Shaping the Future of the Arts

Written By Relevé Sustainability

From Values to Action

Rethinking Responsibility in the Cultural Sector

As artists, institutions, and festivals, we’re no strangers to creativity, care, and connection. But in a time of rising inequality, ecological instability, and increased public scrutiny, it’s not enough to just make art—we must also consider how we make it, who is impacted, and what legacy we leave behind.

From the energy used in production to the accessibility of our programs, the cultural sector has a real and growing responsibility to work more sustainably, more equitably, and more transparently. That’s not about checking boxes. It’s about ensuring that the systems that support creative work are just as inspiring as the work itself.

What Responsible Practice Looks Like in the Arts

Arts and cultural organizations are increasingly being asked to reflect not only on what they create—but also on how they operate. That means taking stock of our real-world impact in three core areas:

🌱 Our relationship with the environment
Are we using resources wisely? This includes energy, travel, materials, and how we manage waste and logistics behind the scenes.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Our relationships with people
Do we treat artists, staff, and communities fairly and respectfully? Are our programs inclusive, our spaces welcoming, and our work rooted in care?

🧭 Our values in action
Are we transparent about how decisions are made? Are we accountable to the communities we serve? Do our internal practices reflect the vision we present to the public?

These questions aren’t just strategic—they’re ethical. And answering them helps organizations build trust, earn support, and create cultural spaces that reflect the future we want to see.

What This Means for the Arts

For cultural organizations—especially small, community-rooted ones—these shifts aren’t abstract. They’re already reshaping the way cultural funding, partnerships, and public trust work in the Netherlands.

At the national level, beginning in 2025, institutions applying for multi-year subsidies must:

  • Commit to the Fair Practice Code, Diversity & Inclusion Code, and Governance Code Culture

  • Provide a simple, quantitative overview of their activities across four years

  • Demonstrate how they contribute to geographic equity, talent development, and social dialogue

But this is more than a checklist. It signals a cultural funding system moving toward transparency, equity, and shared responsibility.

In Amsterdam, the city’s 2025–2028 Plan for the Arts brings these values to the local level. It calls for:

  • More space for makers—especially underrepresented artists and new initiatives

  • A fairer geographic distribution of cultural resources across the city.

  • Investment in sustainability, including greener buildings, public art, and environmentally conscious programming

  • Support for neighborhood-based cultural development and flexible, grassroots leadership

Together, these shifts create a new kind of mandate: one that asks arts organizations to be not just culturally excellent, but socially present, environmentally aware, and structurally just.

This doesn’t mean you need to become a policy expert.
It means being able to speak clearly about your values—and show how your operations reflect them.

At Relevé, we’re helping our partners do just that: to connect their creative work to the systems that support it, and to the communities they serve. Because when the arts lead with integrity, transparency, and care, they don’t just meet expectations—they shape what’s possible.

Relevé Sustainability