The Creative Industry in The Netherlands

The Netherlands is the birthplace of some of the most influential artists of the last centuries. Historical artists like Rembrandt, Mondrian and Escher have obtained worldwide recognition for their priceless artworks. There has been a very vibrant artistic and creative community up until this day in the Netherlands, with Dutch cities serving as creative hubs where all forms of art and design can flourish. The Dutch are also well-known for their originality and entrepreneurial spirit, often resulting in unique crossovers between art forms and business sectors.

The Netherlands is ranked in the global top 10 regarding trade, brands and jobs. The Dutch advertising industry influences all other sectors, both nationally and internationally. The Netherlands houses more than 30 universities and other knowledge institutions that are solely focused on art and design, such as the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. These institutions are rather prestigious and require a lot of effort in order to even be admitted. This leads to a large amount of highly educated and skilled artists, designers and other creative professionals that can prove beneficial for your brand on all levels. Creativity is a welcome subject in the Netherlands, and due to the high demand for professionals, it is quite easy to set up a business in the Netherlands for yourself in the creative sector.

The fashion industry and major brands

One of the sectors the Dutch excel at is branding. Due to the strategic position of the country, it is very easy to serve customers all over Europe as well as globally. This makes the Netherlands an extremely attractive destination for many internationally well-known brands, such as Nike, Heineken and Adidas. You will find a vast array of potential big clients if your work is good enough. Amsterdam, in particular, houses some of the most cutting-edge branding agencies known in the world, such as Ridley Scott, Anomaly and 72andSunny. The crossover between creativity and business in the Netherlands is almost indistinguishable at times, due to the fact that these two have been seamlessly interwoven in the Dutch market.

Another trademark of Dutch inventiveness is the Dutch fashion industry. With a focused effort on sustainability and creativity, the Dutch have produced some unique designs in the world of fashion. This, in turn, attracted many internationally well-known existing brands, such as Patagonia, Michael Kors and Tommy Hilfiger, to the Netherlands. The above-mentioned knowledge institutions bring forth some of the most exceptional talents in the field; from designers to marketeers and creative directors. If you are interested in setting up a company is the fashion industry, the Netherlands will offer you many opportunities to solidify your business.

Media and broadcasters

Another globally known industry from the Netherlands is the media. Some of the biggest companies in the industry have branch offices here, such as Netflix, Disney and Discovery. Both Amsterdam and Hilversum are considered hubs for media and entertainment companies. Did you know that the Netherlands is the third-largest seller and exporter of worldwide TV formats, such as The Voice and Big Brother? The whole sector is overseen by the Dutch Media Authority, which is involved in overseeing the distribution and content of more than 500 TV programs. If you have always dreamed about a media company, the Netherlands might be an option for you.

Read more about the fastest growing industries in The Netherlads

Similar Posts:

• How to set up a business as a young entrepreneur
• Want to innovate in the green energy or clean tech sector? Start your business in the Netherlands
• Foreign multinational corporations & the Netherlands annual budget
• The Netherlands in favor of eliminating tax havens
• Tax treaty denounced between the Netherlands and Russia per January the 1st, 2022

Sources

• OECD - transfer pricing and international tax guidance
• Wet op de vennootschapsbelasting 1969 (wetten.overheid.nl)
• Officiele bekendmakingen - Dutch official government gazette
• European Commission - taxation and customs union
• PwC Netherlands - tax insights and publications
• Hoge Raad 2025, trademark rights and acquiescence (ECLI:NL:HR:2025:1549)
• Hoge Raad 2024, patent scope and equivalence (ECLI:NL:HR:2024:293)
• Auteurswet (wetten.overheid.nl)
• EY Netherlands - tax insights
• Court of Justice EU, Mitsubishi on trade mark rights and debranding (C-129/17)
• Belastingdienst - corporate income tax rates (19% up to EUR 200,000 and 25.8% above)