The Eindhoven municipality should set aside more money for culture in the city. This is the opinion of cultural institutions in Eindhoven such as the library, music venues, museums and the Dutch Design Foundation.
Culture Eindhoven implements the municipality’s culture policy. It had earlier stated in its draft culture letter 2025-2028 that an indexation of at least 5.3 per cent is needed. This indexation will ensure that, despite inflation, Eindhoven’s culture sector can continue to operate at the current level.
The city’s cultural institutions do not agree with that estimate. The actual cost increase the sector faces amounts to about 13 per cent, the parties write in a letter to the municipal executive. According to the institutions, 13 per cent is the minimum percentage needed to maintain the culture budget. A lower indexation would mean new cuts for the sector, they say.
Cultural fabric
Culture actually contributes to a livelier city and prevents people from being alienated from each other. Besides, the cultural fabric of the city, especially in times of a jump in scale and growing social contrasts, should not deteriorate.
Resources from the state
The institutions also report that municipalities and provinces have received a lot of extra resources from The Hague to compensate public and social services for all cost increases. Relatively little of these funds allegedly flow to culture, although additional financial resources in the sector are badly needed.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Shanthi Ramani
