Prince Claus Fund

WHO WE ARE

Founded in 1996 and based in the Netherlands, the Prince Claus Fund is an independent foundation dedicated to human development through artistic expression and social engagement. Our mission is to support, honour, and connect artists and cultural practitioners in places where culture is under pressure with trust-based funding, global networks, and award recognition.   

We amplify young and emerging talent, accelerate future leaders and recognise changemakers worldwide where cultural expression is under pressure, threatened by increasing suppression of artistic expression and limits to civil space. By creating a global network of changemakers and amplifying our awardees' ground-breaking work, we contribute to a more equitable, peaceful, sustainable, and inclusive future.   

WHAT WE DO

We believe culture is a catalyst for change. Everything we do should ultimately contribute to a world where culture exerts its transformative power and leads to positive change: discovering new perspectives, spreading innovative ideas, and expressing our identity. 

Since its founding the Prince Claus Fund focuses on supporting cultural practitioners in Global Majority countries eligible for international development assistance across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe.  

We know the ones who challenge the status quo are often at risk. They are at the forefront of urgent changes, and their voices need to be heard. Our work at the Prince Claus Fund centres around focuses on supporting cultural practitioners who work in three thematic areas:    

• CLIMATE: showcasing the urgent global threat of climate crisis, which is already disproportionately affecting the environment and communities in the Global Majority. We work towards raising awareness and amplifying affected voices.  
• EQUITY: challenging the fact that members of different groups have unequal access to resources, opportunities, representation, and justice at a local and global level. We contribute to advocate for equity by redistribution of resources.  
• FREEDOM: elevating the capacity of people and communities to express, act, and live as they choose, against threats or restrictions. Meaningful freedom requires both absence of constraints but also the capability to exercise agency and actively pursue goals. That is why our work aims to defy pressure, create free spaces and advocate for freedoms.  

The Prince Claus Fund is committed to supporting changemakers at every stage of their careers. We organize prestigious awards and programmes to contribute to each stage of a cultural practitioner's career cycle:  

• Seed Awards as an early career boost for emerging artists to find their path and gain momentum  
• Fellows Awards that create space for growth and experimentation for socially engaged mid-career artists– including the Arab Documentary Photography Programme, Climate and Artistic Responses to the Environmental Crisis, Building Beyond and Moving Narratives.  
• Impact Awards recognise six trailblazing artists who engage their own communities with work that is relevant, urgent and inspiring.  
• Our Urgency Programme offers immediate, trust-based support to Awardees in our network facing urgent and unforeseen disruption to their artistic work- ensuring that expression can continue even in the most challenging environments.

JOIN US

Even a small act can have a global effect. Supporting the Prince Claus Fund means direct access to areas you passionately care about. With your help, we can advance our global community of changemakers, accelerate their impact and amplify the power of culture as a fundamental force. 

• Donate to make a difference and join the Prince Claus Fund's Friends, Patrons or International Circle 
• Support our programmes, awards or general operations 
• Partner with us in programmes 

The Prince Claus Fund raises funds, collaborates and joins forces with like-minded organisations to increase its reach and impact. The Fund is financially supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Dutch Postcode Lottery, companies and individual donations.