Who we serve
Accountant for creative professions in Amsterdam
Finance People is an accountant for creatives in Amsterdam, and only for creatives. Since 2011 Michiel Terwindt has kept the books of freelancers and small business owners who make creative work: photographers, illustrators, musicians, filmmakers, writers and journalists, web designers, performers, architects and visual artists. Each of these professions deals with Dutch tax in its own way. A painter may sell at 9% VAT, a journalist may be exempt, a web designer charges 21%. Choose your profession below to see what that means for you.
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Finance People is fully booked for 2026. You can sign up for 2027 now.
Visual work
Accountant for photographers, illustrators and visual artists
Makers of images share one big VAT question: is this a work of art or a product? Visual art that the maker delivers personally, and that is unique or close to unique, falls under 9%; series and design fall under 21%.
Accountant pages for image makers
- Accountant for photographers: commissioned shoots, licences and print sales.
- Accountant for illustrators: commercial work, cartoons and original drawings.
- Bookkeeper for visual artists: art sales, galleries and art markets.
Sound and stage
Accountant for musicians and performers in Amsterdam
Musicians and performers live from gigs, productions and royalties. Buma/Stemra (the Dutch collecting society for composers and lyricists) and Sena (for performing artists) pay out amounts that, as a rule, carry no VAT but do count for income tax. Performing arts stay at the 9% rate in 2026.
Accountant pages for musicians, actors and dancers
- Accountant for musicians in Amsterdam: gigs, sessions, Buma/Stemra and Sena.
- Accountant for actors, dancers and theatre makers: engagements and your own productions.
Words and screens
Bookkeeping for writers, journalists, filmmakers and web designers
Writers and journalists can fall under a VAT exemption for certain author services, while commercial copywriting usually carries 21%. Filmmakers and web designers mostly work at 21%, with their own challenges: long projects, crew costs, software subscriptions and clients abroad.
Bookkeeping pages for words and screens
- Accountant for writers and journalists: exempt work, copywriting and royalties.
- Accountant for filmmakers and video makers: projects, advances and rentals.
- Accountant for web designers: projects, retainers and rebilled hosting.
Design and build
Accountant for architects and small studios
Independent architects and small studios work on projects that run for years, with fees per phase. The page for accountant for architects in Amsterdam explains how Michiel tracks each phase, and how he also supports larger firms as an interim finance consultant.
Services
What every creative client gets from their accountant
Whatever your profession, the core services are the same:
- complete bookkeeping for creative freelancers
- Dutch VAT returns per quarter or per month
- the annual income tax return for creatives
- annual accounts for small creative businesses
VAT rates, costs and royalties per profession
The difference lies in the details: which VAT rate, which costs, which royalties. That is where knowing the sector pays off.
Why creatives
Why one accountant chose the creative sector only
Michiel has worked in finance since 1999, in roles at ATC Corporate Services, Brunel, AON and TMF Netherlands, before starting Finance People in 2011. He chose to work only for the creative sector, because he knows it from the inside: he volunteers behind the bar at the Torpedo Theater, helps at NDSM Open and knows many artists from Kunstmarkt Noord. Read more about Michiel Terwindt, or see how he works with creatives across all Amsterdam districts.
The 2027 waitlist for creatives
Finance People is a one person firm and the client list for 2026 is full. If you would like to work with Michiel from 2027, join the waitlist for 2027. It is free and without obligation; Michiel contacts people in the order they signed up as soon as there is room.
Overview
All pages in this section
Accountant for architects and small architecture studios in Amsterdam
Accountant for architects in Amsterdam: fees per project phase, VAT at 21%, software and model costs, annual accounts…Accountant for filmmakers and video makers in Amsterdam
Accountant for filmmakers in Amsterdam: project budgets across year ends, crew and rental costs, VAT on video work…Accountant for illustrators in Amsterdam
Accountant for illustrators in Amsterdam: VAT on commissions, original drawings and cartoons, royalties and deductible costs, handled by…Accountant for musicians in Amsterdam at Finance People
Accountant for musicians in Amsterdam who understands Buma/Stemra and Sena payments, VAT on gigs and teaching, and irregular…Accountant for performers: actors, dancers and theatre makers in Amsterdam
Accountant for performers in Amsterdam: actors, dancers and theatre makers. VAT at 9% for performing arts, own productions,…Accountant for photographers in Amsterdam
Accountant for photographers in Amsterdam: bookkeeping, Dutch VAT (btw) on shoots, prints and licences, and your income tax…Accountant for visual artists in Amsterdam
Bookkeeper for artists in Amsterdam: 9% or 21% VAT on art sales, editions and commissions, studio costs, the…Accountant for web designers in Amsterdam
Accountant for web designers in Amsterdam: VAT on projects and retainers, rebilled hosting and software, the KOR and…Accountant for writers and journalists in Amsterdam
Accountant for writers and journalists in Amsterdam: the VAT exemption for authors, copywriting at 21%, book sales, deductible…
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked: accountant for creative professions in Amsterdam
Which creative professions does Finance People work for?
Finance People works for nine groups of creative professionals: photographers, illustrators, musicians, filmmakers, writers and journalists, web designers, performers (actors, dancers and theatre makers), architects and visual artists. All of them are freelancers or small business owners who make creative work. Each profession has its own page explaining the VAT and tax points that matter most.
Why does Finance People only work for creatives?
Finance People only works for creatives because the creative sector has tax questions that a general accountant rarely sees: art at 9% VAT, exempt author work, Buma/Stemra and Sena payments and income that arrives with fits and starts. By focusing on one sector, Michiel knows these rules from daily practice.
Can a creative with more than one profession work with Finance People?
A creative with more than one profession can work with Finance People, and many do: a photographer who sells art, a musician who acts, a writer who does copywriting. Michiel keeps the income streams apart in the bookkeeping, so each one gets the right VAT treatment.
Does Finance People only work for freelancers without staff?
Finance People works mainly for freelancers (in Dutch: zzp'ers) and small business owners in the creative sector. For larger organisations, Michiel is available as an interim finance consultant. Whether your situation fits is discussed in an introduction.
Is an accountant for creatives in Amsterdam available in English?
An accountant for creatives in Amsterdam who works in English is exactly what Finance People offers to international clients. Michiel explains Dutch terms such as btw (VAT), KOR (the small business scheme) and the urencriterium (hours criterion) in plain English.
Who will handle my bookkeeping at Finance People?
Michiel Terwindt handles your bookkeeping at Finance People himself, because he is the owner and only person in the business. There is no reception, no staff and no waiting room. You contact him directly by WhatsApp, phone or email, and he normally answers WhatsApp messages within an hour.
Can creatives become new clients of Finance People in 2026?
Creatives cannot become new clients of Finance People in 2026, because the client list for this year is full. You can sign up for the 2027 waitlist free and without obligation. Michiel contacts people in the order they signed up as soon as there is room.
What does Finance People charge creatives for bookkeeping?
Finance People charges creatives a tailored price for bookkeeping, agreed after an introduction. The amount depends on the volume of invoices, the number of income streams and the services you need. Often a fixed price per year or per month is agreed.
How long has Michiel worked with the creative sector?
Michiel has worked with the creative sector since he started Finance People in 2011, after a finance career that began in 1999. He also knows the sector as a volunteer at the Torpedo Theater and NDSM Open, and through the artists at Kunstmarkt Noord.
Does working with Finance People support good causes?
Working with Finance People supports good causes, because Michiel gives 10% of his turnover to local causes in Amsterdam, such as Serve the City Amsterdam. He gives another 10% according to the principles of effective altruism and sponsors an orphanage in Asia.
Working with Michiel in 2027?
Finance People works with a limited number of makers, so everyone gets Michiel himself on the line. Put your name on the waitlist and you will hear as soon as there is room.