Abstract

Probably the most prevalent indicator of the financial performance of non profit arts organizations is their ability to attract private funding. Therefore, the Dutch government introduced the so-called ‘income standard’. In this contribution, we explore the income standard as a mechanism to leverage private support for the arts and discuss some of its implications. Not only may the income standard – which is based on a matching principle – be a precursor of a different mode of financing non-profits in Europe; it may also raise conflicts with other organizational and policy goals, and as such jeopardize the non-profit form of organizing the arts.