Culture - Japan-en
Financial support for cultural exchange
Deadlines 2026
Monday 1 June 09:00hr JST for activities in the period of July until
October 2026.
Monday 28 September 09:00hr JST for activities in the period of
November 2026 until February 2027.
Update 27 March 2026:
- Deadlines for 2026 have been adjusted. For activities that fall outside the mentioned time range for the next deadline, please consult us by sending a mail at TOK-ICB@minbuza.nl .
- Applications should be sumitted online via the form at the bottom of this page.
Financial Support
Projects eligible for support are those that:
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stimulate Dutch-Japan reciprocal, long-term cultural exchange between artists and creatives in Japan and the Netherlands and cultural institutions in both countries;
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contribute to collaborations in the field of cultural heritage;
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give creative and cultural professionals from the Netherlands exposure to Japanese audiences and that aid the international ambitions of these artists and creatives.
Criteria
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Activities take place in Japan (with an exception online activities organized by Japanese or Dutch cultural organisations aimed at audiences in Japan).
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The activity is yet to take place.
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Only professional organisations (legal entities) can receive funding. Purely commercial activities and amateur arts are not eligible for funding.
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Applications can be submitted by both Japanese and Dutch entities. Applicants based in the Netherlands must have a partner organisation in Japan. There is a strong priority given to applications from organisations in Japan.
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There is a strong priority given to applications from organisations applying for the first time.
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The artist(s)/creative(s) from the Netherlands must receive adequate fees. Applicants should prove that fees are in line with, or better than, recognised codes of practice and guidelines set by the relevant lead bodies/trade unions. Contributions from the Dutch Embassy will not exceed 50% of the total costs of the performance/presentation/residency of the Dutch artist(s)/creative(s).
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Expenses that are not eligible for support are overhead costs.
Amounts of financial support
- Financial support typically ranges between EUR 2000 and EUR 7.500 (or the equivalent in Japanese yen at a fixed yearly rate), depending on the scope and expected impact of the project.
- The embassy supports a maximum of EUR 2500 per person for travel and accommodation costs, based on an economy class airplane ticket and four hotel nights (taking into account fluctuations in these costs). Priority is given to applications that concern longer stays in Japan and sustainable ways of travelling are encouraged.
- The hours that the artist has put into a project should be capitalized. The hours invested in an activity should be added to the budget proposal to provide a full overview of the activity.
Application procedure
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Fill out the online form at the bottom of this page.
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The application will be taken up by one of the policy officers of the Public Diplomacy, Political and Cultural Affairs Section and checked for correctness and completeness. You will receive an confirmation of your application via e-mail. If necessary, extra information can be requested in the weeks following the application deadline.
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The application will be discussed by the staff members of PPC after which you will be informed about the outcome. Within four weeks after the application deadline, you will receive the decision via e-mail.
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When a contribution from the Embassy is confirmed, it is a requirement that the participation of the Dutch creative(s) and the support from the Dutch government are clearly mentioned in the (marketing) communications.
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The recipient of the grant is required to fill out a feedback form with information about visitors numbers, media coverage and possible follow-ups. The template will be provided with the confirmation of the grant.
Please note: filling out an application does not guarantee that a
contribution will be provided. Priority is given to first-time
appliers over past recipients of a contribution.
For questions about projects that do not fit the above, please
contact us. We are always interested
in proposals for other forms of collaboration.
Online Form
Nominal Support
Please fill out the application form for nominal support (download link) and sent it to TOK-PPC@minbuza.nl . After review, you will receive the result via e-mail.
Please note:
1. Approval of sponsorship does not include financial or monetary support.
2. The Public, Political and Cultural Affairs Department of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands assumes no legal obligation or responsibility for any damage incurred during the preparation, organisation or completion of the event.
3. In case of any false information in the application, the approval may be withdrawn.
4. If there are substantial changes to the application after approval, please inform us of the changes.