SOURCE: Curacao.nu
AMSTERDAM – The Fund for Special Journalistic Projects in the Netherlands (Fonds BJP) is investigating how it can better support journalists in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. Although applications from the region are received sporadically, the Fund has noticed that the existing regulations do not always meet local needs. There is also a lack of name recognition, according to a statement from the Fund.
To change this, a working trip to five Caribbean islands is planned. From 3 to 14 February, director Joëlle Terburg and programme maker Wensly Francisco will visit the islands of Curaçao, Bonaire, Aruba, Sint Maarten and Saba. During this trip, they want to learn more about the challenges in local journalism and hear what support journalists and makers need. They will also provide information about the possibilities that the BJP Fund offers, such as project financing and support in professional development.
Terburg emphasizes the importance of this working trip: “I look forward to the conversations on the islands. It is valuable to hear which journalistic ideas and plans are being worked on, and which challenges are at stake. We hope to inspire journalists and makers and to better tailor our offer to their needs.”
During the trip, public meetings will be held on each island where journalists, makers and interested parties are welcome. In addition, agreements will be made with specific media and organizations.
Dates and locations of the meetings:
- Curaçao: Monday February 3, 3:00 PM, The Triangle.
Contact: Michelanca Zuiverloon – [email protected] - Bonaire: Thursday February 6, 12:30 PM, Terramar Museum.
Contact: Jericette Moniz – [email protected] - Aruba: Monday February 10, 6:00 PM, Cas di Cultura.
Contact: Alice van Romondt – [email protected] - St. Maarten:Wednesday, February 12, 6:30 PM, R4CR.
Contact: Nelly Blaise – [email protected] - Saba: Friday, February 14, 5:30 p.m., Queen Wilhelmina Library.
Contact: Hazel Durand – [email protected]
Journalists who want more information or want to attend the meetings can contact the contact persons mentioned. The Fund emphasizes that this initiative is part of a broader research to sustainably support journalism on the islands.
Dutch Fund for In-Depth Journalism presents funding opportunities in the Dutch Caribbean
During a working visit, Fund representatives will meet with journalists and media makers, learn more about local journalism, and share information about the schemes run by the Fund
Press Release January 20, 2025 — The Dutch Fund for In-Depth Journalism (FBJP) is paying a working visit to the Dutch Caribbean in February, with the aim of meeting journalists and media makers in the Dutch Caribbean region. During this working trip, Joëlle Terburg, the managing director of FBJP, and programme and documentary maker Wensly Francisco hope to learn more about the specific needs of local journalists, and to highlight the opportunities that the Fund can offer local journalists and media professionals.
The FBJP is a Netherlands-based grant fund that supports journalists and media makers with project grants for larger-scale journalistic productions such as documentaries, online and offline reportage projects, podcasts and written work. The Fund also plays an important part in developing journalistic talent through work placements and scholarships for courses and trainings. Until now the Fund has focused its efforts mainly on the European Netherlands. The impetus for this working trip came from the backlog of applications from the Dutch Caribbean region and our desire to better tailor the scheme to the needs of local journalists.
‘We see there’s plenty of quality and talent on the islands,’ explains Joëlle Terburg about the reasons behind the trip, ‘but also that we may be able to find ways of improving the Fund’s support for those who are facing challenges that are specific to the region. The time has come for us to get closer and get talking with journalists and media makers to find out what they really need.’ The FBJP offers various forms of financial support. Alongside these forms of support, we offer an Investigative Journalism Traineeship and a Journalistic Development Scholarship for freelance and other journalists wishing to advance themselves. The Fund also arranges meetings to promote exchange and cooperation among journalists, and offers opportunities for experimentation with new forms of storytelling and publishing.
About the Dutch Fund for In-Depth Journalism
The Dutch Fund for In-Depth Journalism was founded in 1990 to support journalists. The Fund is financed through the culture and media budget of the Dutch Department for Education, Culture and Science (OCW). The objective of the Fund is to support the production of independent journalistic projects and to foster the development of journalists. The FBJP hopes to contribute to local journalism, and will therefore not be presenting itself on the working trip solely as a source of funding. For more information on existing schemes please visit www.fondsbjp.nl – the website is currently only available in Dutch. If you would like to make a personal appointment, or to attend the informative meetings/workshops, please contact the coordinator of the working visit.
