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Australia & the Netherlands
Australia and the Netherlands share a long and rich history that stretches all the way back to the first European contact with the continent when the VOC ship Duyfken landed at (what would later be called) Cape York Peninsula in 1606. Since this first interaction, Australia and the Netherlands have built close people-to-people connections and ties across a range of mutual interests.
Between 1947 and 1971, 160,000 Dutch people emigrated to Australia. These emigrants contributed to Australian society, culture and prosperity and became an important factor in shaping the nation. According to the 2016 census, almost 340,000 Australian people are of Dutch descent.
Beyond Heritage
The shared story of Australia and the Netherlands offers Australian institutions numerous opportunities to explore Dutch-Australian connections, particularly in the field of maritime heritage and contested histories.
Dutch artists and makers have also made their mark in the fields of the visual arts, performing arts, circular design, serious gaming, fashion and architecture. The Dutch architecture firm OMA collaborated with the Australian firm HASSELL to design the award-winning Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip in Perth. Dutch visual artists are generally well-represented at the Biennale of Sydney, the Museum of Contemporary Art (Sydney), and the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (Melbourne).
Information & advice
Want to know more about opportunities for cultural exchange with Australia? Check the links, FAQs, infographics and activities below. Feel free to contact our advisor for Australia if you have any questions.
Please note that DutchCulture is not a funding body.
Advisor
Australia at a glance
featuring 66 artists
12 months (2025)
discipline in 2025
Frequently asked questions
- 1. Where can I find funding within the Netherlands?
Are you looking for (international) funding? Check our general funding page for different funding guides, grants and open calls, or the digital Cultural Mobility Funding Guide for the Netherlands for regional, private and international (mobility) funding.
In the Netherlands the means for international cultural cooperation are delegated to the national funds. The fund that works for your art form or artistic discipline, has one or several subsidy schemes for internationalisation. To make sure the program fits your project, you can contact the advisors of the fund before starting the process of application.
Design, Creative Industries, Architecture, Digital Culture
Creative Industries Fund NL
> International Vouchers
> Internationalization of the Design Sector Grant Scheme
> New Procedures in Collaboration with Embassies AbroadNieuwe Instituut
>International Visitors Programme
Visual Arts, HeritageMondriaan Fund
> Subsidy for International Art Presentation to present work by living artists based in the Kingdom of the NetherlandsTheater, Dance, Music
Performing Arts Fund
> Grants for foreign organisations to invite artists based in the Kingdom of the Netherlands
> Internationalisation grants for artists based in the Kingdom of the NetherlandsAudiovisual media, Film, Documentary
Dutch Film Fund
>The Film Fund has several subsidy schemes to support co-productions and distribution (film & documentary).Literature
Dutch Foundation for Literature
> Translation grants for foreign publishers
> Travel grantsParticipation, Education, Communal arts, Cooperations, Projects with non-professionals
Cultural Participation Fund
> FundingsHeritage
International Heritage Cooperation is part of the Netherlands’ international cultural policy. The embassies of the Netherlands in the partner countries have a budget for supporting local cultural heritage projects. DutchCulture manages a Matching Fund. Dutch legal entities (companies and registered freelancers) are able to apply for partial funding for an international heritage cooperation project.
DutchCulture supports international heritage cooperation between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Europe. The Europe + Heritage programme offers advice, a Travel Scheme (vouchers of €350-€1000) and a General Support Scheme (maximum €5.000) for heritage professionals and heritage organisations based in the Kingdom of the Netherlands who wish to visit a European partner, invite a European partner or set up a cooperation with a European partner. Heritage can be both tangible and intangible.
Other
The Netherlands Enterprise Agency is not a national fund but also offers, on behalf of various ministries and the European Union, subsidies for companies in the creative industries.
- 2. Where can I find funding in Australia?
In Australia, the Office for the Arts of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts of the Australian Government is responsible for the National Cultural Policy, including international cultural exchange.
On the Move (OTM) has assembled a guide to cross-border mobility for artists and cultural workers from and travelling to Australia.
- 3. What rules and regulations do I have to consider (visa, social security, taxation)?
Visa
For any information on visa, please consult the website of the Australian Government.
Social security
The website of the Dutch Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) offers a lot of information on social security when working internationally, with specific information for artists. The information is available in five languages.
Taxation
As artists are highly mobile these days, there are specific rules to avoid that one would not pay taxes. Everyone needs to pay income taxes, but when you have earned your income in different countries in which country should you pay? And how can you avoid double taxation?
The Netherlands has tax treaties with a number of countries. In many cases, this means that the taxes you pay in one of the countries are deductible from the taxes you owe in another country, or that you are exempt from paying certain taxes. Here you can find an overview of the countries with which the Netherlands has a treaty.
- 4. How can I promote my work in Australia?
It is a good idea to engage Australian professionals and publicists, that have an understanding of your art discipline, audience and region. Communicate with websites or social media that could promote your project, the same goes for local press. There are a growing number of Dutch people living in Australia and many cities have a Dutch network. Using these existing networks will also help you to promote your work.
Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Canberra is happy to provide information on the various cultural sectors. Do not forget to create a My DC account, where you can add your activities to our Cultural Database. This way you will be included in our database and become part of our network.
- 5. How can I find a residency, a venue at which to perform or an exhibition space?
Browse through the DutchCulture Database and figure out which artists from the Netherlands have worked at which venues, and start your research this way. Go to the search icon on the upper-left corner of the website, and search by discipline, country and city.
For residencies, DutchCulture | TransArtists is a great research tool. In order to successfully build an international career, and in order to find sustainable partners in a country, it is always wise to spend more than a few days somewhere. Residencies, ranging from a couple of weeks until several months, can help you to achieve that.
- 6. How can I keep up to date with any news concerning cultural work in Australia?
The Dutch diplomatic missions in Australia are active on different social media platforms, please see their website.
- 7. Are there specific things to keep in mind when it comes to safety in Australia?
For the most recent travel advice to Australia, please see the website of the Dutch government (information in Dutch).
