SICA, Mediadesk Nederland and Trans Artists have merged.

From January 1^st 2013 MEDIA Desk Nederland, SICA and Trans Artists have merged into DutchCulture, the new organization for international cultural cooperation.

The new organization will support and stimulate international activities in the areas of culture, media, cultural mobility and heritage. The structural financers are the ministries of Education, Culture and Science, Foreign Affairs and the European Commission.

Cees de Graaff, former director of SICA, is the general director of DutchCulture - centre for international cooperation.

The organization includes the following desks:

• Foreign Affairs Desk
  This desk focuses on facilitating the Dutch embassies abroad, informing international partners about developments in the Dutch cultural field, and stimulates collaborations between the Netherlands and international partners with a visitors program and the Arts Holland Magazine.

• Europe Desk
  This desk informs about opportunities to apply for EU funding for projects related to culture, media and citizenship and offers support when applying for funding. The Europe Desk informs the Dutch cultural field about the important developments in European cultural policymaking and brings together the strengths of the Cultural Contact Point (CCP), Europe for Citizens Point (ECP) en de MEDIA Desk Nederland. EUNIC Netherlands is also part of this cluster.

• The SICA Desk
  This desk collects information connected to cultural cooperation such as the knowledge databases from the digital Cultural Exchange Platform and the cultural mappings of Brazil, Turkey and China. ‘Buitengaats’ is also part of this desk; a database where all data related to Dutch cultural activities abroad is gathered.
  Next to that this desk realizes manifestations such as NLRF2013.

• Cultural Heritage Desk
  This desk informs the Dutch field of cultural heritage on developments in international policymaking, and stimulates collaboration within the international field of cultural heritage. The Cultural Heritage desk manages the international visitors program and the Matching Fund in the framework of ‘Gemeenschappelijk Cultureel Erfgoed. The tasks of the former Erfgoed Nederland are now part of the Cultural Heritage Desk.

• Trans Artists Desk
  This desk stimulates and informs about cultural mobility for artists with a strong focus on artist-in-residence opportunities. Here you can find all about facts, use and value of international artist-in-residence programs as well as other cultural opportunities for artists to stay and work elsewhere.

You can find further information about the new organisation on www.dutchculture.nl.

Note that you can still find us on www.transartists.org and in our new office (Herengracht 474 in Amsterdam, Netherlands).

Keep you posted!