Who can apply, and what conditions do applying institutions need to meet?
Applications may be submitted by publicly accessible Dutch museums and/or heritage institutions that manage a collection of national or international significance. When a museum submits an applicaton, it must be registered in the Museum Register.
Can museums in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom apply for funding?
Due to their ineligibility for the Museum Register, museums in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom do not meet the registration requirement and therefore cannot apply.
For what is funding available?
Funding is available for the acquisition of a single object or group of objects. If the intended acquisition comprises multiple objects, funding is only available if these objects constitute an inseparable ensemble – meaning they are inherently connected. The maximum grant offered by the Mondriaan Fund is 40% of the estimated value of the acquisition.
What is not eligible for funding?
The grant does not cover costs related to transport, structural modifications, restoration, passive conservation, archaeological excavations, or the documentation of an object or sub-collection. Grants cannot be requested for the acquisition of artists’ estates. An Acquisitions grant cannot be requested for objects on the former list associated with the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act that cost more than € 1.000.000. For these, you should contact the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.
What is meant by the Dutch National Heritage Collection?
The Dutch National Heritage Collection comprises publicly owned art and other movable heritage collections in the Netherlands. Privately owned collections are only included if they have been designated as protected cultural objects under the Heritage Act.
The application must include provenance research. What requirements must this research meet?
The requirements for provenance research vary depending on the type of object or collection. According to the Ethical Code for Museums, a museum may only acquire an object if its complete provenance is documented. This means that all transfers of ownership are known and recorded. If the complete provenance is not known, the Mondriaan Fund requires the applicant to conduct provenance research in which they outline the efforts undertaken to rule out a potential problematic history. This includes, for example, cases of looted art, unlawful acquisition, or illegal export from the country of origin.
The estimated value must be substantiated in a valuation report. What information should this report include?
The valuation report must be drawn up by an independent valuer with no ties to the applying institution, and must provide a well-substantiated estimate of the object’s value. The information included in the report depends on the type of object or sub-collection, but may include the following:
- A substantiated description of the object/collection.
- A substantiated assessment of the work’s art-historical and/or cultural-historical significance.
- A substantiated assessment of the quality of the work in relation to the artist’s overall oeuvre and previous sales results.
- If the work is identified as a key piece, a justification supporting this classification.
- An exhibition history, indicating where and in what context the work or collection has been displayed.
- The provenance.
- The market value: the acquisition and sales history of the work/collection, including the auction history, with the prices paid. If this information is unavailable, for example due to the recent date of the work, include the acquisition and sales history of comparable works by the artist.
- Literature in which the work is discussed.
- The condition of the work.
What is the National Museum Acquisition Fund and how can I apply to it?
The National Museum Acquisition Fund, which is administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, supports museums and heritage institutions in acquiring objects of national significance. In principle, applications requesting more than € 500,000 are submitted to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science for a contribution from the Museum Acquisition Fund, unless the Board of the Mondriaan Fund decides otherwise. An Acquisitions grant cannot be requested for objects on the former list associated with the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act that cost more than € 1.000.000. For these, you should contact the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.