For whom?
Visual artists from the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands with a professional practice of at least one year. Every effort will be made to include a diverse blend of ages, backgrounds, genders and disciplines in the selection.
For what
The grant is intended to boost the international standing of visual artists from the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands by stimulating their presence at significant international events. With this grant the Mondriaan Fund offers visual artists the opportunity to strengthen their own international network, gain a better understanding of the international visual arts field and support artists in their international profiling.
The Mondriaan Fund is offering 40 travel vouchers and tickets for the 2026 Venice Biennale preview days on 6, 7 and 8 May.
How much?
The grant consists of tickets to the Venice Biennale preview days and the opening of the Dutch pavillion.
The Mondriaan Fund also covers the travel expenses to and from Venice, and the cost of accommodation in Venice (up to a maximum of € 1,100 per person). The travel voucher for visual artists living in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is up to a maximum of € 2,000, in light of the higher cost of travelling from the Caribbean.
How and when to apply?
Visual artists can submit an application using the “Open Oproep Manifestatie” application form until 16.00 (Dutch time zone) / 10.00 (Caribbean time zone) on Thursday 26 June 2025. We require a CV and motivation.
You will require an account in order to submit an application on the website, and if required, can apply for a new account online. Applications are assessed by an internal advisory committee. Contributions from the Mondriaan Fund cannot be granted in retroaction. The selected artists will be informed by the end of Augustus.
Conditions
- You have been working as a professional artist for at least one year.
- You are active as an artist and part of the professional visual arts field in the Netherlands and/or the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
- You cannot apply for or use a contribution while enrolled to study at educational institutions for e.g. Bachelor’s, Master’s or postdoctoral programmes. This also applies to participation in programmes at postgraduate institutions and to PhD programmes. The exception is part-time programmes (not Bachelor’s programmes) of less than 20 hours a week.
- You are present in Venice at least on 6, 7 and 8 May during the preview days, for the opening of the Dutch pavillion, and for any other activities organised by the Mondriaan Fund.
- Following the trip, you are required to draft a written evaluation of your visit to the Venice Biennale.
Assessment
The artist’s CV, motivation and website (if a website is not available, an alternative such as e.g. Instagram) are used to assess the quality of the artist’s practice, their international potential and the relevance and urgency of potential participation.
Mondriaan Fund staff review the submitted application and attachments for completeness. Once the application is deemed complete, it is forwarded to the internal committee that advises on awarding the Voucher Venice Biennale for 2026. Every effort will be made to include a diverse blend of ages, backgrounds, genders and disciplines in the selection.
The Mondriaan Fund will host an information session for the selected artists in autumn 2025, offering an opportunity to meet the other artists in advance.
The motivation should at least address the following aspects:
- A statement explaining your motivation for attending the Venice Biennale preview days.
- How you are already working to internationalise your practice and expand your international network, and how this trip could further support these efforts.
- A practical action plan for expanding your network during the trip. For example, an overview of who you hope to meet, and how you intend to connect with them.
Checklist
In order to process your application, the Mondriaan Fund requires various information: details that you can enter in the application form and documents that you can upload. Below is a checklist outlining all of the required information, following the layout of the application form.
Tip: gather all of the required information before you start completing the online application form. Appendices can be uploaded as PDFs. Ensure you do not exceed the maximum number of pages or characters, where stated.
