The Hague City Council has approved the new creative incubator policy for the period 2025-2030. With this policy document, the city is committed to providing affordable workspaces for artists and creative entrepreneurs. It also highlights the important role of creative incubators in the development of neighborhoods and districts.

The municipality currently owns approximately 47,000m² of creative incubator locations. However, even in The Hague, this space is under pressure. By focusing on four key priorities, the municipality aims to preserve this space and prepare it for a sustainable future.

Key point 1: Optimizing supply and demand
Three key measures are in place to optimize the supply for artists:

1- A more stringent inflow and outflow policy;
2- Better insight into supply and demand;
3- Mapping and connecting supply and demand for workspace through the Makelpunt (Makelpunt).

Key point 2: Integrated Portfolio Management
The municipality wants to better align both its own and external real estate with creative incubators. This requires:

1- Better internal coordination within the municipality regarding which functions are suitable for the available real estate locations in the city;
2- More intensive collaboration with real estate companies outside the municipality;
3- Creative incubators are structurally incorporated into area development;
4- Maintain affordable rents, possibly linked to a social contribution.

Key point 3: Strengthening the Creative Incubator Climate
This priority focuses on the self-organization, professionalization, and sustainability of creative incubators.

1- Stimulate self-managing creative incubators with sound management and programming;
2- Explore how creative incubators can acquire or strengthen ownership;
3- Promote professionalization, talent development, and cultural entrepreneurship;
4- Support networking and visibility through networking events.

Key Point 4: Visibility in the City
The Hague wants to position and highlight the creative sector for this key point. It will do so through the following actions:

1- Establish a creative sector alliance, comprising property owners, representatives of creative incubators, creators, and STROOM;
2- Develop an events strategy;
3- Targeted external and internal communication.

Want to learn more about the Municipality of The Hague’s new creative incubator policy? Read the memorandum here: Creative Incubator Policy Memorandum 2025-2030.

Source: https://creatievehubs.nl/nieuws/den-haag-heeft-nieuw-broedplaatsenbeleid/