About the Project

At We Don't Care Foundation, our mission revolves around empowering creativity and talent development among young individuals in Rotterdam and beyond. Our innovative project TD-01 uniquely bridges the worlds of young audiovisual specialists and emerging clothing brands. This specialized development program fosters collaborative growth through storytelling, branding, and tangible product creation.

TD-01 provides participants with comprehensive hands-on experience, merging digital media and physical craftsmanship. Participants will enhance their skills, produce real-world products, and develop compelling audiovisual narratives, while simultaneously building professional portfolios and networks.

Unique Collaborative Approach

TD-01 distinguishes itself by focusing specifically on small, carefully selected groups. Three dedicated coaches will each mentor two young talents, providing highly personalized support. Crucially, our approach is cross-disciplinary, meaning that coaches and participants collaborate across streams:

• Clothing Brand Stream: Under dedicated mentorship, participants develop original clothing designs and products. These items will be featured prominently during our community events, including Give Back events and expos, offering immediate exposure and practical experience.

• Audiovisual Specialist Stream: Participants here receive mentorship from two coaches with complementary audiovisual expertise. They will work on creating promotional campaigns, aftermovies, and live VJ and LED-screen performances at our events. Their creative process and output will frequently involve collaboration and direction from the clothing brand coach, ensuring cohesive storytelling and branding.

Current Status

Despite our initial setback—after the Municipality of Rotterdam declined to fund TD-01, we remain committed to realizing this impactful program. Most of the participating young talents have already been selected through our informal networks, and we continue to see strong enthusiasm from both the audiovisual and fashion communities we're connected to.

Since late 2023, we've been attempting to connect with Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie to restructure the project under their "Groups of Talents" scheme. However, due to their updated policy and limited availability, it has been extremely difficult to establish contact, the earliest meeting we were able to schedule is in early July 2025. While we understand their capacity challenges, this slow process has been discouraging and has forced us to re-evaluate our approach.

This period of waiting has led us to consider an alternative route: first strengthening our foundation's internal structure and formalizing our methods. There are currently new funding opportunities open at FCP that focus on developing organizational capacity and methodology, which could, in turn, create a stronger foundation for larger talent development programs like TD-01.

We will keep our partners informed if we decide to temporarily pause this project to prioritize organizational growth, and we'll communicate any shifts in focus clearly as they unfold.

What Do We Still Need?

• Strategic Decision: We are currently weighing whether to proceed directly with a project-based application or first apply for organizational development funding through FCP.
• Stakeholder Feedback: Depending on our July meeting with FCP, we will reassess how to best structure TD-01 in alignment with their updated guidelines.
• Long-Term Funding Plan: We're identifying additional funding sources and structural partners who can help us make TD-01 more resilient and future-proof.

Interested in Joining or Supporting Us?

Are you a potential partner, organization, or professional interested in supporting TD-01? Your contribution can significantly impact the creative futures of our talented youth. Please contact us at info@wedontcarefoundation.com with the subject line "TD-01".

At We Don't Care Foundation, we are dedicated to building meaningful opportunities and empowering young creatives to confidently pursue their passions and careers.