ERNOP Online Series 2025-2026
The Art of Asking: Interaction and Reciprocity in the Cultural Sector
February 10, 2026, 10-11 (CET)
Speaker: Helleke van den Braber (Utrecht University)
About this seminar:
Philanthropy is always a delicate balance between values, needs, and control. In the cultural sector, this becomes especially visible: artists and organisations depend on donors for support, yet protecting their autonomy is an essential part of their creative identity. How do they navigate this balance?
In this ERNOP Science and Society webinar, Helleke van den Braber (Utrecht University) explores the art of asking — the strategies artists employ to ask private benefactors for support while still protecting their credibility and sense of artistic legitimacy. Drawing on insights from a three-year research project funded by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, she will share fourteen concrete factors that shape artists’ decisions to approach individual donors.
The session will address questions that extend beyond the arts: how to protect your core values without alienating your donors? How to manage their expectations? How to build long-term, well-balanced relationships? And what can these patronage dynamics teach us about balanced interaction and reciprocity in the wider philanthropic field?
In the discussion that follows – moderated by Matthew Ross (Deputy Director of Philanthropy at the Royal Academy of Music in London) – participants are invited to reflect on how these insights can inform communication with donors and inspire more meaningful, respectful relationships in cultural and other philanthropic contexts.
Register for the webinar here.
About Helleke van den Braber
Helleke van den Braber is Professor of Patronage Studies at Utrecht University. She specializes in patronage theory and the dynamics of (inter)national cultural networks. Her research spans historical and contemporary support in literature, theatre, and pop culture. She currently explores how pop musicians and their patrons navigate value, legitimacy, and credibility in today’s streaming-driven music landscape.
About the Chair of Patronage Studies, Utrecht University
Established in 2020 at Utrecht University, the Chair of Patronage Studies explores the dynamics between patrons and artists or cultural institutions. Drawing on cultural studies, history, policy, and sociology, it investigates how these relationships are shaped, perceived, and negotiated – examining motivations, reciprocity, cultural discourses, and the impact of patronage on artistic value, expression, and legitimacy.
About Matthew Ross
Matthew is Deputy Director of Philanthropy at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He works with philanthropists who make donations ranging from thousands to millions of pounds to support music and musicians, and co-leads the Academy’s fundraising strategy. The Academy launched its current fundraising campaign in 2022 with a goal of £60m, subsequently extended to £100m, and in December announced a transformational donation of £30m, the largest donation ever given to a conservatoire outside the USA.
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music has had an inestimable impact on musical life by training outstandingly talented musicians for over 200 years, and is recognised throughout the world as a leader in its field. From the outset, the Academy has been associated with some of the greatest names in music including Mendelssohn, Liszt and Henry Wood. More recent alumni include Jacob Collier, Lucy Crowe, Evelyn Glennie, Elton John, Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Simon Rattle.