Policies for Culture news

The report of the Policies for Culture workshop on cultural policy research
The report of the international workshop "Cultural policy research in the countries of South East Europe: setbacks and prospects" (held in Belgrade on October 2-3, 2004) is now available. You may consult it in pdf format HERE. The report is also available in html format in the last issue of
InSIGHT 3, which also features an extensive article written by Colin Mercer: "From Data to Wisdom: building the knowledge base for cultural policy".
For more details write to info@policiesforculture.org.

Action project update: ARCult: Development of the online legal database "Legal framework for culture in Romania" (Bucharest, Romania)
Developed in the framework of ARCult (Romanian Cultural Agency), Legal Framework for Culture in Romania is an online database aimed at facilitating the fast and free access to and the consultation of the legal acts relevant for the cultural field, as well as the consultation of explanatory legal guides for specific key areas. The database has been recently updated to include newly adopted legislation as well as new legal guides for specific fields. All legal acts are posted in Romanian only, whereas the explanatory guides are available in Romanian and will also be soon available, in a shorter version, in English.
For more details contact the ECUMEST Association at ecumest@ecumest.ro or visit the database HERE.

 On the agenda

Cultural Policy Education Group holds Kick Off Meeting in Amsterdam
The CPEG initiative of the European Cultural Foundation recently held the first meeting of its current member universities. Academics, experts and university staff from Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia and the UK discussed the current situation of academic cultural policy education in CEE and possible actions to be taken in the field. The strong interdisciplinary orientation of cultural policy studies, its relations with cultural management education as well as urgent needs to base the development of teaching capacities in the field on solid cultural policy research and an inquiry of local needs were recurrent subjects of discussion during the meeting. The following concrete directions for action in 2005 were proposed: identification of a virtual 'standard model' for cultural policy education and review of subjects taught in existing courses; setting up a bibliographical list on core literature for cultural policy teaching; Setting up a list of existing professors and their fields of competence; identify CEE universities willing to become 'laboratories' of cultural policy curriculum development initiatives; organise a larger symposium on cultural policy research and education; launching the CPEG Mobility Scheme for guest lecturing, curriculum development and fact-finding missions.
For more details write to cpeg@policiesforculture.org or visit CPEG webpage.

The conclusions of the Berlin Conference on European Cultural Policy
The Berlin Conference - A Soul for Europe - (26-27 November) by bringing together the political, cultural and administrative leaders of Europe, has initiated a process for placing sustainable cultural growth at the heart of the European project: ‘a structural element of our unity’, in the words of Commission President Barroso. ‘In the hierarchy of values,’ he said, ‘the cultural ones range above the economic ones.’ He noted, ‘the timing of this conference is perfect…. The questions of what Europe can do for culture, and what culture can do for Europe, are not new. But in this context they have aquired a new sense of urgency’. The Berlin Process sets out to change the political paradigm so that Europe comes to reflect this hierarchy in its actions as well as its aspirations. Mechanisms will be set in place to monitor and report on the progress of the European institutions and Member States in implementing concrete initiatives and in investing significantly in the European cultural space. In this process the still-not-EU member countries from South East Europe will have a role to play, following the pre-conference intiatives of which the Policies for Culture e-bulletin has informed about, as well as the participation to the conference of policy-makers, as well as young cultural operators coming from the region. Among them many members of the Policies for Culture network in the region, including Oana Radu, the programme regional coordinator, who gave a concluding statement in Berlin. For more details visit www.berlinerkonferenz.net and consult the conference documents HERE.

The results of the Forum Amsterdam - European Identities
Forum Amsterdam is a new initiative of Felix Meritis and partners that will be held in Amsterdam every autumn. The first Forum Amsterdam: European Identities (29 November), is a follow-up initiative of the Berlin Conference 'A Soul for Europe'. The issue of European Identities in all its facets and implications constituted the core of the extremely diversified programme of the Forum Amsterdam on 29 November. The crucial question of how to involve the European citizens in the construction of the Future Europe project through transnational cultural, educational and economic co-operation and partnership has been also a main focus. Further the Forum Amsterdam brought to the podium 10 decision makers of tomorrow from all corners of Europe (in a wide sense) to present their vision on the Future Europe.
The results and the recommentations of the Forum Amsterdam are available on the European Cultural Foundation website HERE. For more details visit also www.felix.meritis.nl.

Defining the way ahead for European cultural policy
Ministers of Culture, Education, Youth and Sport from across Europe gathered from 9 to 10 December 2004 at the Ossolinski National Institute in Wroclaw, Poland, to launch the celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the Council of Europe’s European Cultural Convention. Participants at the conference analysed 50 years of achievements and discussed future co-operation. The conference concluded with the adoption of a ''Wroclaw Declaration'', suggesting the main lines of action for future Council of Europe-led collaboration in these areas.
For more details contact Andrew Cutting, press officer, at andrew.cutting@coe.int or visit the Council of Europe website.

EU Enlargement News: Accession schedule agreed for Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania
Bulgaria and Romania are on track to sign their accession treaties in April or May 2005, while Croatia may open accession negotiations in March, according to an agreement reached by EU foreign ministers on 13 December. For both Bucharest and Sofia, the EU accession process will contain special "safeguard clauses" designed to delay entry if they are considered unprepared to assume full membership as scheduled in January 2007. Romania must also speed up reforms in the fields of justice and competition. The launch of negotiations with Croatia is conditional on the country's "full co-operation" with the UN war crimes court at The Hague. However, the foreign ministers' draft statement, which is to be submitted to the upcoming EU summit for approval, reportedly omits the details of how Croatia's co-operation would be confirmed.
Source: EurActiv

 Upcoming Events

July 3–6, 2005: 8th International Conference on Arts and Cultural Management (Montreal, Canada)
The International Association of Arts and Cultural Management (AIMAC - an international network of researchers in arts and cultural management) will hold the 8th International Conference on Arts and Cultural Management at HEC Montreal, Canada, on July 3–6, 2005. AIMAC is an academic conference that will be of interest to researchers in the field of arts management, social scientists working on issues related to arts management, and anyone else concerned with addressing arts management problems from a scientific point of view.
For more details consult the webpage dedicated this event HERE.

October 26-29, 2005: Eighth Conference European Culture (Pamplona, Spain)
The Centre for European Studies of the University of Navarra is preparing the Eighth Conference European Culture, which will take place in the city of Pamplona, Spain, on 26-29 October 2005. It will deal with topics referring to Europe: "Encounters and Frontiers".
For more information and registration contact ebanus@unav.es or visit the conference webpage.

June 17-19, 2006: IFFACA Third World Summit on the Arts and Culture (Newcastle Gateshead, England)
This event organised by International Federation of Arts Councils and Agencies (IFFACA) will bring key people in cultural policy and in regional development from around the world to discuss the impact of various government and non-governmental agencies on cultural regeneration. The event will explore best practices and provide opportunities for delegates to create new connections and collaborations.
For more details visit the IFFACA website.

 Opportunities

EastWest Institute - Micro Project Launch Fund for SEE
Application deadlines: 2 January 2005; 1 March 2005
The mission of the EastWest Institute's Regional and Transfrontier Cooperation (RTFC) Program is to identify and actively to bridge emergent political, economic and socio-cultural dividing lines that threaten inter-state cooperation and sub-regional integration throughout Eurasia. Eligibility: NGOs, educational institutions, research institutes and associations registered at least one year, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Greece, Albania, Serbia, and Kosovo with a verifiable track history of positive action in trans-border relationship building, are welcome to apply for funding, as well as, organisations from Romania or Bulgaria, under the condition of regional partnerships. Thematic funding priorities include cultural development, infrastructure planning, NGO development. Grants will be awarded to support a partnership of organisations from more than one country in the target micro-region.
For more information write to rtfc-apply@ewi.info or visit www.ewi.info.

New EFC programme fosters good neighbourliness in enlarged Europe
A new European Foundation Centre programme, Good Neighbours, aims to promote the development of ethical, effective, accountable and transparent organised giving in the neighbouring countries of the enlarged EU. Through a series of policy and capacity-building projects, it seeks to assist independent donors in strengthening access to existing sources of EU funds, as well as in shaping the debate on the future allocation of resources. The programme will start with pilot initiatives on philanthropy development in four key regions: Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine; Russia; South East Europe; Turkey. The EFC has finalised a first draft of the Good Neighbours Programme, a new multi-year initiative aimed at fostering philanthropy in the neighbouring countries of the enlarged EU. The outline of the programme was prepared by the EU Enlargement Task Force and International Committee (IC) at the request of the EFC Governing Council during a meeting on May 31st in Athens, Greece.
For more information write to efc@efc.be or visit the EFC website.

Joint European Master in Comparative Local Development for the Balkans and Areas in Transformation at the University of Trento, Italy
Application deadline: 6 February 2005
The programme offers 18 months of training for a post-graduate Master’s degree. The focus of the programme is local development, with the following characteristics: public, private and non governmental agents are involved; social stability and economic prosperity are strengthened, in agreement with the acquis communautaire/standards in European/EC law. The general approach is comparative and interdisciplinary. The Master’s programme includes courses in economics, law, sociology and political sciences, project cycle management, workshops, skills training, internships, language courses, and distance learning. Most of the courses are taught at the University of Trento by professors of the University of Trento and partner Universities, and by international experts. Some courses are taught at one or more of the partner universities. Given the focus on local development, most of the internships and other activities will take place in local organisations located in Italy and in the countries of partner universities. A limited of scholarships are available for participants from the following SEE countries: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro. Additional grants may be available from other donors and for participants from other countries in transformation.
For more information and the application forms go HERE or contact Martina Cvajner, executive director of the programme, at martina.cvajner@unitn.it.

Law and Culture Fellowship. Center for the Study of Law and Culture, Columbia University 2005-2006
Application deadline: 14 February 2005
The Center for the Study of Law and Culture at Columbia University invites applications for residential fellowships for the 2005-2006 academic year to undertake research, writing and discussion in ways that span traditional academic disciplines. The CSLC welcomes scholars from
any field who are interested in spending the academic year in residence at Columbia Law School working on scholarly projects related to the CSLC's 2005-2006 theme: Recognition. The Law & Culture Fellowship is available to senior graduate students and post-doctoral candidates.
For more information write to culture@law.columbia.edu or visit the webpage of the center HERE.

UNESCO-Aschberg Bursaries for Artists Programme
Application deadlines: various
The UNESCO-Aschberg Bursaries for Artists programme was thus established in 1994 to open new career prospects to young artists and provide them with the possibility for further training in specialised institutions. Since its creation, the number of applications received and fellowships granted has increased regularly. Hundreds of young artists have already benefited from the programme. For 2005/2006, the program proposes 62 fellowships offered by 50 partner institutions in 30 countries. Bursaries are organised by art discipline. Each fellowship has a particular artistic focus, is open to artists from specific geographical areas only, there are different deadlines, some have age limits for applicants and some require certain languages.
For more details visit the UNESCO website.

Reminder: European Diploma in Cultural Project Management 2005/2006
Application deadline: 15 January 2005
The European Diploma in Cultural Project Management proposed by the Marcel Hicter Foundation is a training and learning experience fostering cultural diversity and interregional exchanges as a way of giving culture a stronger place within Europe. The main aims of this pan-European programme are to make participants aware of challenges within their field of action and influence and to develop approaches and tools needed for co-operative and creative cultural workforce in Europe. Each year, around 25 professionals from 20 countries take part in the European Diploma. Since 1989, 350 cultural managers from 41 countries followed this course. The programme is supported by the Council of Europe.
For more information visit www.fondation-hicter.org.

 Publications & Information Resources

Artists' Mobility Programs Report released by IFFACA
December 2004. IFACCA has recently released its research report on artists' international mobility programs. Researched and written by UK-based consultant, Judith Staines, with input from IETM, IFACCA and 25 respondents covering every continent, the 35-page report documents the many types of artists' mobility initiatives implemented around the world. It provides an analysis of these initiatives, including some general guidelines for good practice as well as information on definitions, evaluations and a detailed list of resources.
The report is available for consultation HERE.

The Illusion of Inclusion: Access by NGOs to the Structural Funds in the New Member States of Eastern and Central Europe
November 2004. A report by Brian Harvey published by ECAS (European Citizen Action Service). The author has produced a case study of how NGO's were, or rather were not consulted in the run-up to the enlargement of the structural funds to the new member states.
For more information and orders write to publication@ecas.org or visit www.ecas.org.

UNESCO reports on status of artists in 52 countries
November 2004. The UNESCO World Observatory on the Social Status of the Artist has published data on employment regimes, statutes, legislation and social benefit systems for artists in 52 different countries around the world. The information is presented so that direct comparisons can be made between provisions in different countries and should be a valuable tool for cultural policy researchers and advocacy groups seeking a global perspective on the living and working conditions of artists.
Visit UNESCO website for more details HERE.

Cultural Transitions in Southeastern Europe
November 2004. A special issue of Culturelink, edited by Nada Svob-Dokic, collecting the papers from the course "Managing Cultural Transitions: Southeastern Europe" (Dubrovnik, 9-16 May 2004). The key question for all the authors of the these papers and all the researchers looking into problems of cultural transitions in Southeastern Europe remains the one on how to make a difference and be recognized in cultural creativity, cultural industry and successful cultural policy making. This consideration unites the regional efforts and represents a basic standpoint to support regional cultural cooperation.
For more information write to clink@irmo.hr or visit www.culturelink.hr.

Sharing Cultures Conference Final Report
November 2004. The European Cultural Foundation has realised the report of the conference "Sharing Cultures: A Contribution to Cultural Policies for Europe". This paper, written by Therese Kaufmann, summarizes the reflection, discussion, policy and action proposals related to the conference that was held in the framework of the Dutch Presidency of the European Union.
The report is available for consultation HERE.

British Council 70th anniversary essays on cultural relations
2004, British Council & Counterpoint. A series of 10 booklets celebrating the British Council's 70th anniversary by examining some of the most critical issues for future of cultural relations. A wide range of thinkers, among whom Corina Suteu (with the essay "Born in Illyria... or how to build cultural co-operation with south-eastern Europe" published in the second issue - "Growing a bigger Europe") provides provocative and stimulating visions of the power and importance of cultural relations in the 21st century. They don't look for agreement; their aim is to encourage debate and cut new channels for dialogue.
For more information write to counterpoint@britiscouncil.org or visit www.britishcouncil.org & www.counterpoint-online.org.

Final Report on Eurocult 21 Project
November 2004. On October 6-7, 2004, Barcelona hosted the technical workshop on evaluation and urban cultural policy indicators for the Spanish State, as part of the Eurocult21 project. Organized by the Barcelona Institute of Culture (ICUB). More than 30 experts among them are members of the team of Interarts Foundation and leaders from different cultural department of different city and regions of Spanish were part of this event. The program subject focus on the diagnosis of the local cultural policy in Spain and the reflection on the evaluation of the territorial cultural policy. Consult the report HERE.

The Report of the 12th EFAH General Assembly
November 2004. The 2004 EFAH General Assembly in Lille attracted around 200 people from over 25 European countries. Within the context of an increased emphasis on a ‘Europe of Regions’ by the European Union and its many departments and agencies, the Assembly challenged participants to reflect on the roles and status of culture. Organised around keynote speeches and three workshop themes (Regions of the Mind, Regions of Policy and Regions of Practice), the conference made it possible for the delegates and EFAH members and staff to explore experiences and ideas from their different perspectives, countries and cultures.
Consult the full report on the EFAH website.

Regional Strategies. On Spatial Aspects of European Cultural Policy
October 2004. The European Institute for Progressive Cultural Policies (EIPCP ) has published a report entitled "Regional Strategies. On Spatial Aspects of European Cultural Policy”. The study was commissioned by the European Forum for the Arts and Heritage (EFAH) in the framework of its 2004 General Assembly, held under the motto "Moving Territories. Culture in a Europe of Regions". The study, which was carried out by Raimund Minichbauer, describes the logic of the instrumentalisation of art practices und cultural concepts in the regional context and outlines fields for possible counter-strategies.
The report is available for consultation HERE.

IFACCA: Support for Arts competitions
October 2004. IFACCA has released a summary of responses to the recent query from Ben Strout, Australia Council for the Arts, on arts agencies' support for externally managed arts competitions. The report contains information from nine countries about their arts agency's policies on externally managed competitions - whether agencies provide recurring support, one-off support, or exclude support altogether. This was a quick query that was used for reporting to the Australia Council's governing body, and reinforced the Council's policy of providing assistance to externally managed competitions on a case-by-case basis only.
The report is available HERE. IFFACA welcomes comments and new information added to the report at info@ifacca.org.

Regional development and cross-border cooperation in Southeastern Europe
2003. University of Thessaly Press, George Petrakos, Panagiotis Liargovas (eds). This volume brings together contributions of academics and researchers from Southeastern European countries dealing with the issue of regional development and cross-border cooperation.
For more information and orders write to biblia@drfourlas.de.