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Hungary
Hungary and the Netherlands
Hungary is one of the focal countries within the international cultural policy of the Netherlands. Dutch-Hungarian relations go back a very long time. Already in the 17th century, Hungarian protestant students studied at the universities of Amsterdam, Leiden, Groningen, Utrecht and Franeker. In 1676 the Dutch admiral Michiel de Ruyter liberated 26 protestant Hungarian preachers from slavery and has been a celebrated hero in the country ever since.
Between 1920-1930 more than 35,000 Hungarian children travelled to the Netherlands as part of a large-scale charitable programme to recover from extreme poverty and famine. Many of them stayed for a longer period or even for good in the Netherlands. After the 1956 revolution, thousands of Hungarian refugees settled in the Netherlands. Since the regime change of 1989, the Netherlands has been one of the most important trading partners for Hungary and now both countries are members of the European Union and NATO.
A driving, democratic force in Central Europe
In the early 1990s, Hungary became a driving force in the Central European region. The reinstatement of a democratic political system and the reorganisation of a market economy went hand in hand with the revitalisation of a versatile cultural sector and the promotion of open-mindedness, tolerance and European cooperation. The cultural sector became increasingly active and recognised internationally. Budapest today has become a vibrant arts centre with a dynamic cultural life, numerous museums, theatres, cultural organisations and events.
Drastic changes and an alternative cultural scene
The cultural sector has been subjected to drastic changes since the last decade. In the 2010 general elections, Viktor Orban's Fidesz party won two-thirds of the seats in the Hungarian Parliament. This year marks a new era in the country’s political, economic and artistic fields. Cultural life has been transformed: government-friendly partners now dominate state cultural organisations and conservative, nationalistic political discourse prevails. Despite this new wind, the alternative cultural scene is still vibrant, finding new ways to express itself. A striking alternative art and urban scene offer great opportunities for collaboration.
Collaborations with Dutch artists and organisations are not unusual for leading cultural events and institutions of Hungary, such as the Budapest Design Week, Budapest Jazz Festival, International Book Festival, OFF-Biennale Budapest, Sziget Festival, VERZIO International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, National Theatre, Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, Budapest Music Centre, Palace of Arts, National Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts. Read more...
Information & advice
Would you like to receive more information regarding opportunities for cultural exchange with Hungary? Feel free to contact our Hungary advisor Tijana Stepanovic with your questions. She can inform you about the latest developments in the country, relevant contacts, stages and other cultural venues.
Further reading
- Find out more about cultural exchange with Hungary 2021-2024
- Webpage of the Embassy of The Kingdom of the Netherlands in Hungary
- Follow the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in Hungary on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
Advisor
Hungary at a glance
featuring 131 artists
12 months (2023)
discipline in 2023
Frequently asked questions
- 1. Where can I find funding within the Netherlands?
Are you looking for (international) funding? Check our general funding page for different funding guides, grants and open calls, or the digital Cultural Mobility Funding Guide for the Netherlands for regional, private and international (mobility) funding.
In the Netherlands the means for international cultural cooperation are delegated to the national funds. The fund that works for your art form or discipline, has one or several subsidy schemes for internationalisation. To make sure the program fits your project, contact the advisors of the fund before starting the process of application. These are the national funds:
Design, Creative Industries, Architecture, Digital Culture
Creative Industries Fund NL
> International Vouchers
> Internationalization of the Design Sector Grant SchemeVisual Arts, Heritage
Mondriaan Fund
> Subsidy for International Art Presentation to present work by living Dutch(-based) artists. For Dutch(-based) artists or internationally recognized art organizations outside the Netherlands.
> Subsidy for International Art Fair/Art Book Fair to present work by living Dutch(-based) artists. For Dutch and non-Dutch galleries, publishers and non-Dutch art fairs.Theater, Dance, Music
Performing Arts Fund
> Grants for foreign organisations to invite Dutch(-based) artists
> Internationalisation grants for Dutch(-based) artistsAudiovisual media, Film, Documentary
Dutch Film Fund
The Film Fund has several subsidy schemes to support co-productions and distribution (film & documentary).Literature
Dutch Foundation for Literature
The Dutch Foundation for Literature has several subsidies for internationalisation:
> Translation grants for foreign publishers
> Travel grantsParticipation, Education, Communal arts, Cooperations, Projects with non-professionals
Cultural Participation Fund
> The international collaboration grant is available for all disciplines and designated for finding partners abroad.Heritage
International Heritage Cooperation is part of the Netherlands’ international cultural policy. The embassies of the Netherlands in the partner countries have a budget for supporting local cultural heritage projects. DutchCulture manages a Matching Fund. Dutch legal entities (companies and registered freelancers) are able to apply for partial funding for an international heritage cooperation project.
DutchCulture supports sustainable Dutch-European heritage cooperation by supporting and facilitating (international) expert meetings and exchanges while underlining the European context of heritage. The Europe + Heritage programme offers advice, a travel grant scheme and a support grant scheme for European heritage cooperation.
More funds
The Netherlands Enterprise Agency is not a national fund but also offers on behalf of various ministries and the European Union subsidies for companies in the creative industries.
- 2. Where can I find funding within Hungary?
In order to be eligible for financing opportunities, it is necessary to have a Hungary-based partner. Only people or institutions registered in Hungary can apply for funding unless it is noted to be otherwise. Therefore we advise you to ask your Hungarian partner organization to apply for funding in Hungary, at the Dutch Funds or at the Embassy of the Netherlands in Budapest.
The Embassy of the Netherlands in Budapest has an extensive network in the local cultural sector and in-depth knowledge of its cultural institutions, organisations and theatres. The Embassy can advise on opportunities for cooperation. In addition, they can provide grants to local cultural institutions that present Dutch cultural works in Hungary. They also help Dutch artists and creative entrepreneurs in increasing their visibility.
DutchCulture works closely together with On the Move, where you will find an elaborate mapping of funding opportunities. Check here the Guide to Funding Opportunities for the International Mobility of Artists and Culture Professionals. The guide for Hungary was unfortunately updated in 2015 for the last time. It lists national, local and international resources, be they public or private.
For funding opportunities within Hungary, you can check the National Cultural Fund or the Hungarian Academy of Arts (note that this is not the same organisation as the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts). Before acting please inform yourself about the context in which these Funds work.
Doing your research beforehand and finding local partners is essential. You can use the DutchCulture Database by simply going to the search option in the upper left corner, and searching for ´Hungary´ or any city you are interested in. This way you will see which Dutch artists are already active in which areas.
- 3. Are there funding opportunities within Europe?
Creative Europe
Creative Europe (2021-2027) is the seven-year support programme by the European Commission for the cultural and audio-visual sector and consists of two subprogrammes: Culture and MEDIA. The Creative Europe Desk of the Netherlands is part of DutchCulture. Be aware that there are many strict conditions to be considered before applying for this programme. The cooperation also has to consist of at least three European countries, cooperation between only Hungary and the Netherlands is therefore not eligible. In April 2019 the i-Portunus mobility programme was launched.
Europe for Citizens - EACEA
Europe for Citizens is the European Union's funding programme to support cooperation projects by citizens, local governments and civil society organizations in the EU. The aim is to support European projects where citizens meet, discuss the future of Europe and remember the (recent) turbulent past of the EU. Europe for Citizens Point NL promotes awareness and understanding of the programme and provides free advice and support for applicants from the Netherlands. Every participating country has such a contact point.
Besides these two programmes of the European Commission, there are more European funding opportunities and within the two programmes, there are different calls and subprogrammes.
Further funding opportunities
These two funding guides can help you on your way:
Fund-finder, Guide to funding opportunities for arts and culture in Europe, beyond Creative Europe (published by IETM in English)
EU Subsidiewijzer (published by Creative Europe Desk NL in Dutch)If you are looking for a travel grant, check the Culture Moves Europe programme.
- 4. How can I promote my work in Hungary?
It is a good idea to engage local professionals and publicists, that have an understanding of the Hungarian context in your art discipline, audience, and region.
Make sure to contact the embassy to let them know about your projects. Do not forget to create a My DC account, where you can add your activities to our Cultural Database. This way you will be included in our database and become part of our network.
- 5. What visa do I need?
As for now as an EU citizen, you do not need a visa to work in Hungary. If you have a passport from outside the EU, it is wise to check the rules with your country´s representatives in the Netherlands, or you can ask the DutchCulture Mobility Info Point.
Find out exactly what the rules are that a gallery, stage or theatre upholds, before engaging in cooperation. If you find obstacles in your way, you will have enough time to find solutions. Always make sure that your health insurance will cover you across borders.
- 6. How can I find a residency, venue at which to perform, exhibition space?
Through the DutchCulture Database, you can figure out which artists from the Netherlands have worked at which venues, and start your research there. Go to the search icon on the upper left corner of the website, and search by discipline, country and city.
For residencies, the organisation Transartists, which is also a part of DutchCulture, is a great research tool. In order to successfully build an international career, and in order to find sustainable partners in a country, it is always wise to spend more than a few days somewhere. Residencies, which can last from a couple of weeks up to several months, can help you achieve this.
