Culture funds
The Prince Bernhard Culture funds started on August 10, 1940 in London set up to collect money for the purchase of military equipment.
Prince Bernhard was raining director from the foundation. More than half the money which was collected was given to the Dutch government for the financing of bombers, torpedoboats, airplanes and a Dakota hospital plane. The rest was handed over to the British government as a contribution towards the purchase of Spitfires.
After the war, the fund had another goal: "to promote the mental resilience through cultural self." There was a general assembly with representatives of all philosophical and political groupings from the Dutch society. Prince Bernhard remained in his function. The fund performed no work themselves, but financial aid to individuals or organizations, provided they do not contain strong political or religious nature. In 1950 the administration claimed a special award for individuals who have self-serving for the Dutch culture or that of the Dutch Antilles: Silver Carnation. The financial basis for the Silver Carnation was formed by the legacy of the secret agent Thijs Taconis, who in September 1944 in Mauthausen was shot.
Between 1960 and 1975 the fund underwent significant changes. In 1960 it acquired a fixed share of the football lottery, which in addition to the proceedings from Anjer and occasional acquiring actions, led to a fixed source of income that the fund made public. The policy was pragmatic, business like in addition to the professional and financial support of cultural projects, the fund also directed to the provision of contracts, awards and scholarships. For all these activities is now an annual budget of about 24 million euros.
More information can be found on the website www.cultuurfonds.nl
After the war, the fund had another goal: "to promote the mental resilience through cultural self." There was a general assembly with representatives of all philosophical and political groupings from the Dutch society. Prince Bernhard remained in his function. The fund performed no work themselves, but financial aid to individuals or organizations, provided they do not contain strong political or religious nature. In 1950 the administration claimed a special award for individuals who have self-serving for the Dutch culture or that of the Dutch Antilles: Silver Carnation. The financial basis for the Silver Carnation was formed by the legacy of the secret agent Thijs Taconis, who in September 1944 in Mauthausen was shot.
Between 1960 and 1975 the fund underwent significant changes. In 1960 it acquired a fixed share of the football lottery, which in addition to the proceedings from Anjer and occasional acquiring actions, led to a fixed source of income that the fund made public. The policy was pragmatic, business like in addition to the professional and financial support of cultural projects, the fund also directed to the provision of contracts, awards and scholarships. For all these activities is now an annual budget of about 24 million euros.
More information can be found on the website www.cultuurfonds.nl