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Werken voor Cultuur is a platform designed to help all people, whether they have prior experience or not, find jobs in the Dutch cultural sector. On our website, you find cultural vacancy listings, as well as extensive content (such as different job functions in the cultural field and the pros and cons of working in the industry, and practical information designed to help you explore opportunities in the sector.
Our values, mission, and vision
Werken voor Cultuur stands for diversity, inclusivity, and transparency. Our aim is to open up the Dutch cultural sector to reflect our multifaceted society, inviting international professionals and/or students, non-Dutch speakers, and people from other commercial or non-profit sectors into the field.
But how accessible is the Dutch cultural sector for internationals? Based on research by Werken voor Cultuur from July 2024, an astounding 97% of cultural-related vacancies in the Netherlands require fluent Dutch. However, the Dutch cultural sector, like other sectors, faces labor shortages in certain roles. To increase the chances of filling these roles, attracting diverse groups, including internationals, can be highly beneficial. Therefore, our goal is to change current hiring outcomes and application requirements.
What internationals offer
With a plethora of varying backgrounds and personal identities, international talent brings diverse perspectives, enriching the Dutch cultural landscape with innovation and creativity. In addition, an international workforce attracts a vast audience, as diversified employees better understand a richly assorted public, increasingly common in Dutch multicultural cities.
Furthermore, international professionals bring varied skills and experiences that enhance the Dutch cultural sector. Be they either students or experienced employees, internationals generate a rich learning environment, providing valuable insights and compelling knowledge to arts and culture organizations.
Breaking into the industry
With prevailing standards, entering the application pool as an international can be quite daunting. In order to increase your appeal, we recommend that you build ample experience in other sectors. By boasting a strong CV, internationals with extensive previous exposure can compete proportionately to local or native candidates.
Furthermore, we suggest investing in Dutch language courses, because even with just basic Dutch skills, your application becomes significantly more attractive. From private tutoring to free government-subsidized courses, language lessons are offered at a myriad of locations with varying price-points in the Netherlands.
Our hopes for the future
Presently, Werken voor Cultuur is only available in Dutch. However, our goal is to add an English-speaking filter to our vacancy overview, highlighting career opportunities for interested non-Dutch speakers. Furthermore, by providing examples of the benefits of a diverse workplace and how internationals can contribute, we hope to influence cultural employers, shaping the future of position possibilities towards open inclusivity. Eventually, our aim is to create a complete English edition of our website, but until then, we kindly ask you to use a translation plug-in or extension for full access to our valuable content. Lastly, until the English website is available, we highly encourage you to subscribe to our Dutch newsletter.
We invite internationals currently working for Dutch cultural organizations to get in touch with us, so we can help others break through the industry. Please get in touch to share any relevant experiences!
