In the Netherlands, public governance is organised as a three-tier system consisting of a central, provincial and municipal government. In each tier, the parliament, provincial councils or local councils have the right to amend the financial and governmental recommendations of the cabinet, provincial deputies, mayors and aldermen. All three tiers pursue their own cultural policy. Collaboratively, they attempt to create an effective cultural environment throughout the country.
The central government has the task of creating conditions in which the other levels of government and the cultural organisations can function optimally. The cultural policy memorandum that the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science formulates every four years, also includes the distribution of certain subsidies to provinces and municipalities.
In preparing and fixing regulations, laws and cultural policy programmes, the central government takes an important position and often sets the tone. However, they cover only one-third of all public expenses related to art and culture and must therefore often deliberate with regional and local governments and motivate them to get behind a shared policy agenda. The main role of central government, through the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, is to take responsibility for the availability of high-quality subsidised arts, cultural institutes and companies. The central government therefore subsidises organisations that host collections or performances of (inter)national importance, such as museums, symphonic orchestras, opera, theatre and dance companies, among others.
The central government is also responsible for the National Archive, the National Library of the Netherlands (KB), the national digital library, national monuments and the national and regional public broadcasting system. Another important task is the drafting of laws concerning cultural and media-related issues. Examples of these laws are the Heritage Act, Library Act (WSOB), Archives Act, Copyright Act, the Media Act and the Fixed Book Prices Act (see chapter 4.2 for an overview of the legislation on culture).
Council for Culture
Because it is a basic principle of the Dutch government to remain neutral in assessing arts issues, it leaves decision-making about the arts mainly to various committees of independent experts (arm’s length principle). The Council for Culture is the most important body to advise the government on the principles and implementation of policy plans. Its recommendations are not binding; the Minister has the final decision about the State’s cultural policy and subsidy allocations.
National Basic Infrastructure Culture
The cultural institutions and the cultural funds directly supported by the central governmental through the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, are part of the so-called ‘national basic infrastructure’ (BIS). This infrastructure consists of selected institutions and six public funds that are to receive subsidy from the central government on a quadrennial basis. The Council for Culture acts as the government’s advisory body with regard to the BIS.
In the latest Recommendations for the national basic infrastructure (Advies culturele basisinfrastructuur 2025-2028), the Council qualified 117 BIS-institutions for a subsidy of approximately €250 million. In January 2024, the Council published its advice Access to culture – towards a new system in 2029, proposing the merging of the BIS and the six public funds into an integrated, decentral system (see chapter 2.1).
National, Regional and Local Public Broadcasters
The Netherlands has a dual broadcasting system that includes commercial and public broadcasters. The Dutch Public Broadcaster (NPO) functions as the umbrella organisation for national public broadcasters and is financed by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Dutch public broadcasting organisations are to date member-based associations. This arrangement has its origins in the “pillarisation” of Dutch society in the previous century: different social, religious and political streams all had their own separate associations, newspapers, sports clubs, educational institutions and broadcasting organisations.
The Regional Public Broadcasting Foundation (RPO) is the umbrella organisation of regional public broadcasters in the Netherlands. It is tasked with the co-ordination between regional broadcasters and represents their interests on a national and international level. The thirteen regional public broadcasters are subsidised by the Ministry of Culture, Education and Science. Since 2017, this subsidy is allocated through the RPO.
On a local level, public broadcasters also exist. The Netherlands includes approximately 220 local public broadcasters that receive subsidy from the local government. The common interests of these broadcasters are served by the Foundation of Dutch Local Public Broadcasters (NLPO).
Appointments to key positions in the cultural and media sector
There is no role for the Minister of culture in appointments of artistic and executive positions at cultural organisations (theatre companies, concert halls, festivals etc.) or (public) broadcaster organisations responsible for making programmes. For museums the Minister is consulted on the appointment of members of the Supervisory Board after nomination by the museum.
The minister’s involvement is limited to an indirect capacity in the following situations. The Executive Board of the National Public Broadcasting (NPO) is appointed by a Supervisory Board. This Supervisory Board is appointed by the Minister, based on a weighty recommendation by an independent appointments advisory committee, following an open selection procedure. The same procedure is followed in the case of the members of the Council for Culture.
In the case of the public funds for culture, a member of the Supervisory Board shall be appointed by the Minister, upon the recommendation of the Supervisory Board and in accordance with a profile description. The Chair of the Supervisory Board shall be appointed to the position. The Executive Board shall be appointed by the Minister, upon the recommendation of the Supervisory Board and in accordance with a profile description. To date, the Ministers have always followed the recommendations.
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