Amsterdam’s maritime museum, which is embroiled in a long-running leadership conflict, has been told to go back to the drawing board with its request for government funding.

The Scheepvaartmuseum is one of 14 institutions given a second chance by the arts council, which published its recommendations for government spending on Thursday. The council has €220m a year to divide up between cultural bodies for the next four years.

The Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam, which focuses on contemporary design and architecture, has also been told to rework its plans, as has the Zuidelijk Toneel theatre group, which is based in Tilburg.

Theatre Rotterdam, which combines the Ro Theater, Rotterdamse Schouburg and Productiehuis Rotterdam, should be given €1m less than it applied for, the council said, criticising the fact it has three directors and four artistic leaders.

Income

Theater Utrecht had its application for €1.6m a year rejected because it had failed to generate enough income itself. Cultural institutions have to generate at least 23.5% of their own income.

The council also recommended that Enschede-based Orkest van het Oosten and the Arnhem-based Gelders Orkest merge, to much opposition. ‘Our audience has the right to its own orchestra,’ a spokesman for the Gelders Orkest told the Volkskrant.

In total, 118 institutions applied for funding between 2017 and 2020. Of those 27 were rejected and 14 told to revised their applications.

Culture minister Jet Bussemaker will publish her final decision on funding in September.