During an afternoon program, Peter van den Bunder (Kunstenbond) will inform us about the labour, civil and fiscal laws that matter when working as a freelance curator in the Netherlands. This information will form the basis for discussing how to improve our position collectively.

As has been documented in ‘Valuing passion’ – the reports by Raad voor Cultuur and Sociaal Economische Raad – the art and culture field is leading the general economy in the growth of its portion of self-employed workers (zzp’ers). This growth is accompanied by a lack of protection for self-employed workers in terms of social security, insurance, and pension.

Working as a freelancer is often positioned as a free choice, but in many instances it is a forced option. At the present moment, no portion of social security is paid by contractors, there are no measures for paid leave. This connects our efforts with a broader social discussion centred on the need for the revision of current labour arrangements. But it starts with looking at our own practice in combining solidarity and being an independent professional.

This program follows the publication of the preliminary statement on the working conditions and fees of freelance curators in the Netherlands by the Platform BK Working Group on Curatorial Freelancers, a self-organised collective initiated by and comprised of freelance curators in the Netherlands.

When: Monday 26 November, 4 p.m.
Where: De Appel, Schipluidenlaan 12D4, Amsterdam

The meeting will be held in English. Free entry for members Platform BK or Kunstenbond, and for vistitors of De Appel. Otherwise the entrance fee is 5 euros. You can pay at the event or directly become a member. Rsvp: joram@platformbk.nl