Netherlands 1.3.1

In accordance with the Cultural Policy Act (1993), the Dutch government guarantees a financial contribution to a selection of cultural institutions and six public funds (see chapter 1.1). These cultural institutions form the so-called national basic infrastructure (BIS) and can be seen as the organisations that ensure the supply and development of high-quality cultural output. The BIS 2025-2028 contains the following group of 117 cultural institutions.

Table 1a: Cultural Basic Infrastructure 2025–2028

Source: Prinsjesdagbrief cultuursubsidies 2025-2028 , annex 2

In addition to the BIS institutions, a group of over 300 organisations receives multi-annual funding through one of the public cultural funds. See here for a total overview.

Since the implementation of the Heritage Act in 2016, the preservation of the state collection is ensured and no longer plays a role in selecting museums for the BIS (see chapters 3.1 and 4.2.2). Thirty museums and heritage institutions (such as the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum) are funded on the basis of the Heritage Act.

Table 1b (in the next paragraph) gives an overview of the available data on cultural institutions in the Netherlands. These numbers do not represent all the institutions and venues. In a more informal infrastructure, cultural capacity is much broader. Numbers on the solely private institutions are scarcely available; therefore, a clear view on the ratio between public and private institutions cannot be provided currently.

Table 1b is also limited tot cultural institutions that create and present cultural expressions, and does not include the supporting cultural infrastructure, like mostly provincial institutions focusing on cultural education and participation (joined in the Council of Twelve), the provincial Heritage Houses (joined in OPEN) or the provincial support organisations for libraries (joined in SPN).