Ich bin ein Amerikaner. We’re all Americans, at least the Dutch art world is moving the American way. Since the budget cuts by the government, artist and institutions are finally looking for another way to fund their projects. I get invitations to become friend daily (yes it sounds very facebookery) and in Rotterdam, during the art fair, there was a fundraising exhibition held by the MK Award. I don’t know whether this is going to be a success.  It will at least take some time for the public to get used to this attention and to get used to the idea art is not for free. For decades art has been ‘a government thing’. Dutch artists were more or less civil servants.
The effort of the art world is frustrated by an staggering tax increase, the VAT was raised from 6 tot 19% !!  It’s about time the government rewards all effort made by decreasing the VAT again. And the public can show what they think is really important in these time of economic crisis.