The future of culture

Too often, culture is viewed as a commodity or an industry — especially through a Western lens. But what if we were to shift our perspective? In a time when art and culture are under pressure in the Netherlands, can we find inspiration for a different view on the role of culture elsewhere?

According to Cameroonian historian and political theorist Achille Mbembe, ‘it is highly likely that the arts of the 21st century will be African. This is no surprise, for isn’t the future of the planet playing out on the African continent in that enigmatic laboratory of major contemporary metamorphoses?’

In this program at De Balie, in collaboration with the Prince Claus Fund, we explore how a non-Western perspective can enrich our understanding of culture — what it is, and what it contributes to. How can we create a more sustainable system for culture?

Together with Teesa Bahana (director of the 32° East | Ugandan Arts Trust) and artist and architect Ola Hassanain, we’ll discuss how culture and artists can be reimagined as forces for justice, care, and sustainable change. How do we move beyond dominant frameworks, often shaped by western commercial values? And what is the impact of organisations such as the Prince Claus fund, and of development in general, on culture?

About the Prince Claus Fund
The Prince Claus Fund is an independent foundation dedicated to culture and development. The fund supports artists and cultural organizations in places where culture is under pressure, from Asia, Africa and Latin America, to the Caribbean and Eastern Europe. The Prince Claus Fund Foundation receives support in this regard from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BZ).