ICO Partner in Kunst & Cultuur

What ICO Partner in Kunst & Cultuur does

ICO Partner in Kunst & Cultuur is a Dutch non-profit foundation (stichting) established in 2005 and headquartered in Assen, Drenthe, Netherlands. The organization traces its origin to 1926, when Daniël Ruyneman founded the Asser Muziekschool; over time it expanded from regional music instruction into visual arts and dramatic education (renamed Instituut voor Creatieve Ontwikkeling in 1969, and later Centrum voor Kunst & Cultuur), and following a 2010-2014 restructuring it transformed into an advisory, network, and project organization that no longer delivers direct lessons. In 2021 it rebranded to its current name to reflect the partner-and-advisor operating model, and in 2022 it entered an administrative merger with Stichting Kunst & Cultuur and CultuurKlik to form Cultuurzaam.

Its core offering is a portfolio of interconnected cultural education and participation programs for the Drenthe region. School-facing products include Cultuurmenu (primary-school arts curriculum in Assen, Tynaarlo, and Aa en Hunze), Muziekakkoord Drenthe, Leerlijn Kunst mediawijsheid for vmbo, the Film-maak-set iPad lending program, the Moviemakers film project, ICC-netwerk for internal culture coordinators, and the Invalpool substitute art-teacher pool. Youth-facing offerings include Digital Art Factory (DAF) maker spaces in Assen, Gieten, and Appingedam for ages 10-25, Kunstbende Drenthe (regional coordinator since 2005 for the national talent program ages 13-19), Welcome to the Playground festival, and Symfonica in D. Coordination products include Compenta (Drenthe lead for the national Cultuureducatie met Kwaliteit program) and Drents Netwerk Jonge Kind (DNJK) for pedagogical professionals working with children ages 2-7.

The business model is grant- and subsidy-funded rather than commercial. Revenue is assembled from project-based grants (Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie, VSB Fonds, Cultuurfonds, Elja Foundation), provincial support (Provincie Drenthe), municipal contracts (Aa en Hunze, Assen, Tynaarlo, Midden-Drenthe, Noordenveld, within a 14-municipality network dating to 1995), and program-specific national funding routed through Compenta. Customers are public-sector and educational rather than commercial: schools, municipalities, and youth participants in Drenthe. The organization operates without disclosed revenue, no equity funding, and no parent company; governance is provided by a Raad van Toezicht (supervisory board). It is not a technology vendor — it does not develop proprietary software, models, or platforms — but a coordination and program-delivery layer for cultural education in the province.

Name

ICO Partner in Kunst & Cultuur

Legal name

ICO Centrum voor Kunst & Cultuur

Website

https://methetico.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ICO Partner in Kunst & Cultuur is a Drenthe-based non-profit foundation that advises schools and municipalities, coordinates cultural education programs (Cultuurmenu, Muziekakkoord, Compenta), and runs youth maker spaces and festivals (Digital Art Factory, Kunstbende Drenthe, Welcome to the Playground).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Education and Participation Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Partnerships for Equity, Inclusion & Gender (EDADALAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Access & EdTech for Equity (Low-cost Learning, Skills Platforms) (BPAGALAH)

Keywords

• Cultural education services
• Arts curriculum development
• Youth talent programs
• Teacher professional development
• Cultural project coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Assen, Drenthe

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ICO Partner in Kunst & Cultuur is an advisory, network, and project organization that provides cultural education, arts participation, and youth talent-development services across Drenthe, Netherlands. It supports schools, municipalities, teachers, and young people through curricula, professional networks, maker spaces, teacher staffing, equipment lending, events, and regional program coordination.

Product overview

ICO Partner in Kunst & Cultuur is a network and project organization providing cultural education and participation services in Drenthe, Netherlands. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs including: cultural education programs for primary and secondary schools (Cultuurmenu, Muziekakkoord Drenthe, Compenta, ICC-netwerk); youth talent development initiatives (Kunstbende Drenthe, Digital Art Factory, Welcome to the Playground); music programs (Symfonica in D, De invalpool); film education (Film-maak-set lending, Moviemakers, Filmfeest); and professional networks (Drents Netwerk Jonge Kind). These programs serve schools, municipalities, and youth across the Drenthe province, connecting cultural institutions, teachers, and young people through collaborative projects and events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Digital Art Factory (DAF): Creative maker space for youth aged 10-25 where they can experiment, investigate, and create with modern creative techniques. Located in Assen, Gieten, and Appingedam.

Products and services

• Kunstbende Drenthe A regional talent-development program for young creative makers aged 13-19, providing workshops, coaching, masterclasses, a Drenthe preliminary round, and progression to national finals at venues including Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Mysteryland, and Oerol.
• Digital Art Factory (DAF) A creative maker space for young people aged 10-25 in Assen, Gieten, and Appingedam where they experiment, investigate, and create with modern creative techniques through independent or collaborative projects.
• Welcome to the Playground (WTTP) An annual youth cultural event featuring music performances, dance battles, and do-it-yourself creative activities through which young people across Drenthe can experience and participate in art and culture.
• Symfonica in D A provincial orchestra and choir day for children and young people aged 6-20 in Drenthe, where participants study and perform musical pieces together in a Drenthe theater.
• Het Cultuurmenu An arts and culture program for primary-school groups 1-8 in Assen, Tynaarlo, and Aa en Hunze that introduces visual arts, dance, media, theater, music, heritage, and literature.
• Film-maak-set (Film Making Kit) A free lending program that provides sets of up to 15 iPads equipped with film and animation applications including iMovie, CapCut, VLLO, FlipaClip, Tinkercad, GarageBand, Stop Motion Studio Pro, and Greenscreen by Do Ink to teachers for film education in primary and secondary schools.
• ICC-netwerk A professional network for Internal Culture Coordinators in Assen, Tynaarlo, Aa en Hunze, and CKC Midden-Drenthe that provides courses and coordinates professional-development networks meeting two to three times annually for knowledge sharing and inspiration.
• Muziekakkoord Drenthe A music-education initiative under the national Meer Muziek in de Klas Lokaal program that develops music projects and supports schools in Aa en Hunze, Assen, and Tynaarlo with program vision and implementation.
• Compenta A Drenthe foundation and lead organization for the national Cultuureducatie met Kwaliteit program that works with schools to improve the quality of cultural education through financial contributions and support.
• Drents Netwerk Jonge Kind (DNJK) An inspiration and knowledge platform for pedagogical professionals in Drenthe that supports the creative and sensory development of children aged 2-7 through inspiration sessions, courses, and team training.
• Krachtstof on Tour A traveling evening event series in Drenthe that explores silence and non-verbal expression in cultural education through performances and interactive sessions.
• Moviemakers A film-making project for primary-school groups 7-8 in which children create films from storyboard through final editing, culminating in an Oscars award ceremony for leading videos across several categories.
• De invalpool A pool of experienced, flexible arts teachers available to schools to provide lesson series for all grade levels linked to core subjects or school-wide themes.
• Leerlijn Kunst (Arts Curriculum) A media-literacy curriculum for vmbo secondary-school students, developed with Dr. Nassau College and Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie, that teaches students to navigate online media responsibly.

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Filmhub NoordcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021ICO is kernpartner (core partner) of Filmhub Noord, working together to strengthen filmeducatie (film education) in schools across Drenthe. ICO helps schools with media education and connects them with filmmakers from the region.
• HanzehogeschoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital Art Factory collaborates with Hanzehogeschool's minor program 'The Future of Technology & Society' from Creative Media & Game Technology. Students research future scenarios including future of education, with DAF representing the 'Future of Education' focus.
• Bevrijdingsfestival DrenthemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint organizer of Welcome to the Playground (WTTP) event for youth culture and arts participation, held during Bevrijdingsfestival Drenthe.
• Malu Dance CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Welcome to the Playground youth culture event, contributing dance programming.
• Kunstbende DrenthecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICO has been penvoerder (lead coordinator) of Kunstbende Drenthe since 2005. Kunstbende is the national talent development program for young creators aged 13-19 in arts, music, dance, theater, and more.
• Fonds voor CultuurparticipatiemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFunding partner for culture education projects including Kunstbende Drenthe and Leerlijn Kunst media literacy program.
• CompentacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICO works within Compenta, the Drenthe coordinator of the national Cultuureducatie met Kwaliteit (CMK) program. Partners include Stichting Kunst & Cultuur, Facet, and CultuurKlik working together on culture education quality in schools.
• Stichting Kunst & CultuurcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural foundation partner in multiple initiatives including Compenta CMK coordination and Symfonica in D provincial orchestra day.
• FacetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Compenta organization and co-organizer of Symfonica in D provincial music and choir day for children and youth.
• CultuurKlikcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Compenta and co-organizer of Symfonica in D. In 2022, ICO, K&C and CultuurKlik bundled strengths in bestuurlijke fusie creating Cultuurzaam.
• CultuurzaamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2022, ICO, K&C and CultuurKlik merged administratively to form Cultuurzaam, combining their forces for culture education in Drenthe.
• Drents Netwerk Jonge Kind (DNJK)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDNJK is an initiative of ICO together with Stichting Kunst & Cultuur, Facet, and CultuurKlik. It is the inspiration and knowledge platform for pedagogical professionals working with children ages 2-7 in Drenthe.
• Provincie DrenthecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvincial government partner in Muziekakkoord Drenthe, supporting better music education in primary schools and childcare across the province.
• Stichting PrimAHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSamenwerkingspartner (cooperation partner) in the Invalpool art teacher pool program.
• Plateau Openbaar OnderwijsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSamenwerkingspartner in the Invalpool art teacher pool program.
• Kits PrimairminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSamenwerkingspartner in the Invalpool art teacher pool program.
• Top DrentheminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSamenwerkingspartner in the Invalpool art teacher pool program.
• North Art LabelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Welcome to the Playground youth culture event.
• Popspot DrentheminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Welcome to the Playground youth culture event.
• Back2thestreetsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Welcome to the Playground youth culture event.
• Municipalities (Aa en Hunze, Assen, Tynaarlo, Midden-Drenthe, Noordenveld)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerWorking since 1995 with 14 Drentse gemeenten on 'bevordering van de kunstzinnige vorming van de bevolking'. Current work area includes Aa en Hunze, Assen, Tynaarlo, Midden-Drenthe and Noordenveld.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Holland Dance: National Dutch organisation promoting dance education, talent development, and audience participation across schools and communities. Comparable to ICO in coordinating arts-specific programs and youth-facing cultural participation in the Netherlands.
• Kunstbende: National Dutch talent-development programme for young creators aged 13-19 in arts, music, dance, and theatre. ICO is the regional Drenthe coordinator and 'penvoerder' for Kunstbende since 2005, making the two organisations direct partners and operational twins at different regional scales.

Others

• EYE Filmmuseum (Filmhub Noord): Amsterdam-based Dutch film museum and archive which, via Filmhub Noord and similar regional hubs, runs film-education programmes for primary and secondary schools. ICO acts as a core partner of Filmhub Noord to deliver film-literacy curricula in Drenthe, making it an adjacent enabler in the same ecosystem.
• Stichting CJP (Cultureel Jongeren Paspoort): Dutch nationwide platform offering discounted cultural access (concerts, festivals, museums, workshops) to young people up to age 30. CJP and ICO both work to drive cultural participation among Dutch youth, with overlapping audiences in events such as Welcome to the Playground and Symfonica in D.

Broad incumbents

• LKCA (Landelijk Kennisinstituut Cultuureducatie en Amateurkunst): Dutch national knowledge institute for cultural education and amateur art, supporting municipalities, schools, and cultural organisations. It operates as the national umbrella on quality of cultural education (CMK), overlapping with ICO's Compenta CMK coordination role in Drenthe.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxqM3xgW7y6JBhJ5ZtJQlQA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ico-partner-in-kunst-en-cultuur

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ICO Partner in Kunst & Cultuur