CULTURAL POLICIES IN TIMES OF CHANGE Findings of the survey in preparation for the Moscow Conference of Ministers of Culture MinConfCult (2013) 8 Processed by Péter Inkei, the Budapest Observatory The opinions expressed in this work are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Council of Europe.
CULTURAL POLICIES IN TIMES OF CHANGE Introduction In preparation for the Conference of Ministers responsible for Culture at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow on 15-16 April 2013 on the theme of "Governance of Culture Promoting Access to Culture" the Directorate General for Democracy of the Council of Europe sent out invitations to answer the four questions to 49 culture ministries. 23 online responses were received. From one country they came from two government bodies, and from Belgium the French and Flemish communities reported separately. (There was also an unidentified brief response.) In all, the survey conveyed the latest thinking on subjects to be discussed in Moscow from twenty Council of Europe member states 1. However, owing to the prevailing arrangements regarding cultural autonomy in Belgium, we shall refer to twenty-one responses. There are established ways of and instruments for producing a substantial mapping of the themes outlined in the four questions. A number of comparative studies 2 have addressed them, not to mention the comparative cultural policy portal 3 operated under the aegis of the Council of Europe. The main purpose and the real significance of the survey is to obtain timely snapshot pictures of the way culture ministries think about the most relevant topics on the agenda of the Moscow conference. Where are the main emphases and what are the latest developments? The lack of replies from a number of countries was counterbalanced by the substance of those received: the total text of all responses comprises nearly 28,000 words. As usual, the answers were very different in length, depth and relevance. The wording of the four questions allowed for certain overlaps and repetitions in the answers. This was most apparent in the responses to the first two questions, so they were combined into a single section when they were processed. Some minor logical re-grouping was also undertaken elsewhere. 1. Please briefly describe policies put in place or planned in your country enhancing democracy by promoting access to culture 2. Please, share one or two new initiatives promoting access to culture related to social challenges (aging societies, precarity of youth, mobility and migration) 3. How do you seize, in practical terms, the opportunities offered by the new digital technologies for enhancing access to and participation in culture? 4. In the current economic situation, what are your country s models of financing of and investing in culture? 1 Armenia, Austria, Belgium (Flemish and French communities), Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom. 2 http://ec.europa.eu/culture/our-policy-development/documents/121205-executive-summary-access_en.pdf 3 http://www.culturalpolicies.net/web/index.php, especially the opening study on The Effects of the Financial Crisis: Grim but not hopeless? 2
1+2. POLICIES ENHANCING DEMOCRACY BY PROMOTING ACCESS TO CULTURE, AND NEW INITIATIVES PROMOTING ACCESS TO CULTURE RELATED TO SOCIAL CHALLENGES General principles Reporting on policies for democracy inevitably results in the use of general concepts and principles. Diversity, equality, inclusion, cultural rights, freedom of expression and creativity were mentioned with the greatest frequency, while less common expressions were only used once or twice. Examples of the latter include human capital, tolerance, imagination, value judgments, democratic skills, the common good and bringing people together. The survey highlighted a number of concrete cultural activities to promote democracy: The New Culture public foundation in Croatia aims at helping Croatian civil society in a contemporary culture with a variety of measures. Also in Croatia, performing arts legislation underscores the importance of artistic activities in democratic development. Community development is the focus of the activities of local cultural centres in Hungary. Serbian cultural policies give priority to projects dealing with social issues such as the position of women, human rights, combating prejudices and stereotypes, intercultural dialogue, etc. The cultural sector works with government bodies in charge of addressing various social challenges in the UK, such as the regeneration of local communities, improving wellbeing and breaking cycles of offending behaviour. Improvements and reforms of the structures and mechanisms of the cultural sector can also contribute to the enhancing of democracy, and the survey has brought to light a number of such moves. New or modified laws specify the responsibilities and rights of various stakeholders (Armenia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia and Switzerland). Responses mention the expansion of opportunities for the involvement of civic partners, professional bodies or individual citizens in cultural policy decision-making and implementation processes. This was particularly emphasised in the responses from Armenia, Croatia, and Montenegro. In Serbia the competition principle has become the main cultural policy instrument. The UK s City of Culture scheme places great stress on support from local communities. In line with the EU s European Year of Active Citizenship, culture is employed in Slovakia to encourage people to become involved. In Flanders, citizens are encouraged to apply for membership of the boards of cultural organisations. In Croatia, civic actions have resulted in important changes in decision-making processes, leading to strong partnership between public and civic sectors. Exploratory research Without exception, respondents reported on efforts to increase access and participation. Three replies mentioned that policies were based on research studies on citizens cultural behaviour. So far, two cultural participation surveys (2004 and 2009) have been conducted in Flanders, thus allowing comparisons over time. The surveys investigate the most prominent barriers to and attitudes on participation and examine the cultural supply. Research also reveals participation during an individual s lifetime and provides an economic analysis of the use of culture. In the Wallonia- Brussels Federation, a similar survey was undertaken in 2010. In 2011 and 2012, three national research projects were aimed at establishing the levels of cultural participation and needs of various social groups in Serbia: the elderly, the young and high school pupils. In Greece info-communication technology is used, among other things, to diagnose and meet the expectations and requirements of the academic and educational community as well as the general public. 3
Enhancing participation In Austria, enhancing cultural participation is an explicit aim of the 2008-2013 government programme, while in Flanders a special decree on the subject was issued in 2008. In Switzerland access and participation are linked to social integration. The issue is central to cultural policies, as the title of the Act on the Encouragement of Culture suggests. Nevertheless, it points out that almost half of the population in Switzerland fail to use cultural institutions. The Pro Helvetia Foundation plays a major role in promoting access to culture. Active participation (rather than mere access) is mentioned in the two responses from Belgium. The French-speaking communities highlight the role of local cultural centres, libraries and associations, while the Flemish strategy aims both at enlarging and deepening cultural participation it is thus a matter of both quality and quantity. People can also actively take part in culture, for example social-artistic projects, but also as personnel [...] people interact both with each other and with suppliers of leisure. The Flemish reply also mentions a number of initiatives. The Demos association supports organisations that do outreach work for the participation of minorities in culture, youth work and sports. Also in Flanders, The Red Anthracite organises sports and cultural activities in prisons, developing projects where civilians and prisoners are brought together in a cultural setting. General social challenges Cultural policies across Europe address a wide range of social challenges, the aim being either to reach people who are prevented from participating in culture for social reasons or to use culture in various ways to alleviate social problems. A variety of examples of these policy goals were provided in the survey. An Act passed in Slovakia in 2010 established a programme of grants to increase social inclusion culture for disadvantaged sections of the population which distributed over 300,000 in 2012. The scheme supports projects designed to satisfy the cultural needs of disadvantaged groups (people with disabilities, the elderly, disadvantaged groups of children and young people, the homeless, migrants, marginalised Roma communities, women at risk of poverty and social exclusion etc.). Greek cultural policies are similarly wide-ranging. Emphasis is laid on schoolchildren and students, underprivileged social groups, Roma, immigrants, people with disabilities and special needs, intercultural dialogue, etc. All organisations receiving funds and subsidies are advised and encouraged to include in their schedules events targeting young people, the unemployed, the elderly, immigrants and underprivileged social groups. The Lithuanian state agency Systems of Cultural Information offers IT training models to provide basic skills for members of social risk groups, such as visitors to day centres. Article 27, the Belgian (French community) association bearing the name of the relevant paragraph in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, carries out a complex programme to meet the cultural needs of persons in difficulty. Among other things, it arranges for cheap theatre tickets and for groups and individuals to be accompanied to events. The Uitpass is an advantage card issued by the Flemish Government and available to everyone participating in leisure activities, the aim being to stimulate interest in cultural events. By using the card whenever they take part in such activities participants can save up for gifts, discounts and other benefits. The card contains personalised information and allows individuals (e.g. those on lower incomes) to enjoy discounts in a discrete way in order to avoid stigmatisation. Ten years ago, Greece introduced a cultural card permitting and encouraging access to various cultural sites and events by sensitive social groups, such as the elderly, the unemployed, the disabled, drug addicts undergoing rehabilitation, etc. Entry to museums, sites and various cultural events as well as guided tours are free or at reduced prices. Admission charges are generally suspended from 1 November to 30 May and on public holidays. 4
A successful Greek initiative since 1999 is the art performances given at night every full moon in August at monuments and sites, thus connecting cultural heritage with civil society. The Greek National Opera organises free public performances in the city, the metro, suburban squares, etc., via the innovative Suitcase Opera Project. Children and young people in focus The great majority of measures target children and young people. The Croatian ministry has been supporting projects that foster the active participation of young people in local communities as well as in major cities and subsidises annual youth club programmes. With the Young Culture Liechtenstein promotional prize, innovative projects are supported in the principality. Free admission is a generally employed method to boost participation among young people. The United Kingdom began by granting children free admission to permanent collections in 1999 and gradually extended this to everyone in 2001, with a measurable positive impact on attendance. The Austrian culture ministry granted free admission to federal museums for young people under 19 from 2010 and has recorded a 15% increase in attendance in this age group. Following a pilot phase with a small number of museums and monuments in 2008, France introduced free admission for EU citizens under 26 years of age in 2009. The Estonian ministry places hopes in the free access to pieces of national literature in epub format, which especially benefits the younger generation. Culture ministries support programmes that address various social challenges for children and young people. One scheme targets unemployed, under-employed or self-employed young artists (under 36) by arranging for their works to be shown in galleries. Cirkusfera, a non-governmental organisation, provides an opportunity and space for young people s creative expressions in Serbia with the aim of preventing socially unacceptable or potentially delinquent behaviour. Another Serbian NGO, Grupa IDE, especially involves parentless children and young people in workshops, focusing among other things on graffiti and murals. The Macht schule theater initiative was launched in Austria in 2008 and combines power, school and theatre. The project aims to prevent a willingness to engage in violence by means of culture. With professional guidance, pupils put on performances on stage. In the 2011/12 school year, approximately 1,000 pupils from 63 schools collaborated with 26 theatres/groups and presented 163 performances that were seen by an audience of nearly 15,000. Drama education is also available in schools and at local cultural centres in Hungary. Various skills are nurtured, including almost all important civic skills. Some other programmes targeting children: Slovakia s Cultural Vouchers programme improves access to culture for pupils and teaching staff at the country s primary and secondary schools. A cultural school bag will be launched in Latvia in 2014 and enable schoolchildren to attend cultural events free of charge. Latvia s Children s Jury reading promotion programme has been in existence for a number of years. Among other things, 20,000 children from all over the country have the chance to read, evaluate, and express their opinions on the latest children s literature by Latvian and international authors. 5
Cultural education at schools The Swedish government focuses on school work in the field of culture. As of 2011, SEK 150 million per year is to be distributed for activities aimed at 1st to 9th grade pupils, the objective being to improve access to all cultural manifestations and create opportunities for children to develop their own creativity, based on the school curriculum. The Swedish curriculum for compulsory schooling states that pupils should, among other things, test and develop various forms of expression, such as drama, rhythm, dance and music, and creativity in art, writing and design. The aim of the Creative Schools initiative, in which virtually all municipalities in the country are involved, is to provide cultural and educational added value to schoolwork. The government s aim is for culture to have a more prominent role in society as a whole, and school is the obvious starting point for this. State grants help museums, libraries and archives to present their collections to school children living in poor towns and localities in Hungary. Partnerships between schools and cultural institutions promote cultural education in France, establishing art workshops and practices that involve artists as part of an important programme aimed at tackling the separation of school and culture and creating continuity in pupils lives. In Greece, a series of training seminars for primary and secondary school teachers is organised with a view to informing and inspiring teachers and encouraging them to use the cultural resources available in their teaching. Polish policies also target the building of cultural and artistic skills as well as the development of individual creativity in the context of the education system. In Austria, students at schools for apprentices are also provided with cultural education. Ageing culturally In addition to children and young people, the other specific age group mentioned is the elderly. They are reported to receive special attention in Poland and Sweden. The 60+ programme consists of several projects. Polish senior citizens were initially able to attend various events on specific days free or at a reduced price at 110 institutions. In 2012, a further 200 institutions joined the scheme, which has been expanded in scope and time and now covers the entire month of November each year. In the context of the EU s European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations, intergenerational conventions were held throughout 2012. The same EU year was marked by a unique production entitled 55+ by the Montazstroj Theatre in Croatia. This featured 44 people over the age of 55, each of whom was given as many seconds as their current age to relate the most memorable events of their life, thereby bringing into focus issues facing ageing societies. In 2011, the Swedish government launched a new initiative aimed at raising and deepening awareness of how culture can in the long term play a role for the benefit of the health of the elderly. The total amount available was SEK 232 million and the Swedish Arts Council received approximately 110 applications from municipalities and county councils as well as private health and elderly care services, and 24 applicants were granted funding for their projects. In 2012, the Arts Council received an additional SEK 10 million, including SEK 500,000 for follow-up work. Lithuanian libraries provide social support and consultative and psychological help for the elderly. The reading promotion programme (which officially ended in 2011) aimed at encouraging people of different ages and social groups to engage in reading. One of the initiatives in the regions is called A Book to Home and involves volunteers from the local community taking books to the homes of senior citizens. 6
In Cyprus, the cultural services have a number of schemes for the elderly, who are given free admission to museums and certain cultural activities and are charged reduced rates at key events. Cultural creators over 63 receive a monthly allowance if they are in financial need. In Hungary, local cultural centres organise programmes for pensioners, including projects aimed at improving the digital literacy of the older generation (for example, the Click on it, Granny! programme). Gender issues, the jobless and the disabled The position of women in society receives less attention than generation problems. The issue is mentioned among the social goals to be addressed by culture in the replies from Slovakia and Serbia. The responses mention cases of focused cultural assistance for specific social groups, one of them being the unemployed. Despite being one of the most acute European problems, there is little reference to it in the replies. Latvian libraries offer consultative and psychological help for the unemployed, Slovenian efforts target young people without jobs in the cultural sector, while in Estonia individuals out of work are offered temporary jobs on the national film data base currently being set up. Involving people with various kinds of disabilities is an on-going task for the cultural sector in every country in Europe. In addition to general pledges to the cause in a number of replies, a few specific cases were also mentioned. The NTGent theatre (in Ghent, Flanders) hosted a public panel of disadvantaged people who presented awards for best performance, theatre instructor, reception, etc. In addition, creative art productions were made with a mix of people with and without disabilities. BFEH, the Swiss federal bureau for the equality of people with disabilities, carries out a wide range of activities aimed at encouraging the participation of disabled people in cultural life. In the United Kingdom, the Department for Culture and the Wolfson Foundation jointly support projects that improve the quality of displays, public spaces, collection interpretation and disabled access in museums and galleries across England. Concerning the visually impaired, there is now a permanent exhibition for such persons in Slovakia, and a library for the blind in the town of Levoča. Cultural minorities The social challenges that beset refugees, migrants and traditional (autochthonous) minorities to a large extent are of a cultural nature. This is also reflected in our survey, which lists examples of how cultural policies deal with the issue. In Flanders, the socio-artistic organisation Globe Aroma reaches out to people excluded from social life for various reasons. It provides a studio for refugee artists and brings them into contact with other artists and cultural organisations, as a result of which they are able to build a network. The Belgian-French Reciprocities programme supports the cultural activities of migrants associations. It foster opportunities for intercultural dialogue and promotes the inclusion of migrants in the fabric of society. Although few in numbers, migrants in Hungary are included among cultural policy objectives in two areas: facilitating integration and acquainting the migrants cultures with that of the majority society. Nevertheless, in east-central Europe the Roma are the biggest social challenge. In addition to sporadic mentions in a number of responses, the Bulgarian National Framework Programme on Equal Integration of Roma is introduced in detail, including aspects of 7
direct cultural relevance such as the protection of the ethnic specificity and culture of Bulgarian Roma and the presence of Roma in the national media. Furthermore, the Roma Cultural and Information Centre, the Roma Musical Theatre, festivals and projects of various cultural groups receive financial support. Another important minority culture in Bulgaria is that of the Turks, for whom state cultural institutes were set up in 2003: the Kadrie Lyatifova Institute in Kurdjali and the Nazim Hikmet Institute in Razgrad. Social mission of libraries Finally, here is a particularly warm remark about the role of libraries with regard to the response of culture to social challenges. A study produced in Latvia in 2011 shows that 83% of the population think that libraries are extremely important in the development of society. 74% state that a library is the only place of culture and information accessible free of charge. Almost half of the population (47%) consider libraries the core of local society. 60% see libraries as a wonderful place to spend one s free time. Indeed, the 873 libraries in local municipalities have become important centres of social integration during the last few years and are instrumental in accessing culture. Visitors can, among other things, watch digitised films free of charge. 3. OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY THE NEW DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR ENHANCING ACCESS TO AND PARTICIPATION IN CULTURE Benefits and concerns Apart from particular beneficiaries, it is society at large that gains most from digital advances in the cultural sphere, as was explicitly acknowledged in a few responses. New technologies equip users to become active citizens rather than consumers, according to the respondent from Croatia. The Bulgarian ministry is involved in the Information Society for All programme by networking regional and municipal libraries with the aim of building a civil society and democratic thinking through culture. New (digital) media are expected to foster cultural democratisation and the broadest possible access to culture in Serbia. On the other side of the coin are threats to society: market-based and for-profit activities may tighten control over knowledge and information (Croatia), and the large digital players might jeopardise artistic creation and its financing mechanisms (France). Other comments welcome the new opportunities offered to culture by the new context: facilitating intercultural communication and creating resources to which everyone can contribute and exchange ideas (Croatia); methods of creation and digital distribution thanks to the digital revolution affecting the relationship between creators, users and service providers (France); the provision of aggregated information about events, institutions and individuals; funding opportunities, on-going projects and much more; digital channels stimulate cultural co-operation and enhance cultural production (Slovenia); projects implemented by cultural professionals who use the digital media as an integral part of their artistic ideas (Serbia). New cultural management The new digital technologies are primarily used for upgrading the management of culture, which was emphasised in the responses from Armenia, the French community in Belgium, Latvia, Serbia and the UK. In the latter, in addition to the Arts Council s switch to online operation at, other arm s length bodies use online platforms to share digital successes, data and best practices. A report entitled Digital Giving in the Arts Democratising Philanthropy sets out recommendations for cultural organisations to boost fundraising by engaging audiences through new technology. Among other things, the Department for Culture is invited to 8
simplify digital giving systems across the culture sector, extend its digital research and development fund, introduce online matching schemes to incentivise charities to pursue donations, and create a more joined-up, cohesive policy on philanthropy. The report recommends that cultural organisations in the UK should develop a digital audience engagement strategy, recruit trustees with digital and fundraising skills and encourage interdisciplinary co-operation on digital strategies. In Poland, the main emphasis is on collecting and displaying evidence, and the response indicates how data are being gathered on culture, including households. Libraries provide data in considerable detail, for example about electronic inventories, loans, interactive communication, e-learning courses and chats as well as access to broadband internet. The Hellenic Archaeological Cadastre will create the basic infrastructure and common platform for the management of all geospatial data and information relating to cultural heritage. It will also create an accurate geo-referenced register of all the country s cultural sites and immovable monuments. The National Archive of Monuments is the unified inventory of Greek cultural heritage with several hundred thousand new entries for movable monuments, many of which are being catalogued for the first time. The UiTdatabank is an online database for the collection and dissemination of information on cultural and leisure activities throughout Flanders and Brussels. Some 75,000 events are registered annually. The system is accessible to all cultural organisations via a one-stop system. Over 240 online, print and mobile dissemination channels are already linked to it. Theatres and museums make use of the new technologies by switching to on-line ticket sales (Poland, Slovakia). In Montenegro, the objectives include establishing an electronic register of cultural property items. Changing libraries According to many comments provided for the survey, the main beneficiaries of the digital revolution are libraries. In Armenia and Montenegro, work has started on a combined electronic catalogue program. In Hungary, the next task is extending interlibrary loans to digital items. As a result of the development of the integrated nationwide online Library Information System ( Lightnet ), all libraries in Latvia are equipped with computers and have free internet use, which opens up access to cultural information on the web. Lithuanian libraries (together with museums) are involved in a programme for the development of a Virtual Library Information System, which is funded by EU structural funds. In Lithuania, the Libraries for Innovation programme co-financed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provided public internet access to twice as many village libraries in 2012 than in 2008. A nationwide programme to upgrade Bulgarian libraries is supported by a USD 15 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The programme is designed to facilitate access to information, knowledge, communication, e-content and community services through the public library network. The UNDP will act as the programme implementing agency. The total programme budget is USD 50 million, which includes the foundation grant, an estimated USD 6 million software donation from Microsoft Corp., and a matching contribution of USD 29 million from central and local government agencies. The Glob@l Libraries - Bulgaria Programme will ensure free information and communications technology (ICT) equipment and internet use for the public in 900 public libraries in towns and villages across the country and will also endeavour to mobilise resources for ICT equipment for 700 more libraries. Approximately 3,000 library workers from 1,600+ libraries will be trained in IT skills, the provision of modern library services and library management. Another programme of similar dimensions, a follow-up to the 1997-2000 project, has been established by the Ministry of Culture and the UNDP. The Dutch Government's Matra Programme and USAID is also involved. This project is designed to increase the public role of the chitalishta (community centres) as traditional cultural and educational centres in Bulgaria and to offer effective models for their modernisation and participation in local community life. Three hundred chitalishta are permanent partners of the project and another 600 are involved in a broader range of activities. There are 25 internet centres in chitalishta located in smaller population centres, and these offer computer literacy courses and help to overcome the problem of information inequality among 9
the inhabitants of Bulgaria. 11 regional, 16 municipal and 40 large chitalishte libraries will also be networked. Access to the network will enable interactive communication with other libraries, museums, art galleries and media. In Hungary, too, access to digital technologies is provided both in libraries and cultural centres, offering users an ever-growing number of documents in electronic format. Thus, even in smaller towns and villages it is possible for local residents to have access to cultural content irrespective of the territorial level. Digitisation programmes Digitising cultural heritage and contemporary productions is the focus of attention of culture ministries. On the most general level, the arm s length agency English Heritage pursues an overall digital fluency approach. Creating legal, organisational and technological conditions is on the agenda in Poland, while the Slovenian response comments on the vagueness and lack of technical and other common standards at the European level. The Flemish government recently decided to create the Flemish Institute for Digital Archiving and Unlocking the Audiovisual Heritage (VIAA), to be located in Ghent. It will foster the conservation of the digital and audiovisual heritage (for example the archives of the public broadcasting company) by establishing standards and through co-ordinated efforts. In Hungary, MaNDA, a central institution in charge of the digitisation of cultural goods, has been set up. A secretariat to co-ordinate the digitisation of the cultural heritage has been established in Sweden. Housed at the National Archives, its role is to support the institutions by providing general advice on priorities with regard to digitisation. The question of copyright will be an additional challenge. Copyright is also a concern in Switzerland, where an intergovernmental team has been set up to consider the issue. In France, too, intellectual and artistic property is the focus of thinking of the Culture Act II mission. The EU-funded Greek programme embraces the creation, enrichment, preservation, management, promotion and dissemination of digital cultural content via the internet (by means of dedicated cultural portals, web services, mobile device applications and integration within unified metadata repositories and digital libraries), with special emphasis on final delivery to audiences of various ages, educational levels and social, ethnic or other origins, as well as professionals and the markets. In addition to the heritage sector, organisations devoted to contemporary culture have digitised their collections in Greece and created electronic archives for music, theatre, radio and television programmes, etc. Digitisation is also being promoted in Armenia and has been making progress among public cultural institutions in Serbia as well as, to a somewhat lesser degree, civil society organisations. There is also a national digitisation strategy in Sweden, involving the 24 government agencies and institutions. The Estonian ministry has launched an ambitious plan to digitise the bulk of its cultural heritage by 2018. The digitisation of the audiovisual heritage by the Slovak Film Institute has been underway for some time and is currently being pursued with increased intensity thanks to financing from EU structural funds. In Lithuania, digitising the Roman Catholic Church records is on the current agenda. Digital display Arranging for proper public display is the crux of cultural digitisation. In Austria, the efit21 Digital Agenda provides the framework for the digital upgrading of education and culture. Austria's cultural heritage is to be presented in an up-to-date way regardless of location and conveyed and preserved for future generations. The Kulturpool already provides central access to digitised cultural heritage resources in museums, libraries and archives, and in 2013 the monument information system (DEMIS) will also be developed. 10
General cultural portals exist in Cyprus, Serbia and Slovenia. The Latvian digital culture map is a publicly available cultural information database and compiles national cultural statistics and information on cultural processes and institutions, including the material condition of cultural infrastructure. In the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, a web TV channel that will present the cultural products of the French community is being developed. The presentation of heritage dominates the relevant operations across Europe. State museums and major sites are currently developing or upgrading their own portals in Greece, and a number of specialised new cultural and educational portals with varied thematic content have recently been established, such as state museum exhibits categorised by type, historical period etc. In Montenegro, the 3D visualisation of cultural property and the development of audio guides in several languages are on the agenda. In Estonia, the emphasis is on digitising literature classics. The intangible cultural heritage database provides an overview of the immaterial cultural heritage in Flanders. In Lithuania, an EU-financed 36-month project to put Lithuanian documentaries on the internet (e-cinema) is near completion. The Virtual Electronic Heritage System (VEPS), created as part of the strategy for digitising the Lithuanian cultural heritage and for digital content preservation and access, already holds an enormous number of digital items. An electronic encyclopaedia of traditional folk culture in Slovakia is being prepared by the country s Co-ordination Centre for Traditional Folk Culture. Several EU member countries (Austria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary and Latvia) underlined the significance of Europeana, the common cultural heritage portal, and wrote about their commitment and contribution. Digital education Schools are an important environment for digital advances in the field of culture, as emphasised in the replies from Bulgaria and Latvia. The latter mentions new training models to provide basic skills for social risk groups such as children in orphanages. The Austrian government has launched several projects, for example the promotion of co-operation between museums and schools and the award of an annual media literacy prize. Via a screen in their classroom, Flemish pupils can see an expert (e.g. an expert in the restoration of ancient paintings) at work and can ask him or her live questions. Interactive lessons in this virtual expert scheme are exciting and motivating. Special needs and methods employed The response from Wallonia emphasises that new technologies are also being exploited to compensate for the deficiencies of disabled persons that hinder their full participation in cultural life. New devices can help in teaching, for example in the case of illiterate migrants who also have limited language skills. In Slovenia, an electronic grant application form is being prepared for blind applicants for cultural grants. According to the reply from Flanders, museums, which have a long-standing tradition of public participation, have proved to be the perfect partner for a crowd-sourcing-project, which is still largely an uncharted area. The public was offered the opportunity to tag the pictures online, thus helping the museum to gather metadata and describe the material available. Digitising cinemas Information about digitising cinemas was provided by several countries. In Hungary, the network of art cinemas will go through the process in 2013. In Slovakia, the strategy aims to digitise 70 of the 103 single-screen cinemas by 2014. 11
This is also a pressing need in Sweden, where the government is contributing SEK 60 million in 2011 2013 to help cinema owners undertake the transformation. The Swedish Film Institute is responsible for administering the funding scheme. Funding is primarily aimed at cinemas located in small or medium-sized municipalities. It is also intended for cinemas in larger municipalities showing a complementary repertoire of quality films and films from a large number of language areas. In both cases, aid can only be granted to cinemas deemed too small to be financially able to digitise on their own. Digitisation is also affecting the programming of cinemas by cutting the cost of producing and transporting film copies. This provides an opportunity for small municipalities to show new films and productions that attract a broad audience at the same time as they are screened in larger cities. A small cinema can gain a new audience and a broader repertoire and enjoy better economic conditions. Digital technology also facilitates making films accessible to people with various disabilities. At the end of 2012, 615 out of 830 cinemas were digitised. The British Film Institute focuses on the film heritage. From 2013, 3m a year will be made available to archives and rights-holders across the UK to make the country s entire screen heritage digitally accessible. 10,000 films will then be available across a range of digital platforms. 4. MODELS OF FINANCING AND INVESTING IN CULTURE IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC SITUATION Before going into details, it is necessary to make a general observation. Despite considerable differences (which include a few happy cases where culture has not suffered from the economic crisis), the prospects of public finances are grim across Europe. The media are full of articles about a fundamental overhaul of values, priorities, habits and institutions, but the majority of the responses to this survey do not indicate a keen search for new policy directions and do not suggest we are living in times of paradigm change. Even the few indications of emergency cuts quoted below are seen as a matter of course. It is true that government administrations do not typically go out of their way to complain or call for changes (a survey of cultural operators or journalists would produce a different result), but one might expect a little more reflection on the adversities that the old continent has been facing in the past few years. Structures for financing culture With regard to the structure of financial sources, only three countries make brief reference to what citizens spend on culture, but without indicating any trends. Sweden is the most specific, giving the amount spent by households as 38.5 billion kronor out of the total of 63 billion in 2011. Slovenia mentions a market model and the UK the proportion of earned income. The British are the only ones on this occasion to cite another dimension of the cultural funding equation, namely what the sector offers society in money terms: music and the visual and performing arts contribute over 4 billion to the economy. A sign of the times is the reference to investments made into creative industries contained in the responses from Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia and Flanders, the latter mentioning a special kind of venture capital fund known as CultuurInvest. Lithuania is unusual in that it mentions in its response the need to invest in cultural aid outside the country. It finances about 150 cultural projects in Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, etc. Composition of resources and trends Eight respondents reported clear decreases in financing. Some are really striking (although they do not refer to exactly the same time frame). The 72% cut in grants for cultural projects in Latvia was the worst, but the budget of the Greek ministry responsible for cultural projects has been reduced by 50% since 2009. The 30% drop in the UK or the 30-35% reduction in the general cultural budget in Cyprus have been little better. In three countries, however, net increases have taken place: in Austria, Sweden and, especially, Poland, where there was a sharp rise from 2011 to 2012. Some respondents wrote about partial efforts, such as the restoration of share of the National Lottery 12
allocated to culture from 16% to 20% with the rise in lottery income. France pointed to significant increases in spending on culture by the local and regional authorities, although elsewhere there is concern about austerity in municipal cultural budgets. The fourth question refers to models in the current economic situation but few responses mentioned new approaches or schemes adapted to the conditions of these difficult times. In the area of the general financing of culture, however, efforts to boost sponsorship were mentioned with the greatest frequency, although more than one response warned about treating it as an alternative (instead of a modest supplementary) source. Sweden provided a figure: sponsorship accounts for 1.1% of society s expenditure on culture. Without providing any figures, a further decrease in cultural sponsorship in 2012 was reported by Greece. Several countries emphasised revenues from companies, although the wording rarely implied a distinction between sponsorship as a marketing tool and simple philanthropy. In Poland, both were included ( a system of earmarked funds and tax incentives for sponsors and donors has been developed ), while the Austrian wording was ambiguous ( from the top 500 companies 43% engage in arts sponsoring ). The French statutory arrangements dating from 2003 appear to be limited to sponsorship. What the Greek Stavros Niarchos Foundation has offered must clearly be categorised as philanthropy (despite any tax benefits involved): funding the construction of a large cultural complex which, among other things, will house the new national library and the new opera. A champion of alternative sources for financing culture, the United Kingdom reported various measures that result in as much as an additional 600 million altogether. Cultural operations are being funded (!) in their efforts to increase their fund-raising capability. The government continues to provide incentives for charitable giving to culture and promote so-called match funding schemes, and 30 million is being invested in a programme to encourage cultural bodies to establish endowments that will provide a longterm annual income through interest. The French and Slovak responses refer to revenues from high technology sectors in or beside the cultural sector. In France, this has an impact on digitisation activities, in Slovakia the Audiovisual Fund. In Wallonia (the French community in Belgium), co-operation with other public sectors, such as education and the social services, may result in additional resources. Involving volunteers and extending fiscal exemptions to the rehabilitation of privately owned listed buildings and monuments were mentioned in the Hungarian and Croatian replies. The role of the EU funds was mentioned in the responses from seven countries, six of which are new member states in east-central Europe. The role that this source of funding plays is emphasised, especially investment and reconstruction from the Structural Funds. Latvia cites other EU programmes as well as money from the Nordic Council, and Estonia mentions the trading of pollution quotas, which is an unusual source of cultural funding. Being a candidate country, Montenegro receives little EU money, but international donors have recently intensified activities with regard to financing cultural heritage projects there, too. Besides recording and appreciating them, there is, however, no indication of how these external sources fit into the country s cultural financing model, with particular reference to the crisis (as required by the survey). The seventh country that mentions EU funding is Greece, where more than 560 cultural projects, worth around 700 million euros, are currently underway. Projects in the creative industries are also included, as are some festivals and cultural events. On-going decentralisation One aspect where responses reflect a continuing shift is the increasing importance of municipalities and regions in the public financing of culture, still often referred to as decentralisation. Between two thirds and three quarters of public cultural spending is carried out at local administrative levels. France, Poland, Serbia and Slovakia felt it important to underline this general trend, while specific examples were also cited: 13
the new Estonian programme "Theatre to the Regions", which funds performances in all parts of the country, the emerging network of Integrated Community and Service Spaces in Hungary, offering library and infocommunication services as well as cultural programmes in around 500 villages, upgrading the functions of local cultural centres in Poland, adding the development of contemporary culture and the shaping of open, innovative and creative attitudes to the conventional role of preserving local traditions, the Museum on Wheels and Library on Wheels programmes in Armenian villages, and the selection of the UK City of Culture, the focus of national attention in 2013 being Londonderry. Mechanisms implemented The question suggests that models of financing culture reflect the impact of the current economic malaise. Several responses described mechanisms being implemented and point to new features (although hardly ever linking them explicitly to the crisis). The Armenian response states that culture is a prerequisite for sustainable development in the long-term strategic development plan 2012-2015 (without going into specifics). Lithuania is undergoing structural changes and establishing bodies for financing projects on a competitive basis: the Film Centre and the Council of Culture. Slovakia has also set up long-term financing instruments. Both in Lithuania and Latvia, investments are managed by the relevant state agency or programme. The Polish ministry has moved away from direct management and financing, except for a few selected institutions and programmes. Measures taken in Greece and Serbia best reflect the crisis situation. The Greek ministry has set up an online register of cultural organisations and requires all activities subsidised by the state in the field of contemporary culture to be registered and a complete and open account of spending to be given in order for them to receive funds. In Serbia, too, the ministry is improving its mechanisms for supervising the use of grants. Moreover, reconstruction projects with a longer-term impact enjoy priority over short-term projects (but this is not good news for the aforementioned cultural activities). The responses from Slovenia and the two Belgian communities emphasise features that reflect concern about the fair use of public resources. Considerable care is taken about the quality of the projects supported and their meeting the relevant criteria. In Flanders, the administration refrains from pre-setting priorities and responds to the demands of the sector. 14