In the third quarter of 2025, the Cultural Fund of North Brabant awarded €358,258 to 83 inspiring culture and nature projects in the province. From local festivals to innovative music and dance projects: each project is unique and demonstrates how culture and creativity can connect, innovate, and enrich in Brabant.

In this third round, three projects stand out:

Comic Makers Days 2025

The Comic Makers Foundation receives €10,000 for the second edition of this festival at the Cacao Factory in Helmond (November 12 to 16, 2025). Visitors meet the top Dutch comic creators during talk shows, signing sessions, and the festive Comic Book Ball. The program also includes masterclasses, lectures, workshops, and a conference on the social and business applications of comics, with attention to visual stories without language for the illiterate and non-native speakers. Additionally, there are exhibitions and a film program with shorts and animations. The festival showcases the power of graphic novels and comics in full and reaches a broad and diverse audience.

Symbiosis Lab

Symbiosis Lab can count on €10,000 for a program in which young musicians, designers, and artists can develop their talents outside the regular cultural offerings. In Eindhoven (October 2025 – June 2026), they will work on innovative club culture concepts, such as new music, a collective VR experience, and a futuristic fashion show. The program includes workshops, masterclasses, exhibitions, lectures, and inspiration sessions, including residencies for creators from home and abroad. Collaborations with Design Academy, Summa College, and STRP Festival ensure depth and connection. The project gives club culture in the Brainport region a substantive boost and continuously stimulates young talent.

Public Secrets

The dance company Vloeistof and the welfare organization ContourdeTwern receive €10,000 for the project Public Secrets. This is an interactive walking performance in which the hidden stories of neighborhood residents are central. ContourdeTwern collects anonymous secrets from the neighborhood, which are transformed into audio stories, art interventions, and dance performances. Residents are invited to experience the performance along benches, parks, and squares in their own neighborhood. The project takes place at four locations in Tilburg, with six performances at each location.

About the Cultural Fund

The Cultural Fund invests 50 million euros annually in culture and nature. This money is used for more than 4,000 projects in the Netherlands, the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, and Suriname. With support from the Friends Lottery, Dutch Lottery, donors, and partners, the fund enables various initiatives. Foundations, associations, cultural institutions, nature organizations, and individual artists can apply for financial support. The Cultural Fund of North Brabant is one of the twelve provincial departments.

More information: www.cultuurfonds.nl/brabant (refers to another website)