Prince Constantijn, who gave €300,000 last week to six foreign artists for their community work, believes culture is a weapon against dictatorship. The Prince Claus Fund, established in 1996 by Princess Beatrix’s late husband to encourage artists and producers in places “where creative expression is under pressure,” presented the six awards.
“Brave people are risking their lives fighting to retain their freedom and culture, retain their identities, express themselves, and be recognized and listened to. The people we support are not fighting with weapons but with creativity and imagination. They are at the forefront of a global struggle to defend open, democratic societies, to ensure our fundamental freedoms are respected, and to pass this on to the next generation,” Prince Constantijn told an awards ceremony in Amsterdam attended by the royal family.
The biannual awards, worth €50,000 each, were given to Moroccan visual artist Hassan Darsi, Senegalese-French film director Alain Gomis, and indigenous writer and poet Ailton Krenek. Alcántara is an artist who directs the San Isidro Collective, which promotes freedom of expression in Cuba. May al-Ibrashy is an architect who works on heritage conservation and community engagement in Egypt. The fund also provides mentorship and seed prizes to newer, younger musicians, dancers, and artists each year to help them advance their trade.
The impact awards did not take place physically in 2020 due to the pandemic. Prince Constantijn stressed that the funds – awarded by an independent Prince Claus Impact Awards Jury – are about supporting a ‘basic need’ culture.
“Culture is the weapon to fight authoritarianism, which is why cultural activists are among the first to suffer – in their vulnerability lies their power,” he continued. “They hold the key to a better world, a mirror to expose injustice, a different voice to express humanity. The culture the Prince Claus Fund supports is the voice of people, not of systems. When people cannot dress as they like, listen to the music they want, read books that inspire, and interact on social media channels of their choice, they will eventually rise.”
The fund supports young and experienced artists who are the catalyst for change.’