Director of Cas di Cultura, Vicky Arens, together with Mezzo
Soprano and Nos Teater Korsou’s founder, mrs. Tania Kross (Curaçao) and director of
Terramar Museum and president of Aliansa Kultural Boneiro mrs. Jude Finies (Bonaire),
launched the Aliansa Kultural Korsou Foundation, a historic moment for the cultural sectors of
Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. This alliance unites artists and cultural institutions with the goal of
strengthening and professionalizing the Arts, Culture, and Media sectors.
AKK is committed to fundraising, developing cultural programs, and organizing events that
spotlight young talent. Together with Cas di Cultura Aruba and Aliansa Kultural Boneiru, we are
joining forces to promote cultural exchange and collaboration among the islands and with the
Netherlands.
Through the collaboration of the ABC islands’ cultural alliance, we aim to strengthen our cultural
heritage of significance to the Kingdom of the Netherlands – despite constitutional and
bureaucratic obstacles.
This new initiative, Aliansa Kultural ABC, has been founded by artists, creative professionals,
and cultural organizations within the sector. “Aliansa Kultural Boneiru was established in 2023
by ten local organizations and received a startup grant of 25,000 euros from the Ministry of BZK,
with the goal of professionalizing and initiating conversations within the community about
awareness of the history of slavery. Throughout 2024, these organizations met regularly to
shape the organization, realizing that to achieve our fundamental and structural goals, we must
work alongside our sister islands. We share our heritage and expertise within the Kingdom, and
by working together, we are stronger in tackling each island’s challenges while ensuring
collective success. Our first conversation with Tania Kross, president of Nos Teatro Kòrsou,
made it clear that we needed to unite. Tania involved Vicky Arens, director of Cas di Cultura
Aruba, who had already approached Tania back in 2022 to collaborate. We don’t believe in
coincidence but in the importance of cultural and knowledge exchange for the entire Kingdom,
which has been neglected for far too long.” – Jude Finies, Aliansa Kultural Boneiru.
Public investment in cultural infrastructure, for example, Cas di Cultura in Aruba, currently the
only theater on our islands, and for cultural heritage, independent research, and investment in
investigative and reliable journalism, is as important as citizenship formation and strengthening
our social sector. These are indisputable foundations for citizens to stay well informed, and
become assertive, and are among the most important foundations for a democratic rule of law.
Across the Isles Boneiro Foundation will represent the ABC Alliance so that, as united islands,
we can sit at the table with The Hague and dialogue about BIS (Basis Infrastructure),
Rijksfonden, Multiple Year Subsidie, etc. to get the equal treatment in the Kingdom and funds
that our islands deserve, to keep developing through art and culture, to mature as countries so
that our citizens can stand stronger in their shoes.
