 Between 1933 and 1937 he applied for and was one of the recipients of, the "Koninklijke Subsidie voor Vrije Schilderkunst", the Royal Subsidy for painting, awarded annually since 1871, to encourage young painters.Towards the end of his period at the Royal Academy the relationship with Opsomer deteriorated due to stylistic and personal disagreements and Van Dam returned to Amsterdam, resolved to prepare a submission for the ‘’Prix de Rome’’, an encouragement prize for young artists.He was awarded the silver medal for his entry, a painting of ‘’Hagar and Ishmael’’, in 1938.