het Cultuurfonds Theater, Dans & Filmbeurzen

het Cultuurfonds Theater, Dans & Filmbeurzen

You receive up to 25,000 EUR to fund a full-time follow-up study abroad in theatre, dance or film. The grant covers at most half of your total budget for the stay. The exact amount depends on your costs and how long you are away. It pays for rent, living costs, tuition fees and one return trip. It runs for one academic year, even if your programme lasts longer. het Cultuurfonds, a Dutch cultural foundation, awards the grant. It does not pay for study materials, courses, workshops, masterclasses, internships, or the cost of making artworks or performances.

Who can apply

• Where you go: You study abroad and live in the country where the programme takes place.
• Degree: For theatre or film, you hold (or finish this academic year) a Dutch hbo bachelor or wo master in Theatre or Film. For dance, you have completed (or finish this year) a recognised pre-training in dance.
• Programme: Your study abroad is full-time and leads to a master's degree, or it is a full-time follow-up dance course at hbo bachelor level or higher.
• Timing: From July, the programme still runs for at least one more academic year. You may already have started, but you get no money for time already passed.
• Nationality or residence: You are Dutch, or you have lived in the Netherlands for at least 5 years.
• First time: You have not received a Cultuurfonds grant before.
• Not for a final project: You do not apply to fund a graduation or final project.
• Field: Theatre, dance and film all qualify, including performing arts, animation and ballet. The budget is not equal across fields, so film applications (such as film acting or animation) may lose out when there are more applications than places.

How to apply

You apply through the online portal at aanvragen.cultuurfonds.nl. The window runs each year from 1 February to 1 April, with the final deadline on 1 April at 23:59. Only complete applications are reviewed. An advisory committee (a panel of experts) assesses eligible applications in mid-June and selects the recipients. You hear the result in writing about three weeks later.

How realistic are your chances?

This grant is cut fairly narrowly. You need a specific Dutch performing-arts background, a full-time master or dance course abroad, and Dutch nationality or five years' residence. That keeps the applicant pool focused. If you clearly fit these conditions, your prospects are decent. Film and animation applicants face tighter budgets and may lose priority in a busy year. A clear, well-documented budget and strong references make the difference.