Pilot Dance: Right Now!
Joop de Jong has been asked to monitor the Proeftuin Dans: Right Now! one of fifteen pilots receiving subsidy from the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science.
On 26 April 2019 Minister Ingrid van Engelshoven announced the support of fifteen ‘proeftuinen’ or pilots for cultural innovation in the region with an extra subsidy of € 4 million. The pilot Dans: Right Now! of the Stedelijke Cultuurregio Zuid received € 365.000. Because the Stedelijke Cultuurregio Zuid will contribute the same amount of money, a total of € 730.000 is available for this pilot.
The central goals of the pilot Dans: Right Now! are improving the climate for dance in the region by supporting the development of dance talents and dance festivals, and increasing the social and cultural diversity of the dance sector. Sharing knowledge and experiences and generating learning results, which can be used by other regions and the ministry, are its third main objective.
In June 2018, Ingrid van Engelshoven, the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science invited municipalities and Provinces, in cooperation with partners in the cultural field, to create cultural profiles describing: their view on arts and culture in the region, challenges, chances, opportunities and (inter)national ambitions with respect to arts and culture, how different layers of government can help in dealing with these challenges, and how this will benefit national cultural policy. In the Stedelijke Cultuurregio Zuid, the Zuid-Limburg arts sector and the municipal governments of Heerlen, Maastricht and Sittard–Geleen, and the Minister of Culture of the Province of Limburg work together towards a region with a strong and inspiring cultural life.
The Stedelijke Cultuurregio Zuid has three nationally and internationally renowned dance festivals (de Nederlandse Dansdagen, The Notorious IBE and Schrittmacher) programming and producing urban dance, modern dance and classical ballet, and SALLY Dansgezelschap Maastricht. These organisations will play a leading role in the pilot, which is coordinated by the Alderman for Culture of Heerlen. Joop de Jong and his research team consisting of Sandra van Helden and Ward Schoonbrood will monitor the pilot. For more information about the pilot, see: https://www.cultuurregiozuid.nl/