amateur art in the low countries
cultuur + educatie 20 (2007)

The current state of affairs in the amateur arts in the Netherlands and Flanders, with contributions on conceptualisation, social engagement, participation figures and profiles of artists, age and decisive participation factors.

Preconceptions on amateur art assessed
Wim Knulst, former professor of leisure sciences, reviews the historical backdrop of preconceptions on amateur art, assessing them against actual practice. His focus is the sincere amateur, the unspoiled nature of amateur expressiveness, amateur art as the saving grace of society, and amateur art as an instrument of social cohesion.

The history of amateur art in Noord-Brabant
Cultural historian Cees Slegers summarises the history of amateur art in the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant since 1850. Amateur art experienced decline in the 1960s and 1970s, but has since recovered in Noord-Brabant. Amateur music exhibited a growing diversity, which largely emerged beyond the confines of the traditional music club framework. Noord-Brabant presents an interesting case: due to its geographic location, its initially disadvantaged status and its predominantly Catholic background, the province displays cultural and historical similarities to Flanders.

Comparing participation figures and practitioner profiles
John Lievens (Ghent University) and Wim Knulst compare participation figures for five types of amateur arts in Flanders and the Netherlands. They also research whether practitioner profiles differ greatly in age, gender and educational background.

Amateur artists and age
Knulst researches the correlations between amateur arts and age in the fourth article. His most important conclusion is that young people aged 16 to 25 give it up more often than they used to. At the same time, children do start exploring amateur arts more often at a younger age.

A profession in the arts: motivation
The final article is based on interviews that publicist Bea Ros conducted with artists and musicians. They show that schooling, income and talent alone do not determine whether a person will choose a profession in the arts. Single-minded enthusiasm, personality, local environment and stage of life are also important factors.
Dutch overview