Public money for grassroots initiators

Pitcher Perfect 010 was created in answer to the analysis of the International Advisory Board. The Board observed a vast culture of grassroots initiatives in Rotterdam who are key to the identity of this city. These initiatives don't always profit from the existing structures in dividing subsidies for cultural organizations.

The main goal of this event was to experiment with new ways of granting subsidies to people who don't know their way in the traditional structures towards public funding.

"I felt like Santa"

Siobhan Burger about the event: "The evening had a special character. The audience was a reflection of the city's population and their pitches were just as diverse: from plans about the history of Rotterdam to ideas about diversity and business models for artists."

Siobhan hosted the evening, in which twenty initiators were asked to pitch their idea to the room. Everyone was able cast one vote and at the end of the evening a total of 90,000 euro divided amongst ten pitch winners. "I felt like Santa", says Siobhan, "I gave so many people so much money, and it wasn't even mine!"

Evaluating Pitcher Perfect 010

The Municipality of Rotterdam and R'damse Nieuwe are currently back to the drawing board concerning this event. One of the main challenges of the evening was that only the first twenty applicators were invited for this event, which is arguably also a group of people who know their way around the city.

There are probably still initiatives out there who might benefit from an innovation in the field subsidies and how to apply for them.