for the Animals and D66 therefore advocate a Fair Practice Code, a code of conduct for entrepreneurship and work in the arts, culture and creative industries so that someone without employment receives the same pay as someone employed.
When municipalities have to make cuts, they often focus on culture first, warns SP faction leader Simon Zandvliet. According to him, the province must therefore keep an eye on the municipalities.
The Party for the Animals got into trouble with part of the Drenthe Parliament, because it wants to abolish Easter bonfires and carbide shooting. “Environmental pollution and noise pollution equal to a fighter jet crashing through the sound barrier and many animals are scared and stressed on New Year’s Day,” summarizes committee member Faber of the PvdD.
JA21 committee member Truong wants a Drenthe or northern film fund. “The Drenthe film industry has succeeded in moving from underdog to top dog with the film Grenzeloos Verraad. In cinemas nationwide and on Netflix. 95 percent of the film fund money ends up in the Randstad, almost all Drenthe makers disappear to the Randstad. new culture memorandum, more commitment to Drenthe films.”
Deputy Otter had also seen it on Netflix but had not yet made any commitments about a film fund.