BIS 2025-2028: Digital strategy included in draft application form for the first time

What is included in the BIS scheme application form?

The application form for the BIS cultural subsidy contains several general assessment criteria. These are the main points:

• Artistic or content quality
• Social significance; adapting to developments and committing to the fair practice code and D&I code (Program, Partners, and Personnel).
• Accessibility; removing barriers for the audience and plans to increase audience diversity. How is the D&I code applied to the audience aspect and how does the digital strategy contribute to this?
• Organizational health
• Geographical distribution

Additionally, a questionnaire is included to assess the sustainability of cultural organizations and the cultural sector in the Netherlands.

What does this mean for other subsidies?

Many cultural subsidies follow the guidelines of the BIS. For other subsidy schemes, the above topics and a digital strategy are also likely to become more frequently part of the requirements. It is therefore always wise to consider the digital strategy when drafting your multi-year plan.

Why include a digital strategy in the application form?

A digital strategy helps achieve the above ambitions. A digital strategy makes organizations resilient and flexible. Digital innovations can, for example, contribute to new artistic forms, social significance, accessibility, and healthy business operations.

Why now?

The world is constantly changing and at an ever-increasing pace. A digital strategy helps you anticipate technological and societal changes. It makes you resilient and adaptable. In other sectors, we already see that organizations that fail to adapt eventually disappear. By making digital an integral part of your strategy, you can, as a cultural organization, seize the opportunities of the future.

How do I write a digital strategy? DEN helps you further

Do you want your organization to focus on the audience of tomorrow and meet those subsidy requirements? DEN provides tools with the Digital Transformation Scan. This allows separate digital projects to grow into a transformation across all parts of the organization.

The Digital Transformation Scan provides insights into where your organization currently stands through several topics. A personal results page shows the steps you can take next. Then it’s time to make decisions: what do you want to retain, develop, and phase out? This is the starting point of the digital strategy. Follow the self-study module ‘How to write a digital strategy’ to further develop this.

The module on writing a digital strategy helps to make your ambitions concrete. In 5 steps, you work on the strategy for your organization. The module provides direction for your strategy and simultaneously offers insight into the opportunities and strengths within your organization. This can also help you when applying for cultural subsidies.