Cultural Exchange - United Kingdom
Cultural exchange between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands
The Dutch government believes it's important for people and countries to collaborate culturally. This helps people to get to know and understand each other better. And increases knowledge of shared history, values, and freedoms. It's also important that people everywhere have the right to express themselves through culture. This is part of the freedom of expression. This right must be internationally recognized and protected.
Source: International cultural policy
Netherlands and the UK
The UK is a close neighbour to the Netherlands. Culturally, the two countries share many similarities. For instance, in both countries we see the immense value of sharing ideas through cultural expression and open debate. There is a strong and passionate believe that each individual has the right to express themselves freely, provided this freedom doesn't cause harm to others. Historically, creatives in the Netherlands and the UK have been given the space and support to shape new ideas and express those freely and creatively. This has resulted in thriving cultural scenes in both the UK and the Netherlands.
The cultural and creative sectors in the Netherlands are well developed, with multiple renowned cultural institutions, many well-established artists as well as a vibrant contemporary art scene. The Dutch creative sector is very international and outward looking, resulting in an eagerness to collaborate internationally, with the aim to engage with new audiences and to be inspired by cross-cultural interactions.
How the Embassy of the Netherlands in the United Kingdom encourages international cultural exchange
The United Kingdom is one of the focus countries in the Netherlands’ International Cultural Policy. This policy has the following objectives:
- to strengthen the position of the Dutch cultural sector abroad, through visibility, exchange and sustainable cooperation;
- Dutch cultural activities in the UK can support the bilateral relationship between the Netherlands and the UK (cultural diplomacy);
- the Dutch cultural sector and creative industries help to shape a more just world, at home and abroad, by opening up opportunities for international collaboration on achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Netherlands Embassy in the UK encourages collaborations that contribute to (at least one of) those three objectives of the International Cultural Policy of the Netherlands.
The Embassy has a culture budget to provide financial support to UK-based cultural organisations that provide a platform for Dutch creatives to show their work in the UK. The Embassy's funding is aimed at enabling cooperations in the UK between, on the one hand, well-established UK-based cultural organisations and, on the other hand, artists and designers who live in the Netherlands and who make a valuable contribution to the cultural scene in the Netherlands.
Furthermore, the Embassy is keen to connect with UK-based cultural institutions, to discuss opportunities for collaborations with Dutch cultural institutions and artists.
Criteria and examples of cultural projects
The Embassy focusses on the promotion of living artists and supports all art disciplines: from dance performances to book talks and from arts exhibitions to theatre shows for young audiences.
- Our criteria for the types of UK-based cultural projects that involve Dutch arts professionals which are eligible for support can be found here.
- Examples of projects we have supported in the past can be found in our quarterly newsletters: Spring 2025, Summer 2025 and Autumn 2025.
- To sign up for the newsletter, please send an email to lon-ppc@minbuza.nl.
How to apply for a financial contribution from the Netherlands Embassy in the UK?
- The application process and eligibility criteria can be found on this webpage.
Furthermore, the Embassy is not the only organisation that has funding available in support of UK arts organisations that give Netherlands-based artists valuable opportunities to take their work to the UK. There are a number of culture funds in the Netherlands that can also help to make international presentations of Dutch work financially feasible.
The following Culture Funds in the Netherlands have funds available for presentations of Dutch arts and design in the UK:
- Performing Arts Fund NL (performing arts)
- Mondriaan Fund (visual arts)
- Creative Industries Fund NL (design, fashion, architecture, digital art)
- Foundation for Literature (literature)
Contact the Culture Team at the Embassy of the Netherlands in the United Kingdom
The Culture Team at the Embassy of the Netherlands in the United Kingdom consists of Cultural Counsellor Astrid de Vries, Policy Officer Koen Guiking and Support officer Trudy Barnes.
You can contact us on lon-ppc@minbuza.nl.