With four signatures, another step closer to the New Normal; all visual art institutions in the Netherlands jointly raise a good fee for visual artists. The Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam (which has been applying the directive since May of last year), Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, Gemeentemuseum The Hague and Museum de Fundatie in Zwolle also sign the covenant that artists will be compensated if they exhibit.

Eelco van der Lingen, director of the Mondriaan Fund: “The artist fees directive has an important function that contributes to the emancipation and independent position of visual artists. It is nice to see how strong the effect of the directive already is and it is heart-warming to be able to see that the entire sector is now embracing the directive. ”

In 2017, BKNL (Visual Arts Netherlands) presented the artist fees guideline: a unique initiative of the visual arts sector to achieve fair practice and a “new normal” in professional contract practice between institutions and artists.

A broad survey conducted among artists and institutions in 2018 shows that almost all institutions and around 80 percent of artists now know the guideline. Two thirds of the institutions say that they actually apply the directive.

BKNL is pleased with this success, but emphasizes that even after 2020, additional budgets must be made available to guarantee sustainable application of the directive.

The Mondriaan Fund has an annual amount of 690,000 euros available for 2019 and 2020 to encourage art institutions to properly honor artists for exhibitions. After 2020, all art institutions must pay the fees themselves from their regular budgets.

The following are members of BKNL (Visual Arts Netherlands): Platform BK, Kunstenbond, Kunsten ’92, Professional Association of Visual Artists (BBK), Dutch Gallery Association (NGA) and the interest group for presentation institutions De Zaak Nu. The Mondriaan Fund facilitates the meetings.

Photos: Aad Hoogendoorn.