The Board of the Prince Claus Fund can look back on a successful year where the Fund has increasingly focused on its main themes: the opening of areas of silence, the stimulation of spaces of freedom of speech, the encouragement of the art of coexistence and the analysis of beauty in various contexts. This is reflected in activities that support culture and development in countries and areas of political and economic complexity, awards that highlight Humour and Satire at a time when there is little to laugh about, and operations that have rescued cultural heritage in tsunami-stricken Aceh and Sri Lanka after the tsunami.
The Office received almost 700 applications in 2005, of which 130 were granted subsidies. In addition, the Fund provided 42 tickets for artists and intellectuals so that they could pursue their development by attending a conference, workshop or course. In addition, the Fund undertook three rescue operations on behalf of the Cultural Emergency Response. The Fund also developed links with two new network organisations. With this support, the Fund has created spaces for cultural cohesion and intercultural exchange, and it was able to rescue cultural heritage in two countries. In terms of the Prince Claus Awards, 90 nominations were received and 11 awards were granted. For the first time, the Fund developed activities in Armenia and Burundi. As a part of its new Humour and Satire theme it developed activities that included the public interview with the 2005 principal laureate Jonathan Shapiro and the workshop, which he held for cartoonists and graffiti artists.
In 2005 the Prince Claus Fund had a total budget of € 5,629,116 at its disposal. This income consisted of the contribution of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (€ 3,403,352), the budget allocated by the National Postal Code Lottery (€ 500,000), the joint financing of a number of projects, (amounting to € 167,864), the sponsoring of the Awards presentation (€ 46,572) and an additional € 57,900, which was accrued from interest and other revenues.
