FAQs regarding the Prince Claus Fund’s new strategy

Q: Can you tell me more about the new strategy?

A: Our mission remains the same: to support culture under pressure. Looking at where the Prince Claus Fund started, what we’ve learned and how we can continue to be most effective, we have made 3 strategic choices. These are:  

• to focus on individuals who are, or have the potential to be, positive change makers;
• to present a sequence of re-imagined Awards at critical moments in creative careers;
• and to allow CER (Cultural Emergency Response) to become an independent entity so that it can grow and achieve its full potential.

Here’s why: We’ve seen the important role that remarkable people play in society. By recognising and supporting individuals who start initiatives, drive organisations and inspire others, we believe we will do what few others do and achieve the biggest possible impact within our means.

We have seen that there is a professional ‘life cycle’ for people using art and culture in creative ways to address social problems (aka change makers). Our research has identified three moments in that cycle for effective intervention. Consequently we will present these three different Awards:

• up to 100 Prince Claus Seed Awards annually to people at an early phase of their careers, when recognition and a relatively small financial incentive can make all the difference.
• up to 35 Prince Claus Mentorship Awards annually to people further in their careers who have demonstrated strong potential as positive change-makers. The award will involve a mentorship that helps advance their creative process.
• 6 Prince Claus Impact Awards presented every two years to honour change makers not yet at the pinnacle of their careers whose achievements deserve recognition and who can serve as mentors

Our third strategic choice, to take steps to allow CER to become independent of the Prince Claus Fund, was from CER’s inception always the plan, which is why CER was established with its own steering committee and has developed its own collaborations and trusted partnerships.

In the past 17 years, CER has grown beyond emergency response and become a go-to expert in the field that is on the cutting edge of heritage rescue and preparedness. Although heritage protection will always remain an important theme for the Prince Claus Fund, we believe it is time for CER to become wholly independent in order to expand its activities and take its rightful place in the field.

That is a brief summary of where the Prince Claus Fund is heading in 2021. We are excited about our new course and we hope you are, too. 

Q: Can I still ask for emergency support for heritage via your Cultural Emergency Response programme?

A: Yes! The Cultural Emergency Response programme is up and running and will be a part of the Prince Claus Fund until 2022. CER is operating and can assist where cultural heritage is threatened.  If you have an urgent request, please follow these instructions.

Q: Can I apply for a project grant or mobility grant?

A: As we will be working with a new strategy that focuses on awards, we are no longer providing mobility grants or grants for projects. We will focus on three new types of Awards: Prince Claus Seed Awards, Prince Claus Mentorship Awards and Prince Claus Impact Awards. We will have more information about how to apply for the Awards in the spring of 2021. 

Q: Will you support organisations? 

A: Starting in 2021 we will no longer support organisations directly, but will focus on supporting people through Awards. From experience, we've seen important role individuals play within organisations. Behind every effective organisation there is a dynamic person, and in every instance where culture is transforming society, a remarkable person is key. By shifting our focus completely to people we aim to achieve the biggest possible impact within our means. We will do this through collaborations with other organisations, but we will no longer put out calls for proposals for new network partnerships that provide support to organisations. 

Q: Will you need advisors for the new strategy?  

A: We will definitely need experts in the field of culture and development to assist us in our mission to support culture under pressure. We have always relied on our network for their knowledge and expertise. We will count on our existing network to fill the available advisory roles and will have more information available in 2021. 

For further questions please contact us at [email protected]