11,500 Save Nederlands Dans Theater

At the beginning of May, Nederlands Dans Theater contacted dance professionals across the world with the request to sign the petition ‘Keep Nederlands Dans Theater Alive’. With this petition Nederlands Dans Theater stated its opposition to the advice given on April 29th to the State Secretary for Culture, Mr. Halbe Zijlstra, by the Council for Culture (“Necessary Choices”).

The Council for Culture advised to reduce the subsidy for Nederlands Dans Theater by 40 to 50%. Furthermore the Council advised ‘demoting’ Nederlands Dans Theater to the status of ‘regional’ company. The consternation around this advice was considerable. More than 11,500 people in the Netherlands and abroad have signed the petition.

Last Friday, June 10th State Secretary Zijlstra announced his plans. In his letter to the Dutch House of Commons (“More than quality: a new vision for Cultural Policy”), he announced that, in the case of Nederlands Dans Theater, he would not adhere to the advice from the Council. In his letter he states that Nederlands Dans Theater will remain in the long-term national subsidy structure, as it is now. He furthermore states that he will apply only a generic reduction in subsidy of approximately 5%.

Nederlands Dans Theater is extremely pleased with the overwhelming support they received from within the Netherlands and overseas. This new situation means that the company retains its international status and is able to continue to fulfill its important role in the dance industry.