A group of music organisations receive direct state funding via the national basic infrastructure (BIS) (see chapter 3.1 performing arts)
The Performing Arts Fund NL supports other individuals and cultural institutions in performing arts, including music. There are grants for text and composition, producing (including new talents), programming of venues and festivals, international activities (including coproductions and presentations abroad). A group of festivals and institutions gets multi-year grants. Each subsidy has its own rules and criteria. Last year, there was more focus on the geographical distribution of the grants.
An example is the pop music project Upstream, which is a collaboration with Sena (the organisation that manages the rights of performers and producers), intended for artists who have been active for some time and have established a solid foundation. The grant can be used to make a leap towards a larger audience and increased income.
The Popcoalitie (Pop Coalition) is a collaboration between a large number of organisations in the Dutch pop music industry. Since 2014, pop music, as part of the Dutch creative industry, has been part of the top sector policy. In this sector, the Netherlands is an innovative producer and a successful export country, with a high chance of further success in the future. Dutch Music Export is an initiative of the Popcoalitie, the Performing Arts Fund and Buma Cultuur, and aims to strengthen the international position of Dutch pop music within the global music sector. Its activities include information, marketing and financial support.
In parliament, attention has been drawn to profiteering in the resale of admission tickets. request was made to examine the possibility of introducing a ban on resales. In March 2025, Minister Eppo Bruins reported his findings and concluded that he did not wish to proceed with national legislation. Research had shown that the scale of the problem was relatively limited, that little insight could be gained into the effectiveness (enforceability) of legal measures, and that it was unclear whether measures elsewhere in Europe had been effective. Moreover, the issue of resale is cross-border in nature, making national legislation ineffective
See for more information: Culture Monitor – music
Comments are closed.