ROTTERDAM, 5 February 2026 – A new online practice guide aims to help amateur arts organisations across South Holland get their basics in order, from governance and volunteers to accessibility, safety and marketing. If you run a choir, theatre group, dance school, band collective or community arts club in Rotterdam, it is designed to be the “one place” you can keep coming back to.
Illustration: Sophia Twigt
Kunstgebouw, the provincial support organisation for culture in South Holland, has published the practice guide for cultural participation in your free time (cultuurbeoefening), with practical checklists and tips for associations, foundations, clubs and independent providers.
Why the guide was made now
Kunstgebouw points to familiar pressures in the amateur arts (amateurkunst): boards looking for new volunteers, organisations trying to keep activities safe and welcoming, and the simple challenge of finding and keeping a suitable space.
At the same time, many groups want to be easier to find, reach new audiences, and make activities more accessible. The guide is meant to cut down the time you spend hunting for reliable information by putting it in one structured place.
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What you will find inside
The guide is divided into chapters that cover the day-to-day realities of running an organisation, including governance and supervision, staff and volunteer policy, and practical advice on lobbying for a location.
Other sections focus on accessibility, digitalisation, turning data into audience insight, marketing and communications tools, monitoring and impact measurement, and an overview of support at local, regional and national level.
Safety and a clearer way to organise
One dedicated area is a safety knowledge dossier (kennisdossier veiligheid), positioned as hands-on guidance for creating a safe environment in your organisation.
The guide was developed within a pilot programme called Building, Blueprint, Embedding (Bouwen – Blauwdruk – Borging), as part of the National agreement for amateur arts (Nationaal Akkoord Amateurkunst), and is supported by the Fund for cultural participation (Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie).
Who it is meant for in Rotterdam
If you are the person keeping things together at a local organisation, the guide is clearly aimed at you. It is also meant to be useful for culture coaches and brokers and municipalities, who can use it in workshops, advice sessions and meet-ups with local providers.
You can go straight to the guide here: https://www.kunstgebouw.nl/praktijkgids-cultuurbeoefening/
