Matching Fund International Heritage Cooperation

PLEASE NOTE: Due to high interest and the deadline approaching quickly, it is no longer possible to express your interest in applying for the 30 March deadline.

The scheme has two deadlines each year. If you are interested in the Matching Fund, please check back and reach out in August 2025 regarding the possibility of submitting an application for the fall deadline.

The Matching Fund supports projects that contribute to the visibility of heritage that connects the Kingdom of the Netherlands with the countries included in the International Cultural Policy. To increase the visibility of international heritage connections it supports projects that create awareness and understanding of our heritage while also linking to topics that resonate with audiences today. To create diverse and engaging projects applicants are expected to place a strong emphasis on reciprocal partnerships, multiperspectivity and historical awareness.

Heritage and creative professionals, organisations, and institutes that are based in the Kingdom of the Netherlands (including Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius) are welcome to apply in partnership with their counterpart(s) from the countries mentioned in the International Cultural Policy. For administrative reasons, the partner based in the Kingdom of the Netherlands must be a legal entity.

International Cultural Policy countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, India, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

We support projects from all cultural disciplines some examples are exhibitions, international events, theatre performances, podcasts, etc. Book publications and public programming connected to documentaries and films shown in cinemas are also eligible, but certain restrictions apply. Please see the Application Criteria & Information document below for further information on this.

In all cases, the project must be accessible to a broad audience that, when engaging with the project, learns more about the past that connects the Kingdom of the Netherlands with the partner country.

If you would like to apply for the Matching Fund, please send a short introduction of your project to our Advisor International Heritage Cooperation, Anne Maamke Boonstra (a.boonstra@dutchculture.nl). This introduction should make clear what heritage-related topic your project touches on, include information on the international partners working together on this project, and share how this project will be accessible to the public in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the partner country.

If the project is a good fit for the Matching Fund you can schedule an advisory meeting. During this meeting, we will discuss the project proposal, provide information about the application process, and provide additional advice if relevant. After the advisory meeting, the application form for the scheme will be made accessible. Applications that are submitted without scheduling an advisory meeting will not be considered.

Applicants then have until 30 March at 23:59 CET to submit their application.

All the essential information for this round of the Matching Fund is available on this page. Should you have any further questions about your specific project please contact us via internationalheritage@dutchculture.nl .