SPOT Documentation Funding Scheme

SPOT Documentation is intended to strengthen the visibility and presentation of artists from The Hague at home and abroad.  

The Funding Scheme supports artists in the production of high-quality documentation or having it produced and covers the following costs: 

• promotion of your own work;  

• updating documentation of your own work (small-scale publications, brochures, flyers, etc.);  

• the (re)construction of your own website;  

• involving specialists (advisors, copywriters, critics, photographers, designers). 

Artists from The Hague are eligible for the Funding Scheme, on the condition that the artist from The Hague is registered in the Stroom database of artists and that their profile has been updated (Mijn Stroom). 

NOTE! The application of the (main) initiator prevails in a project in which multiple parties participate (such as group exhibitions, demonstrations, etc.). Other participants in the project can only apply after the main initiator has indicated to Stroom that he/she will not be submitting a PRO or SPOT application. 

Not eligible: 
Applications within the context of (art) educational programmes, proposals from or with (art academy) students, courses and workshops with an educational character. Applicants cannot claim the PRO and SPOT funding schemes while following an (art) educational programme (Bachelor's, Master's, postdoc, PhD). Applications for post-academic work periods/residencies (such as at the Rijksakademie, De Ateliers, the Jan van Eyck Academie, and the EKWC) fall outside the framework of the funding scheme system. 

• Stroom makes a maximum contribution of 75% of the budget. 

• It is mandatory to use Stroom’s budget model. Click here to open the budget model.

• The amounts should be entered excluding VAT. If you cannot deduct VAT, you should contact Stroom before submitting your application. 

• A minimum contribution of €150 and a maximum contribution of €600 can be applied for per application. 

• The maximum amount available per applicant per calendar year for SPOT Documentation and SPOT Individual Exhibition combined is €1,500 (in the Netherlands) or €2,000 (abroad). 

• For the PRO and SPOT funding schemes, a joint maximum contribution from Stroom of €20,000 per calendar year per applicant (or guest organisation/guest location) applies. 

• An application can only be submitted for the costs below:  

  • services and deliveries from professional photographers, website builders, graphic designers (no house style), copywriters, printers (no business cards), copy shops, etc.; 

  • design and costs printed matter, brochures, leaflets, catalogue, postcards own work; 

  • website construction and design, desktop publishing costs, digitising images; 

  • various materials for producing documentation such as document folders, paper, digital image storage devices (no cartridges);  

  • film, video, DVD only if the products are of a documentary or promotional nature; 

  • (digital) cameras, video cameras, scanners, tablets; reimbursement of up to 33.3% of the costs and one application every three years; 

  • reimbursements in kind are not financially supported.  

• A grant is only awarded if there is a demonstrable financial shortfall. 

• In the case of grants where a party is not the formal applicant but is an interested party (for example because it is helping to organise or realise the project), the amount granted is considered pro rata when determining the annual maximum contribution from Stroom for this party. 

• The artists' remuneration guideline is a helping hand to both artists and institutions in the Netherlands to achieve a more professional contract and negotiation practice at exhibitions/presentations without sales targets (see www.kunstenaarshonorarium.nl). Stroom endorses the guideline and encourages artists to make joint agreements with institutions in the Netherlands where their work is exhibited. This means that the institution pays the remuneration and that it cannot be financed by the SPOT Funding Schemes. 

Tip: The Mondriaan Fund offers the ‘Artists’ Remuneration' funding scheme. The Mondriaan Fund, for example, provides a financial incentive to organisations that pay at least 50 percent of the remuneration mentioned in the guideline. See the Mondriaan Fund website (www.mondriaanfonds.nl). 

Submit your application via the Stroom application portal, which consists of the following steps: 

Applicant details: You can find the conditions under ‘Who is eligible for this Funding Scheme?’ 

Plan: The Plan must include a title, a description of the intended documentation, and a start and end date. 

Financial overview: You can find the conditions under ‘What budget can you apply for?' 

Appendix: Appendices are intended solely for additional information regarding your application. All relevant information should be included in the plan, the documentation and the budget and not in an appendix. 

Statement of Agreement: In this step, you agree to all the conditions of this Funding Scheme. 

• Applications can be submitted throughout the year.  

• The available budget for the SPOT Funding Scheme will be divided over four quarters. Once the quarterly budget maximum has been reached, no more applications can be submitted for that particular quarter. The budget for the application falls in the quarter in which the plan's realisation starts. The Stroom Den Haag website indicates which quarters are still accepting applications.  

• The application must be submitted no later than one month before the realisation of the plan commences. Applications submitted less than a month before the start of the programme will not be considered. 

• You cannot apply to PRO and SPOT for the same proposal at the same time. 

• Within Stroom's funding schemes, you can only receive one grant for the same proposal. This condition also applies in the case of proposals that originate or derive from a previously awarded proposal, and that can be traced back to the same plan and/or basis in terms of artistic content. In practice, this means that you cannot receive separate grants for different phases or components of the same plan. Exceptions to this are plans that, although they originate from a previous (approved) proposal, differ fundamentally from it in terms of artistic content, to such an extent that this includes a new plan with a new artistic and content-based foundation. 

Stroom formally checks the application for compliance with all the conditions of the Funding Scheme. If we require any additional information, we will contact you.  

If the application is formally in order, it will be handled by the Stroom board. After the assessment, the applicant receives a grant or rejection letter. If funding is granted, then the financial contribution is specified in the grant letter.  

Stroom aims to stimulate the visual arts climate in The Hague. To this end, we also want a safe (working) environment for artists, professionals and interested parties. In the case of (serious suspicion of) unacceptable behaviour in which individuals feel their safety is threatened, Stroom reserves the right to take measures such as not processing an application or rejecting registration in the artists' database.  

No rights may be derived from Stroom’s financial arrangements. 

Changes to the plan, both financial and substantive, require the prior approval of Stroom via ‘messages’ in the portal. 

• If substantial changes occur at any time in the plan in the implementation, the budget and the financial plan, the applicant must report this in advance. Whether the allocated contribution can be used for this will be determined based on the proposed changes.  

• If the plan cannot be realised before the end date, the applicant has the option of submitting a request for an extension, including motivation and a proposal for a new end date.  

• If at any time during the planning period the applicant changes residence (for example, if they move away from The Hague and settle elsewhere), the ‘importance to The Hague’ of the proposal may be jeopardised. When moving to a different place of residence, the applicant must also immediately report this in writing. Based on the new situation and the status of the plan, a decision will then be made as to whether the financial contribution can still be utilised, either in part or in full. 

You must submit the final report no later than one month after realisation of your plan in the ‘payment requests’ section of the Stroom portal. The final report consists of a visual report and a financial report. After submitting your final report, you may be selected at random for a financial audit.  

Visual report  
The visual report consists of a photo impression, publicity material or a copy of the realised documentation (max. 20 images).  

Financial report  

• Completed overview of the actual income and expenses. It is mandatory to use the budget approved by Stroom for this purpose and to supplement the actual income and expenses in the column next to the budgeted figures. This will create a clear financial overview and insight.  

• The applicant must explain major deviations.  

• The applicant must keep all financial documents as described below under ‘Financial Audit Sample’ available for at least 2 years for inspection by Stroom. 

Financial Audit Sample 
If you are selected for the financial audit, you will be asked to submit all financial documents (invoices, receipts, bank statements) relating to the actual expenses. You have submitted the actual expenses with the financial report. You have used and supplemented the approved budget for this.  

Conditions  

• The document submitted must clearly and legibly link the financial documents and cost items. Number the cost items (e.g. 1. material costs, 2. transport costs, etc.) and give the supporting documents the same number.  

• Only clear and legible evidence will be accepted.  

• In the case of own transport, the maximum non-VAT-taxed kilometre price applicable at that time will be used.  

• If you use a rental car, you must submit the rental invoice and petrol receipts.  

• Public transport reimbursement is based on second class travel. 

• The applicant shall ensure that their accountant or trust office cooperates with the (audit) activities carried out by or on behalf of Stroom. 

Under the SPOT Funding Scheme, it is possible to apply for an advance of 50% of the awarded amount. This can be requested via a ‘payment request’ in the Stroom portal. 

The final financial compensation is determined and paid out after the applicant to whom it was granted has met the conditions of the final report. 

After the final report assessment, the applicant to whom it was granted will receive a letter confirming the final financial compensation. 

Repayment 

• If it turns out that the grant was awarded incorrectly, Stroom will revoke the grant and reclaim any payments made. 

• If it appears that the final report has not been received for the dates stated in the grant letter and no interim changes have been communicated and approved, any payment will be reclaimed. 

• If it appears that the plan has not been realised within the start and end date and no interim change has been communicated and approved, the entire advance will be reclaimed.  

• If it appears that too much money has been granted, Stroom will reduce the grant and reclaim the excess amount paid out.  

• If other financial contributions/subsidies/forms of financing have been listed in the submitted budget to finance the proposal, Stroom expects the applicant to be able to obtain this financing.