Research Pilot Vouchers Cultural Immersive Productions
Nieuwe Instituut is conducting a study evaluating the results of the Cultural Immersive Productions Pilot voucher scheme, which was implemented by the Creative Industries Fund at the end of 2023.
Scheme
Since 2019, the Creative Industries Fund and the Netherlands Film Fund have been working together to strengthen the immersive, interactive media climate. The focus of this collaboration is on the development and realisation of cultural media productions, such as VR, AR, 360-degree film and interactive installations. The Netherlands lacks a strong distribution network and a financial business model for cultural immersive media productions. The funds want to boost the distribution and visibility of these productions.
Therefore, a structural scheme specifically aimed at an (additional) contribution to improve the visibility and screening infrastructure in the Netherlands will be developed in 2024. In December 2023, this trajectory started with a pilot. The results of this pilot will be included in the final scheme that will be launched in autumn 2024.
In the Pilot Vouchers cultural immersive productions, 33 applications received a voucher. Both creators, producers and institutions could claim a voucher. The scheme consisted of a total amount of €260,000 and targeted makers, producers, festivals and presentation institutions that distribute and make Dutch immersive media productions visible.
Research
Parallel to the voucher scheme, a research trajectory is taking place, carried out by Nieuwe Instituut with support from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, in cooperation with external researchers and a project leader. The research trajectory consists of two parts.
The first part focuses on mapping the effects of support within the Cultural immersive productions voucher scheme and making recommendations for the follow-up to the pilot in autumn 2024. For this purpose, applications, awards and rejections within the scheme will be analysed. For this research, the New Institute, in collaboration with Moonshot Digital Culture, distributed questionnaires for applicants as well as people who were aware of the scheme but did not apply.
The second part of the research comprises a broader view of the voucher scheme and the final experiences with it. In this research, the perspectives of creators, producers, festivals and presentation institutions are also secured and there is room to look at international best practices. The results of this research should lead to concrete advice for improving the visibility of the digital culture sector and the necessary infrastructure for distribution. This research will continue until April 2025.