Contribute to the future of opera & ballet

Culture inspires, moves, and brings people together. That's why at Dutch National Opera & Ballet, it is our mission to engage as many people as possible and take them along on a journey into new worlds filled with singing, dancing, stage design and costumes. To enable this – for you and for others – we need your support.

What we can do with your support

Only with your help can we continue to create art at the highest level, encourage young talent, and enrich the lives of as many people as possible with the magic and beauty of opera and ballet. Contributing is very straightforward and can be done in a way that suits your personal preferences. You decide whether your support benefits Dutch National Opera & Ballet as a whole or, alternatively, one of the companies that holds a special place in your heart: Dutch National Opera or Dutch National Ballet.

As a donor, you contribute to the following goals:

New Productions

Contribute to entirely new opera and ballet productions and world premieres. From existing classics in a fresh staging to entirely new operas and ballets. Both on the main stage and in our intimate venue, Studio Boekman.

New Productions

At Dutch National Opera & Ballet, everything revolves around creation! It's the reason for our existence, the heartbeat of our organization, and the driving force behind the passion of all our teams. Both Dutch National Opera and Dutch National Ballet regularly embark on creating new works. In doing so, we inspire our audiences and our creators, both established and new talent, while keeping the opera and ballet tradition current and vibrant.

The creative process ensures that we can maintain and expand all our artistic and technical skills. It is the absolute core of how we train artists and pass on knowledge.

Creating new work is also crucial to retaining our audiences and reaching new visitors. We aim to continue enchanting our audience with both classics and modern pieces that reflect today's questions. Creating new work is an indispensable element in building the repertoire of tomorrow.

Thanks to the support of donors, we can realize the costumes and sets for next seasons’ opera Peter Grimes and the ballet Lady Macbeth.

Talent Development

Talent development is crucial for the future of our art forms. The Dutch National Opera Studio and the Junior Company provide young singers, dancers, and creators with a significant platform at the beginning of their careers.

Talent Development

Talent Development is of vital importance for Dutch National Opera & Ballet and the future of our art forms. The Dutch National Opera Studio and the Junior Company provide young singers, dancers, and creators with a crucial stepping stone at the beginning of their careers. Your support is essential for the continuation of these internationally renowned training programs, helping emerging talents to develop further.

Dutch National Opera Studio
Since its establishment in 2018, the Dutch National Opera Studio has evolved into one of the most prestigious programs for young talent in the opera world. Over this two-year trajectory, young singers and repetiteurs are being prepared for an international opera career. The Dutch National Opera Studio is under the artistic direction of the celebrated soprano Rosemary Joshua. With her extensive experience as a singer and vocal coach, she curates an internationally acclaimed program for Studio members, combining individual coaching, workshops, and masterclasses led by renowned directors and coaches with opportunities to gain experience within the professional environment of Dutch National Opera.

Junior Company
Every year, young ballet dancers from around the world audition for a place in the Junior Company of Dutch National Ballet. The Junior Company bridges the gap between education and professional practice, offering young dance talent an excellent opportunity to prepare for a career with Dutch National Ballet or other internationally renowned ballet companies. In the 2023-2024 season, the group consisted of seventeen dancers. They follow a program that reflects the daily routine of an adult ballet company. Established in 2013 by Dutch National Ballet and the Dutch National Ballet Academy, the Junior Company is under the artistic direction of Ernst Meisner.

Education & Participation

We aim to enrich the lives of as many people as possible with opera and ballet. We organize educational matinees and other projects for schools, performances for refugees, and participation projects for young people with disabilities.

Education & Participation

Everything that Dutch National Opera & Ballet has to offer, we want to share with as many people as possible and pass on to the next generation.

Programs for Schools
To allow as many children and young people to experience the joy of dancing and singing, we aim to reach them through schools as well. With our special education offerings of performances, workshops and projects, we ensure that there is something for students of all school types and levels to enjoy. From inspiring encounters with the people in our workshops to creating their own performance in the classroom or on our stage!

School Matinees & Free Bus Transport
We also organize special educational matinees for schools: captivating operas and dance performances tailored for young ears and eyes. We want to enable as many children from across the country to attend our school performances. Therefore, schools can travel to our theatre for free by bus, thanks to the support of our partners and donors.

Participation Projects
In order to engage the widest possible audience, we organize participation projects that improve the accessibility of our theatre and art forms for visitors and participants that might not join otherwise. Examples are our projects for status holders and young people with disabilities, or creating tools for visitors with a visual or hearing impairment to enjoy our performances.

How you can contribute

There are various ways to support us, and we would be happy to discuss with you which option suits you best. Whatever you choose, we will involve you in our world behind the scenes, through special activities and privileges. Explore our programs!

Become a Friend

From € 75 per year

Discover

Become a Patron

From € 1.500 per year

With a maximum tax benefit, your donation costs you a net amount of € 807 per year.

Discover

Become a Young Patron

For donors under 40

From € 500 per year

With a maximum tax benefit, your donation costs you a net amount of € 269 per year.

Discover

Sneeuwklokjes in Notenkraker & Muizenkoning

Photo: Angela Sterling

Tax Benefits

Your donation benefits the Dutch National Opera & Ballet Fund (Stichting Nationale Opera & Ballet Fonds). This foundation is a recognized cultural public benefit organization (ANBI) and is therefore exempt from gift and inheritance tax. Your donation to Dutch National Opera & Ballet may be eligible for increased tax deduction, making it cost you net less than you give.

Tax Benefits under Dutch tax law

Key facts:

Stichting Nationale Opera & Ballet Fonds has the cultural “ANBI status” (Public Benefit Organisation, PBO). This means that your donation is 125% deductible from your taxable income under Dutch tax law.
A maximum donation amount of € 5.000 in total per year applies. Anyone who donates more than € 5000 can deduct the remaining amount with the regular percentage (100%).
You can add the total of multiple donations to cultural institutions in the Netherlands.
Periodical donations established in a formal donation agreement provide the donor with additional tax advantages compared to one-time donations.
Even if you make a one-time donation, you can deduct the gift in the same year of your donation. However, a threshold of 1% and a maximum of 10% of the taxable income apply.
Periodic donations are specified in formal donation agreement for a period of at least 5 years, and may be deducted before income tax with a multiplier of 25%. No threshold applies.
Donations apply per calendar year.
Tax benefits depend on your personal situation. Here you can calculate what this might look like for you. For more questions about tax benefits in your specific situation, we advise you to consult your own tax advisor.
All mentioned percentages and rates are applicable under Dutch tax law for the year 2024.
As of October 4, 2022, there is a cap of € 250.000 for the gift deduction per calendar year per taxpayer and their fiscal partner combined.

International donations:

Europe-based donors can support Dutch National Opera & Ballet whilst benefiting directly from the tax advantages provided in the legislation of their respective country of residence thanks to the Transnational Giving Europe network. Discover the partner in your country or get in touch with us should you wish to receive further information.

Overview of possible tax benefits for periodic donations:

Your gift	Maximum Tax Benefit	Net cost of your gift
€ 500	€ 231	€ 269
€ 1.500	€ 693	€ 807
€ 2.500	€ 1.155	€ 1.345
€ 5.000	€ 2.311	€ 2.689
€ 12.500	€ 5.083	€ 7.417
€ 25.000	€ 9.705	€ 15.295

Due to current Dutch tax regulations, your donation may be eligible for an increased deduction with a multiplier of 25%. This enhancement has a maximum limit of € 1.250. The mentioned amounts are indicative. The actual cost of a donation depends on your personal situation. You can find more information here.

All support is welcome!

Every contribution is greatly appreciated! Do you prefer not to join one of our programs but would you rather make a one-time donation?

You can also transfer your gift to:

Stichting Nationale Opera & Ballet Fonds
IBAN NL20 ABNA 0540179523
Please specify whether your donation is intended for opera, ballet, or both art forms.

More possibilities

In addition to our donation programs, there are more ways to support Dutch National Opera & Ballet. For example, by establishing your own Named Fund (starting from € 10.000 per year) or by including us in your will. Would you like to personally discuss the possibilities for support? Schedule a meeting with one of our relationship managers, and we would be delighted to welcome you for a conversation and a behind-the-scenes tour!