$Unique_ID{COW02574} $Pretitle{433} $Title{Netherlands The Arts, Media, Tourism and Sports} $Subtitle{} $Author{Antoinette de Cock Buning and Leo Verheijen} $Affiliation{Foreign Information Service} $Subject{netherlands dutch broadcasting radio television organisations international year amsterdam sports} $Date{1987} $Log{Windmill at Night*0257401.scf Binnenhof, the Hague*0257402.scf } Country: Netherlands Book: The Netherlands in Brief Author: Antoinette de Cock Buning and Leo Verheijen Affiliation: Foreign Information Service Date: 1987 The Arts, Media, Tourism and Sports [See Windmill at Night: Courtesy Embassy of Netherlands, Washington DC] [See Binnenhof, the Hague: Courtesy Embassy of Netherlands, Washington DC] The position and function of the arts in Dutch society have been much discussed in recent years, particularly with reference to the role of government. A number of financial and social measures have been introduced to provide support to art and artists. Another key aspect of this policy is the role of art in improving the quality of life. The visual arts Old Dutch masters such as Hieronymus Bosch (16th century), Rembrandt, Hals and Vermeer (17th century) enjoy an international reputation, as do painters from the 19th and 20th centuries such as Van Gogh, Jongkind, Mondrian and Appel. Modern painters and sculptors such as Wessel Couzijn, Carel Visser, Dibbets, Ad Dekkers, Ger van Elk and Marthe Roling have produced work which has received acclaim both at home and abroad. Movements initiated by Dutch artists include De Stijl (of which Mondrian was a member) and Cobra (which included Appel, Corneille and Constant). The drawings of Maurits Escher have also achieved wide international popularity. The Netherlands Institute for Art History in The Hague documents Dutch works of art in collections in the Netherlands and other countries and also has extensive dossiers on non-Dutch artists and collections. Painting and sculpture can be used to enhance the environment when allied to housing and planning. The work of artists can enrich the quality of the man-made environment and hence the quality of life of the people who live in it. The government therefore encourages cooperation between artists and designers. In a number of pilot schemes, such as that in the new town of Zoetermeer, near The Hague, teams of architects, planners, sociologists, artists and sculptors are working together on plans for new areas of towns. Literature More than 20 million people within the Netherlands and elsewhere speak, write and read Dutch, constituting a potentially large audience for Dutch writers. Over the centuries, the Netherlands has produced major writers who have enjoyed international acclaim: Joost van den Vondel in the 17th century, Multatuli in the 19th century and Simon Vestdijk and Harry Mulisch in the present century. The Foundation for the Promotion of the Translation of Dutch Literary Works in Amsterdam plays an important role in propagating Dutch literature abroad. The International Association for Dutch Studies in The Hague promotes the study and teaching of Dutch language and literature, history and cultural history at universities outside the Netherlands and Belgium. Theatre The Netherlands has a large number of professional theatre companies which stage a wide range of plays, totalling some 4,500 performances every year. Broadly speaking they fall into three categories: 1. Repertory companies which perform standard classical and modern works. 2. Experimental companies which experiment with new forms of theatre and receive a government grant, usually for two years. Experimental workshop projects are organised regularly using directors from home and abroad. In recent years, a form of theatre has come into being performed by small groups whose main aim is to make their audiences more socially aware. They perform mainly for schools, old people, trade unions etc. Some are politically committed while others deal with subjects such as women's rights, sexuality, relations within the family and education. 3. Ad hoc or commercial theatre companies which perform the kind of repertoire, mainly purely entertainment, not covered by the major companies. They assemble for a given period and disband once the play has finished its run. The Netherlands Theatre Institute in Amsterdam has a complete library of documentation on Dutch theatre. It promotes the work of Dutch playwrights, directors and actors abroad and stimulates interest in foreign plays in the Netherlands. The institute has an extensive catalogue of Dutch plays in translation. The Holland Festival is held every year in June and July. It stages plays, concerts, ballet, musics exhibitions etc. with leading international artists as well as less famous names from home and abroad. Its progressive programming distinguishes it from other European festivals. Cabaret Cabaret came into being in the 1930s in the Netherlands and has been popular ever since. Students wishing to study cabaret can enrol at the Cabaret Artists Academy in Amsterdam where they train in all aspects of a career on the stage. Cabaret is an art form which requires an immediate response to topical events. The only way of finding out whether students can handle the genre is by practical experience. It is a combination of humour, comment and music, usually in the form of a one-man show written by the performer. Wim Sonneveld and Wim Kan, both of whom died recently, were the two most popular and successful artists in the history of Dutch cabaret. Their recordings are still broadcast regularly on radio and television. More recent performers such as Toon Hermans, Paul van Vliet, Seth Gaaikema, Jasperina de Jong and Adele Bloemendaal have successfully kept full houses amused and entertained with their distinctive brand of humour and social comment. Music Traditionally music has centred round major institutions such as symphony orchestras, the two opera companies and the three major dance companies. Several of these are well known internationally, notably the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra which achieved world-wide fame under the baton of Bernard Haitink. Other famous orchestras are the Rotterdam Philharmonic and the Residentie Orchestra of The Hague. Small ensembles are also extremely successful both at home and abroad. They include the Eighteenth Century Orchestra led by Frans Bruggen, the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and the Schonberg Ensemble. The major music competitions include: -the Oscar Back violin competition for young Dutch violinists aged 15-24. Prizes take the form of student grants; -the International Gaudeamus Competition which has been held every year since 1963 for interpreters of contemporary music. Competitors must include at least two contemporary Dutch works in their programme; -the International Organ Competition organised since 1958, in the St.Bavo Cathedral, Haarlem, where the young Mozart once played. There is also a wide range of jazz and improvised music in the Netherlands. Many Dutch musicians such as the ensembles of Willem Breuker and Misha Mengelberg have a considerable international reputation in this field. Jazz festivals are held every year in Dutch towns, some of which specialise in a particular jazz style. The biggest is the North Sea Jazz Festival held every year in The Hague featuring musicians and groups from all over the world. Dutch pop groups have achieved fame and popularity abroad through their records and television and radio appearances. The main opera companies are: -the Netherlands Opera Company which stages about ten productions a year, mainly in Amsterdam and The Hague. Its repertoire ranges from early opera to twentieth century works; -the Forum Opera Company whose repertoire is chiefly nineteenth century and which tends to perform in the east and south. The most well known operetta company, the Amsterdam Operetta Company, gives performances throughout the country. Musicals are very popular in the Netherlands. Several companies tour the country with Dutch productions and adaptations of foreign musicals. Dance Dance has become extremely popular since the Second World War. Sonia Gaskell, the choreographer and dance teacher, played a key role in its development, setting up the Netherlands Ballet company in 1955 which became the National Ballet in 1961. The company's repertoire consists of three types of work: traditional classical and romantic ballets such as 'The Sleeping Beauty', 'Giselle' and 'Swan Lake'; the work of Balanchine and other innovators; and the work of its own choreographers, artistic director Rudi van Dantzig, Hans van Manen and Toer van Schayk. Young choreographers from the ballet's own ranks are also given the opportunity of having their work performed in public. The Netherlands Dance Theatre (NDT) in The Hague specialises in modern dance and has achieved tremendous success under its artistic director, Jiri Kylian. His work forms the core of the company's repertoire. Many of the works commissioned by the company from other choreographers display his influence. The NDT regularly uses guest choreographers. The Scapino Ballet, set up by Hans Snoek, performs narrative ballets conceived by its artistic director Armando Navarro and others, mainly for young people. It also develops educational activities in its studio theatre in Amsterdam. The cinema The Netherlands was among the countries which pioneered the cinema at the turn of the century, but it did not remain at the forefront of developments. The situation changed after the Second World War as a result of several factors: the establishment of the Dutch Film Finance Corporation and the Netherlands Film Academy, increased public interest in Dutch films, co-productions with Belgium of Dutch language films, and exchanges of know-how between television and film producers from various countries. The Netherlands Cinema Association in which film distributors, cinema operators and producers work closely together, finances Dutch films with the government through the Dutch Film Finance Corporation. It was mainly thanks to the Cinema Association that the Netherlands Film Academy and the Netherlands Film Institute were created. Most of the films shown in the Netherlands used to be of foreign origin. In 1958, a Dutch film 'Dorp aan de rivier' (Village on the river) directed by Fons Rademakers was nominated for an Oscar, but it was not until 1970 that Dutch films gained international recognition. Box-office successes in recent years include 'Max Havelaar', 'Van de koele meren des doods', 'Soldaat van Oranje', 'Ciske de Rat' and 'De Vierde Man'. 'De Aanslag' (The Assault) directed by Fons Rademakers won the Oscar for the best foreign film in 1987. As a result of these successes, Dutch actors now enjoy considerable international prestige and are invited to take part in major international productions. The name of Joris Ivens stands out among Dutch documentary film-makers. His powerful films won international acclaim in the 1930s. After the Second World War, other film-makers achieved renown in this area; one of these was Bert Haanstra, the director of 'Glas', which received an Oscar in 1958. A number of film festivals are held in the Netherlands, the most important being the Rotterdam Film Festival which has been held in February every year for the past 15 years. The Ultrecht Film Festival held annually in September includes a screening of all the Dutch films produced in the previous year. Dutch animated films have reached an extremely high standard in recent years and regularly win prizes at international festivals. 'Anna en Bella' by Borge Ring won an Oscar in 1986. Promotional activities are organised jointly between ministries and the Dutch film industry. 'Dutch Film' which is published every year in English contains an account of all Dutch films released in the previous year. The Cinema Act which required all films to be approved by a committee before they could be shown to the public was repealed in 1977. It was replaced by a new act which regulates the assessment of films for exhibition to young people under the ages of 12 and 16. The press, radio and television The Press The Dutch press consists of newspapers, magazines and free advertising newspapers. - Almost all Dutch daily newspapers belong to the Netherlands Newspaper Proprietors Association (NDP) and a considerable proportion of non-daily newspapers (chiefly small, local papers providing information) belongs to the Netherlands Non-Daily Newspaper Association (NNP). - The most important organisation for periodicals is the Netherlands Organisation of Magazine Publishers (NOTU). - Most journalists belong to the Netherlands Union of Journalists (NVJ); some belong to the General Union of Journalists, which broke away from the NVJ. - In recent years, an increasing number of Dutch daily newspapers have merged. Since the mid-sixties, the number of papers with their own chief editors has dropped from 56 to 48 and the number of independent newspaper proprietors from 43 to 34. A similar tendency has been evident among free advertising newspapers, which have grown rapidly in circulation, and among non-daily newspapers. There have been increasing numbers of mergers between the two sectors. - The government has taken a number of measures in the form of tax and postal concessions to make things easier for the press. Freedom of opinion is one of the cornerstones of the Dutch democratic system; government policy on the press therefore aims to maintain and promote its existing plural character. The Press Fund was set up in 1974 to help daily newspapers, non daily newspapers and news weeklies. Publications wishing to benefit from the Press Fund must devise a scheme to restore profitability within a reasonable period and can then obtain credit facilities. A newspaper wishing to receive financial support from the government has to adopt a charter enshrining its identity and defining the rights and duties of the editor, journalists and management. - There are 4,000 periodicals in the Netherlands. The Organisation of Magazine Publishers divides them into four main groups: a. news weeklies; b. television and radio guides; c. popular magazines; d. trade journals. - Since 1984, the press has had the opportunity to run services offering subscriber television, cable newspapers and/or teletext. This gives publications facing financial difficulties the opportunity of strengthening their position. - In so far as they are the object of government concern, the interests of the press are the responsibility of the Minister for Welfare, Health and Cultural Affairs. The minister is advised by two bodies, the Press Fund and the Press Council. The Press Council, the Broadcasting Council and sections of the Advertising Council are to be combined in the future in a new Media Council. Radio and television The Netherlands has had a broadcasting system since 1928. It is unique in that it leaves responsibility for programme-making in the hands of private organisations. The government confines itself to licensing broadcasting and sharing out the available air time. The minister responsible for radio and television can call on the Broadcasting Council for advice. He is empowered to call broadcasting organisations to account and may even withdraw a licence, but only after the contentious programme has been broadcast. Before the Second World War, the five broadcasting organisations-the Catholic KRO, the Protestant NCRV, the liberal Protestant VPRO, the socialist VARA and the non-aligned AVRO - had to find their own income mainly in the form of contributions from members. Since 1945, however, the government has provided broadcasting organisations with funds from the proceeds of radio licences. Television broadcasting began in 1951 and since 1956, the government has helped to defray the cost with the proceeds of television licence fees. The broadcasting organisations collaborate within the framework of the Netherlands Broadcasting Association (NOS) which supplies all of the technical facilities, coordinates programmes and handles personnel matters. The NOS represents the entire Netherlands broadcasting system abroad and as such is a member of the European Broadcasting Union. It also makes its own radio and television programmes which are of a general nature or bring together the various strands of Dutch society. The 1969 Broadcasting Act made it possible for new organisations to be admitted to the system. To date the non-aligned TROS and VOO (Veronica) and the evangelical EO have made the grade. Besides the broadcasting organisations, other organisations are eligible for an allocation of broadcasting time. They must meet certain cultural standards, have a proven need to broadcast using radio or television and be capable of making programmes of reasonable interest to potential listeners or viewers. Broadcasting time has been allotted to religious denominations, organisations founded on ethical principles and political parties using these criteria. The minister allocates broadcasting time to the NOS, the broadcasting organisations and any other organisations. The broadcasting organisations are divided into three categories depending on their membership, which must exceed 150,000. The more members they have the more broadcasting time they are allotted. In certain circumstances, aspiring organisations with fewer members can also be allocated time: they receive three hours a week radio time for three years and/or one hour of television time. There are five national radio stations broadcasting on AM and/or FM. Radio III is the pop music station and Radio IV broadcasts exclusively classical music. There are two national television channels, Netherlands I and Netherlands II. A third channel will come into operation in the near future. The Netherlands was one of the first small countries in Europe to introduce the PAL colour television system in 1967. The majority of programmes are transmitted in colour. Television and radio advertising The broadcasting organisations derive their income not only from member's subscriptions and the money provided by government but also from radio and television advertising which is the responsibility of the STER, the Dutch Television and Radio Advertising Authority. Television advertising started in 1967, radio advertising a year later. Commercials are subject to the Advertising Council code which stipulates that they must not infringe the law, public order or good taste. The advertising of certain goods and services may be forbidden under the Broadcasting Act; alcoholic drinks may be advertised subject to certain provisos but tobacco advertising is prohibited. There is no sponsorship in the Netherlands so advertisers have no influence on the content of programmes. 'Radio Nederland' Broadcasting Service 'Radio Nederland' is an independent station broadcasting short-wave programmes daily in Dutch, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Indonesian, Arabic, French, Sranan Tongo and Papiamento. It produces radio programmes on tape or record for radio transmission which it sells to 120 countries, and also makes and distributes television programmes throughout the world. The 'Radio Nederland' Training Centre trains people from developing countries in the use of the media for information and educational purposes. Details of courses and programmes may be obtained from 'Radio Nederland Wereldomroep', Postbus 222, 1200 JG Hilversum. Tourism The Netherlands is one of the most popular countries in western Europe for tourists. Its convenient location and excellent connections with neighbouring countries make it an attractive holiday destination for 5 million tourists every year. Anyone interested in history of culture will enjoy visiting any one of the 600 Dutch museums which house collections ranging from 17th century paintings to toys, skates, clocks, money boxes, ceramics etc. The most famous are the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam with its collection of important paintings by Rembrandt, the Vincent van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Mauritshuis in The Hague and Het Loo Palace in Apeldoorn, the 15th century castle which the stadholder-king William III bought in 1684 and converted into a magnificent hunting lodge. The Open Air Museums in Enkhuizen and Arnhem are also extremely popular. They contain buildings such as farmhouses, cottages and industrial premises which have been transported to the new site brick by brick, together with permanent exhibitions depicting the Dutch way of life in previous centuries. The Netherlands has much to offer by way of contemporary art, for example the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven and the Kroller-Muller Museum in Otterlo. Numerous art galleries mount exhibitions of the latest developments in the art world. Each of the Dutch towns and cities has its own distinctive character. Amsterdam with its canals, bridges and 17th century houses attracts millions of visitors every year and is a dynamic city with a cosmopolitan flavour. It is the home of the world famous Concertgebouw Orchestra and of the National Ballet and the Netherlands Opera Company which are now based in the splendid new Music Theatre opened in 1986. In the summer months, people enjoy relaxing and meeting friends at the many pavement cafes; in winter they are to be found in the numerous restaurants and bars. The Hague and Rotterdam are equally distinctive and remarkably dissimilar. The Hague is the official residence of Queen Beatrix. It is also the home of parliament and government ministries, a city of promenades, shopping arcades and parks, only a few minutes from the seaside resort of Scheveningen. Rotterdam is primarily famous as a port. Delfshaven is the ancient heart of the city with the pilgrim's church dating from 1641. The new city centre with its ultra-modern, sometimes futuristic architecture, testifies to the enormous effort put into rebuilding the city after the Second World War. The flower season begins in March and ends in September. But visitors can enjoy flowers in the Netherlands all the year round. For example the Kerstflora Show held every year in December is a five day show of house plants and flowers grown under glass. Aalsmeer, close to Amsterdam, is the home of the world's biggest flower auction. The bulb fields are in bloom from the end of March to the end of May, depending on the weather. Millions of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths in countless varieties cover the polders of South Holland with a breathtaking carpet of colour. Even when spring is over, the Netherlands is still a garden. Many foreigners think of the Netherlands as a flat country of windmills and water where everyone wears clogs. But that is only part of the total picture. There are still a thousand or so windmills to be seen and many people in country areas do indeed still wear clogs. But the Netherlands is first and foremost a modern country with extensive facilities for recreation and tourism, and excellent conference facilities and hotel accommodation for international meetings. Further information on conference facilities may be obtained by writing to: Nederlands Congres Bureau, Amsteldijk 166, 1079 LH Amsterdam. In many countries, tourist information can be obtained from the local branch of the Netherlands Tourist Office (NBT) which produces 5 million brochures every year in several languages on tourist attractions in the Netherlands. When visitors arrive in the Netherlands, they can obtain tourist information from the VVV which has offices in all the major towns and tourist centres. Local offices provide information about the major attractions in their immediate vicinity; larger offices can supply tourists with everything they need to know about the entire country. Sport Sport is extremely popular in the Netherlands. 4.3 million out of the total population of over 14 million people are members of sport clubs. But at least as many take part in sport for recreational purposes without belonging to a club. About 60 different sports are run on organised lines and belong to national organisations affiliated to several umbrella organisations: - the Sports Federation; - the Cultural Sports Association; - the Protestant Sports Union. - the Catholic Sports Federation. The Sports Federation is the largest and most active. It includes the Olympic Committee which has overall responsibility for the Dutch Olympic team. The sporting organisations receive government grants and additional income from the football pools and the national lottery. Since 1966, efforts have been made to ensure that leading sportsmen and women do not have to sacrifice their careers to take part in sport at the highest level. The Sports Federation coordinates these efforts by frequent consultations with sportsmen, sport associations, parents, educational establishments and employers. Much sport takes place indoors in sports halls and indoor swimming pools. Several ice rinks have been built in recent years due to the popularity of skating. Most of them have a 400 metre track for speed skating and a separate area for ice hockey or figure skating. The Thialf stadium in Heerenveen has a 400 metre track which is completely covered. Long distance skating is also extremely popular. The Elfstedentocht - a long distance skating race between eleven towns in the province of Friesland in which 17,000 people take part - is organised when weather conditions are appropriate. The largest sporting organisation is the Royal Netherlands Football Association with almost a million members. Famous clubs such as Ajax (Amsterdam), Feyenoord (Rotterdam) and PSV (Eindhoven) rank with the best in the world. Tennis has become increasingly popular in the last few years. The tennis organisation has half a million members and is the second largest sporting body in the country. Other popular sports include athletics, swimming, cycling, sailing, sail boarding, hockey and indoor sports such as handball and volleyball. There are several sports which have their origins in local traditions. For instance 'fierljeppen' in the northern province of Friesland consists of vaulting over a wide ditch with the help of a long pole. Special groups such as the elderly and the handicapped also take part in sport. Old people do gymnastics both in old people's homes and in clubs. Women's organisations and community health care organisations have done much to promote this type of activity. The physically handicapped have their own national and international sporting events. The Netherlands Sports Association for the Disabled is affiliated to the International Sports Organisation for the Disabled and the International Stoke Mandeville Sports Committee which organises the famous Stoke Mandeville Games every year.