“Since the creative sector has come to be seen as an industry, there has been more unity and appreciation within the national government; we are an important sector at the table,” says Barbera Wolfensberger, former figurehead of the Top Sector Creative Industry and Director-General for Culture and Media at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. "The fact that we have a TKI CLICKNL is still a major advantage. There are standard-bearers, and there are also enthusiastic people in many places within the government who ensure that the programs continue to exist."

The Top Team is the key catalyst for the job I have now

A conversation at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in The Hague, just before Barbera Wolfensberger moves to a workplace in an adjacent building: on February 1, 2026, she will start as Director-General for Kingdom Relations at the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. “I am looking forward to the challenges, such as learning new things, the broad content, and the fact that we can make positive contributions to people in the Caribbean parts of the kingdom,” she says. Prior to this, she was chair of the Creative Industries Top Team (2014-2017) and is the only person in history to have become a member of the Top Team from the government; since 2017, she has been Director-General for Culture and Media at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. “The Top Team was an important catalyst for what I am doing now: for more than eight years, I had the most fantastic (and most exhausting) job in the world, in which I was able to make a difference in society.”

“Even though you speak on behalf of the minister as DG, you are also a kind of figurehead,” says Wolfensberger about that role. “Jann (de Waal, former figurehead with the Internationalization portfolio) and I were a cheerful duo in the Top Team: we worked hand in hand, he more from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and I from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Wherever we were during international missions, we tried to clearly express our mutually reinforcing points.”

Jann (de Waal) second from left, next to Barbera - photo Ben Houdijk

She quickly felt right at home. “I am very interested in governance issues and have a kind of umbrella-like role that clarifies everyone's role in the creative sector, from director-manager to Supervisory Board.” She tries to connect the ministries and spread the story of the creative industry within the national government. From the Top Team, she has contributed to building programs that would never have existed otherwise, such as PONT (The Public Design Practice). But a mission to Hong Kong Business of Design Week and the SXSW tech festival would probably not have happened without her either. “I will continue to proclaim the value of the creative industry and design research, but also more broadly, until the end of time. It works, but it remains vulnerable. You need permanent standard-bearers,” she believes.

Every year, a delegation travels to the SXSW tech festival to establish new international partnerships - photo Ben Houdijk

Get rid of the Calimero complex: the creative sector is an important, major player

A large number of important achievements can be attributed to the Top Team and CLICKNL. “Many people have worked hard to ensure that the creative sector is seen as the industry it actually is.” Wolfensberger was given the opportunity by several ministers at OCW to call for more attention to be paid to the creative industry. She sees a role for the private sector, which is able to support itself. “As a ministry, you can help it to grow and flourish and invest in expertise and skills.” In addition, subsidized institutions that have traditionally served parts of the industry, such as the Nieuwe Instituut, Dutch Design Foundation, and the Stimuleringsfonds, were examined. DDF and Dutch Design Week were subsequently transferred to the cultural infrastructure, so they no longer had to check every year whether they could continue for another year. “That is certainly an achievement,” she says. “And let's not forget that OCW has focused on knowledge development, with Paul Hekkert and Bart Ahsmann working hard on the KEM agenda. CLICKNL has grown the most in its role. The fact that we have a TKI CLICKNL is still a major advantage,” says Wolfensberger.

The fact that we have a TKI CLICKNL is still a major advantage.

“Before that, it was done through a number of smaller projects, for which we had to talk ourselves hoarse to convince people how important it is,” she says. "The distance between the government and society has been reduced by using design power to involve citizens in projects. That's how PONT was born. Many ministries are now making use of it. Both our new Secretary-General Loes Mulder and the Secretary-General of Economic Affairs Sandor Gaastra are fans and are promoting it everywhere. That's great."

Proud of CIIIC

Wolfensberger herself is particularly proud of the Creative Industries Immersive Impact Coalition (CIIIC) program, which aims to strengthen the industry in the field of Immersive Experiences (IX).This National Growth Fund program, with €200 million and 75 participants from the sector, has €275 million to spend over five years. The first calls from RVO and the Stimulation Fund have already been issued. "The Top Team wanted to play a pioneering role here. To do so, we need to develop and secure more knowledge, because our sector is dramatically lacking in the latter. In the OCW application to the National Growth Fund, we focused on developing knowledge, talent, curricula, training, and lifelong learning. We had to ensure that there were sufficient resources to create digital immersive content and also wanted to learn from other countries and raise our profile there."
The ministry wants everyone who submits an application and develops projects here to commit to social values.

Particularly proud of the National Growth Fund program CIIIC' - photo Ben Houdijk

Een ander interessant actieprogramma is Circulair Textiel met boegbeeld Borre Akkersdijk, dat de focus legt op duurzaam ontwerp in waardeketens en de circulaire economie. “Het is mooi dat drie ministeries - EZ, I&W en OCW - achter zo’n programma staan en veel bedrijven zich hebben aangesloten”, zegt Wolfensberger.

Keep the Ministry warm

Another interesting action program is Circular Textiles, spearheaded by Borre Akkersdijk, which focuses on sustainable design in value chains and the circular economy. “It's great that three ministries—EZ, I&W, and OCW—are backing such a program and that many companies have joined,” says Wolfensberger.

We need permanent standard bearers

In addition to her concern, there is above all a great deal of confidence: Wolfensberger is pleased that the Ministry of Economic Affairs, in consultation with the Top Team, has recently drawn up a sound sector plan for the creative industry, setting out opportunities and challenges. The Top Sector Approach and the Top Team have functioned well for fifteen years. “This now needs to be embedded in a different way, and that requires standard bearers. Fortunately, there are plenty of people eager to take on the work with enthusiasm. There are also people in many places within the government who are ensuring that the CLICKNL programs continue to exist,” says the DG.

Text: Viveka van de Vliet
Images: Ben Houdijk