The power of three

The Dutch Masters Foundation is a new philanthropic membership initiative in London which is creating a discreet community of individuals and companies with a shared passion for the arts and culture of the Netherlands. In doing so it is also raising funds through member donations for three world-renowned and much loved Dutch cultural organisations – the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis and Nederlands Dans Theater.

This pioneering collaboration aims to open up alternative streams of income for the three organisations at a time when public subsidy is being significantly reduced in the Netherlands. Individually each of them enjoys significant support in the UK (and globally), but they recognised that collectively they could create a unique partnership and effectively harness this support, whilst creating an attractive proposal for members.

Building a case for support
Right from the start there has been a lot of confidence in this project. A high level of trust between the organisations themselves, and between them and Naomi Russell and Partners, the agency working to develop the scheme, has created a solid basis for working together. Fundamental to the success of the initiative was to make sure we communicated the uniqueness of the partnership and the importance of support. Key to this has been being clear about the specific benefits that additional investment would bring to each of the organisations individually, as well as the strength of what they create collectively. Design and branding reinforce the partnership.

The three organisations were able to supply lists of key contacts in the UK, and the London-based agency has been able to gradually strengthen the network and develop interest amongst a wider pool of people. The organisations are very complementary, not only in terms of art, but also in terms of the profile of their supporters, meaning that together they can cover a wide range of audiences without being afraid of ‘stealing’ each other’s clients.

Structure and governance
It was important to ensure that correct structures of accountability were in place so that each of the organisations could be represented equally. Furthermore, as the primary aim of the scheme is to raise funds, it was important to work out the most efficient way for members to make cross-border donations tax effectively. After researching a number of options it was clear that registering as a UK charity is the best choice. This takes time, incurs cost (legal fees) and is an intricate process, but is the safest, strongest and most flexible option in the long term.

Balancing the benefits
Two levels of membership, individual and corporate, have been established, for which a minimum annual donation of £5,000 and £10,000 respectively is required. Benefits for members include an invitation to one annual gala event uniquely combining the art of all three organisations, invitations to a further three or four intimate and private views, private collections or performances, other networking opportunities, and priority booking for performances in the UK and Netherlands (companies are also offered branding and hospitality opportunities).

Progress so far
The Dutch Masters officially launched in December 2010 at an event, hosted by the Dutch Ambassador, where the art of each of the partner organisations was showcased. Following this we gained our seven founder members and founder corporate member (ING). The first event of 2011 was private view of Barings art collection at ING and in February 2011 the Dutch Masters Foundation was officially registered as a UK charity. We now have 11 individual members and hope to be able to confirm two more companies soon. Members so far are a cross-section of art dealers, art collectors, lawyers, bankers and businessmen, almost all of whom are Dutch Nationals or ex-Dutch Nationals. We are also fortunate to have the support of the Dutch Ambassador. Our target is to have 35 individual members as well as five corporate members by the end of the first full year of operation, generating an annual income of £255,000.

The challenge will now be to sustain momentum, recruiting new members as well as looking after our existing members and delivering an attractive programme of events. This is only the start: this initiative has laid the foundations for years of collaborative opportunities ahead.