Driving Dutch Design teams up with the Stokroos Foundation

For the catalyst programme Driving Dutch Design (DDD), Dutch Design Foundation (DDF) and its partners ABN AMRO and the Association of Dutch Designers (BNO) have teamed up with Stichting Stokroos (Stokroos Foundation). Through this collaboration, the foundation aims to contribute to the talent development of designers and also hopes to increase its outreach to designers.

The Stokroos Foundation strives for a society in which visual artists, designers and creators play a prominent role. As a stepping stone for promising talent, Stokroos wants to contribute to the development of this group of makers through a donation programme, a talent development programme with stipends, collaborations and the like. Therefore, supporting the DDD talent programme is a logical step.

Director Joost Vrieler: “We are looking forward to the cooperation with DDD because it brings together a number of our focal points. Talented designers get to develop both artistically and professionally, while we are working towards a good presentation at Dutch Design Week giving their visibility a major boost. The fact that they also build a solid professional network along the way is a big bonus. We are happy to add a new layer to the already successful cooperation of the initial partners.

Martijn Paulen, director of DDF, the organisation behind Dutch Design Week, is also enthusiastic: “The goal of the Stokroos Foundation fits our conviction that the importance of visionary and innovative designers cannot be overestimated and that we as a society cannot do without this guiding vanguard. The contribution of the Stokroos Foundation allows DDD to serve as a stepping stone for young talent and it ensures a basis for healthy creative enterprises.

The collaboration

Every year, DDD supports approximately 25 designers – the ‘Drivers’ – on their way to the world of creative entrepreneurship. We do so by means of, among other things, masterclasses and personal coaching by ABN AMRO coaches. The partnership with Stichting Stokroos will enable the professionalisation of the programme in all its dimensions.

This includes working on improving the content and structure of the programme itself, utilising the hybrid forms of learning that we have embraced during this pandemic.

In addition, together with alumni-Drivers, an initiative will be developed in the area of learning, networking and cooperation that can support the further professionalisation of both the Drivers and their creative network.

Also considered is a new approach to Bureau DDD, the temporary company from which the Drivers annually work on a presentation at Dutch Design Week (DDW). In this 2.0 version, there is room for the ambitions of the individual Drivers in their search for their desired DDW stage.

And, to top it all off, the collaboration contributes to the development of a new DDD website on which all profiles and initiatives of Bureau DDD can be found.

Madeleine van Lennep, director of the BNO, is delighted with this high level of substantive cooperation: “The Stokroos Foundation is much more than a welcome financier for us. Stokroos shows itself to be a true partner: because of the open dialogue about wishes and possibilities, the sincere interest and curiosity and the will to make a difference.”