Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Boekman?
Which subjects does the Boekman Foundation cover?
What kind of publications can I find in the library?
Do I have to be a member to use the library?
Is the Boekman Foundation also a funding body?
Can I do an internship at the Boekman Foundation?
Is the Boekman Foundation linked to a political party?

Who is Boekman?
Emanuel Boekman (1889-1940) was one of the first people to carry out research into government policy in the arts. He was alderman for Education and Cultural Affairs in the period leading up to the Second World War. He gained his doctors degree in 1939 for the still highly relevant and impressive thesis entitled The Government and the Arts in the Netherlands.

Which subjects does the Boekman Foundation cover?
The Boekman Foundation focuses on government policies concerning the arts and culture; socio-economic and legal issues relevant to this field; marketing and sponsorship in the cultural sector; cultural organisations and events; art in relation to the (new) media; the cultural heritage; art education; amateur arts; and professional arts education. 'Arts and culture' refer in this case to: fine art, music, architecture, theatre, design, photography, film, literature, libraries, dance, museums, and popular culture.

What kind of publications can I find in the library?
The library collects publications dealing with art and culture, and arts and cultural policy. In 2000 the library counts some 50,000 titles, of which approximately three quarters are in Dutch. Besides books and journals the collection includes government policy documents, parliamentary reports, general reports, theses, Masters dissertations, statistical information, electronic databases, newspaper cuttings, public research studies, and articles from magazines and journals.

Do I have to be a member to use the library?
The library is accessible to everyone. There is no membership system. Visitors wishing to borrow a book for the first time, must bring some form of identification with them. Consultation of the catalogue is free, whilst a small fee is charged for borrowing and reserving publications.

Is the Boekman Foundation also a funding body?
The Boekman Foundation does not provide grants, but has collected a great deal of information on the subject of arts funding and sponsorship which is available in the library. There is also a cd-rom available with information on arts funding and sponsorship.

Can I do an internship at the Boekman Foundation?
The Boekman Foundation has limited opportunities for internships or the supervision of student dissertations. Students are advised to address requests for research or work experience projects, in writing, to the Secretary of the Scientific Staff. Each request will be assessed on the basis of quality, relevance and the availability of staff for supervision.

Is the Boekman Foundation linked to a political party?
No. The Boekman Foundation was established in 1963 by the Federation of Artists Associations. The Federation believed that there was a need for an independent institution that could carry out research on the relation between the arts and government, and the role of art in society. Nowadays the Boekman Foundation limits its research to short-term literature research, and focuses primarily on documentation and analysis. The Board of the Foundation is comprised of a chairperson and 8 members with extensive experience in a variety of fields within arts and cultural policy: at national, regional or local level; with academic teaching and research; artists associations, unions; heritage and museums.