The Next Generation was a special Prince Claus Fund programme created specifically to  endorse cultural expression for and with young people (ages 15-30 in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Caribbean that ran from 2018-2020. Due to Covid, the current programme has been extended until the end of 2021. The programme is closed for new opportunities.

Through this programme, we formed partnerships with organisations that work with young people to build more inclusive, open-minded societies and provide safe spaces for young people to create their own narratives. 

Through individual project grants as well as longer-term grants for organisations through our NextGen partnerships, the Prince Claus Fund aimed at strengthening the creative and professional capacities of young people, not only through financial support but also through mutual support: recognition, exchanges and workshops. 

The Next Generation programme also included a Prince Claus Next Generation Award for a young person who was a role model, producing exemplary cultural work related to youth, gender, diversity and inclusion. 

Through the Next Generation programme, together with Hivos and the European Culture Foundation, we initiated academic research. In Forces of Art, independent researchers challenged the paradigm that we constantly need to proof the role of culture in social engagement and explored the diverse ways that culture affects our societies. For a detailed overview, click here.

About the Next Generation

The Next Generation programme works with and for young people (aged 15 - 30), encouraging them to be creative, confident and open-minded towards others. The aims of the programme were to facilitate the exploration of alternative narratives and to promote learning through exchange in safe spaces. The Next Generation programme worked in the following ways:

Provided long-term support to creative NextGen organisations: offering safe, nurturing spaces where young people from different backgrounds could come together, meet, talk and use art and culture to explore issues that concerned them. Support was provided for a period of 3 years to 13 arts and cultural organisations that worked with and for young people. This long-term support enabled them to develop programmes that can become sustainable.

Developed a network: organisations receiving Next Generation support benefited by learning from each other. Exchange was facilitated through regular meetings and support for joint projects. Through the network, international connections were made that will remain long after the end of the programme.

Offered grants for exploring alternative narratives: Through open calls, the Next Generation programme offered grants for the development, production and dissemination of cultural initiatives that provided new ways of thinking about such issues as gender, diversity and inclusion. Calls were issued by region. Grantees were selected on the basis of the relevance, originality, quality and viability of their project.

Presented an annual award: The Next Generation encouragement award was presented to an individual up to 35 years old, whose innovative work in the themes of the Next Generation programme was exemplary. The Next Generation laureate acts as a role model for young people. Next Generation Awards were presented in December 2018 to Dada Masilo (South Africa) in 2019 to Monica Ojeda Franco (Ecuador) and in 2020 to Hira Nabi (Pakistan).

Supported academic research: The Prince Claus Fund believes profoundly that culture can make a positive contribution to peaceful, inclusive societies. As this impact is especially relevant to future generations, the Next Generation Programme initiated, together with partners Hivos and the European Culture Foundation, Forces of Art. a unique series of investigations into the values that art and culture have for our societies. These 15 case-based studies in the countries where the partners operate include multiple perspectives, methodologies and voices. Through a ground-breaking book and diverse workshops, Forces of Art has made a significant contribution to a global discussion about the transformative power of art in a rapidly changing world.

Created links with Dutch young people: The Prince Claus Fund believes in the positive value of creative exchange for all people. The constructive activities and narratives developed by youth in other places can offer inspiration to young people here, and vice versa. The Next Generation programme organised various activities in the Netherlands, in other countries and online that created opportunities for Next Generation participants and their Dutch counterparts to learn from each other.

The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs financed the Next Generation programme wholly for a period of three years. Their support was limited to projects in OECD’s DAC listed countries. Starting in 2021 with the Prince Claus Fund’s focus on three different Awards presented at strategic moments in a creative career, we have re-channelled our support for young artists and cultural practitioners primarily through Prince Claus Seed Awards.