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The Role of the European Community
Concerning the Cultural Article 151 in the Treaty of Amsterdam
Sustaining the Development of Intercultural Competence
within Europe
by Joost Smiers
Centre for Research, Utrecht School of the Arts, April 2002
What is so special about Joost Smiers' article that
it has been repeatedly quoted in several newsletters in the past
few months? Peter Inkei from the Budapest Observatory calls him
a 'dreamer' and speaks about Joost Smiers' courageous dreams about
arts and culture.
Culturelink would also like to draw the attention
of our members and readers to this interesting research paper entitled
The role of the European Community concerning
the cultural article 151 in the Treaty of Amsterdam with
the subtitle: Sustaining the development of
intercultural competence within Europe. As the author himself
says in the introduction "this essay is a set of proposals,
it is an invitation to lay the building blocks for a future book,
which describes how cultural policy could flourish in Europe thanks
to the marvellous complementarity of the efforts of local, regional
and national authorities, the co-operation of the member states
concerning cultural policies, and the active role of the Community
itself contributing to the flowering of the cultures of the member
states and taking cultural aspects into account in its actions in
order to respect and promote the diversity of its cultures".
In many respects, this article represents an innovation
in assessing the role of the European Community in the field of
cultural policy. Smiers analyses specific policies and sectors,
trying to assess the efficiency or lack of action in the cultural
field, what is even more important, he offers concrete suggestions
for improvements and innovative policies.
Smiers' paper starts with an introduction explaining
the content of Article 151, its evolution and the role it plays
in guiding Community actions in the field of culture. Joost Smiers
believes that this article is far richer than is usually thought
and that it offers numerous opportunities for actions to be undertaken
either by the Community or by the member states. When evaluating
specific policies, Smiers turns to many topics that have been long
debated in different European fora, but he brings his own input
providing both the analysis and recommendations for future actions.
He believes that the member states should be encouraged
to spend part of their subventions for culture on projects in which
artists co-operate Europe-wide. The cultural dimension is necessary
for achieving true European integration which will be meaningful
for its citizens. Smiers highlights the importance of culture in
the process of enlargement, which should be carried out so as to
respect both economic and social differences between the member
states and the accession countries. He calls for a serious evaluation
of the current situation and recommends that culture should be included
in different funds in order to help to overcome the existing discrepancies.
When speaking about cultural diversity, Joost Smiers
touches upon some of the most sensitive issues, such as the tendency
of a limited number of cultural conglomerates to dominate substantial
parts of cultural markets, thus affecting the distribution, promotion
and organisation of the reception of artistic creations. He questions
the role of the World Trade Organisation and refers to the concept
of cultural exception and the new international treaty on cultural
diversity. He also calls for the maintenance of linguistic diversity,
which of course requires substantial amounts of money and energy.
According to Smiers, it is worthwhile having one European Union
only if and when the diversity of languages is a living practice.
To illustrate his approach, he offers several suggestions, such
as to replace the dubbing of films with subtitling.
Smiers has a great deal to say about the cultural
industries. He believes that film distribution rather than production
is the main problem in Europe; he suggests revisions of the Directive
Television with Frontiers, and opens the debate about fixed book
prices and the effects of these measures on the book market.
In fact, it is hard to think of any segment of cultural
life that is not touched upon in this research paper. Although he
is analysing the situation in Europe, the way Smiers organises and
presents his research makes this text interesting not only for European
researchers, policy-makers and practitioners but also for those
living outside Europe. Therefore, we invite our members to read
this research paper and, of course, send their comments to Joost
Smiers, thus starting another debate about culture, its present
role and future destiny in our societies.
To read the text, please visit: http://www.hku.nl/pub/index.html
or contact: Prof. Dr. Joost Smiers, Centre for Research,
Utrecht School of the Arts, P.O.Box 1520, 3500 BM Utrecht, The Netherlands,
tel.: (31) 30-233 22 56; e-mail: joost.smiers@central.hku.nl
Bridging Arts and Business
in the Balkans
Most artists and artistic organizations in Eastern
Europe are victims of a popular and well-spread fallacy: that the
money they lost from subsidies because of the transition period
should be replaced by sponsors. When the latter fail to do so, the
blame is always put on defective legislation, which does not provide
for tax relief for sponsors, and on the sponsors that lack the understanding
of the artistic process.
What is most evident is that arts organizations lack
the necessary skills and knowledge to communicate with business
and to present their ideas and projects. Artists and arts organisations
need to understand the businessman's point of view when he decides
to sponsor an artistic project. On the other hand, it is also rather
evident that businesses know little about what is going on in the
world of art.
These were the initial facts that prompted the project
Bridging Arts and Business in the Balkans.
The idea behind the project is simple - to provide a meeting point
for local business and arts organizations, where they can learn
more about each other. Bridging Arts and Business in the Balkans
is a joint project of the Soros Center for the Arts - Sofia, Orbitel
Inc., and the Red House Centre for Culture and Debate. (See p.
7 in this issue.)
The main activities of the project are:
- Organizing seminars by local businesses for arts organizations;
- Creating a website for the promotion of the role of the arts
and business relationship for the development of a vibrant arts
and culture sector;
- Establishing a base for dialogue and exchange between professionals
and practitioners in the arts and business on specific issues
of sponsorship practice.
The pilot phase of the project was organized in Bulgaria
and was completed in April 2002. The project is to enter its second
phase of multiplication in the Balkan countries when partner organizations
are identified.
The partner organisation should undertake the following
activities:
- Maintain a website as a permanent link between the project
and the broader context of arts and business. The website should
contain news, information, resources and analyses in line with
the development of the project;
- Organize seminars for cultural practitioners and organizations
on topics such as sponsorship seeking, communication with businesses,
and related issues;
- Maintain an on-line support forum for arts practitioners
to meet with business people;
- Present the most successful examples of arts-business interaction
in the Best Practices Corner.
For more information about the project, please
contact: Krassimira Teneva, Outreach and Development Manager,
The Red House Centre for Culture and Debate, kteneva@redhouse-sofia.org
or Nikolay Neykov, Coordinator, Soros Centre for the Arts - Sofia,
neykov@abbulgaria.org
KulturKontakt Artists-in-Residence
In 2003 KulturKontakt will
carry on its well-established and successful artists-in-residence-programme
in fine arts and photography. This year KulturKontakt offers two
additional arts awards in cooperation with the company Henkel CEE.
For more information, please contact: brigitte.burgmann@kulturkontakt.or.at
Inventory of Key Terms in the
Current Debate on Cultural Policy in Europe
A new project by the European Forum for Arts and
Heritage
From now on you will find in each EFAH newsletter
one item of the 'Inventory of key terms in the current debate on
cultural policy in Europe', a brief discussion of a series of notions,
concepts and words that seem to play a significant role in the official
documents of the EU or in the discussion among operators in the
cultural field.
The inventory encompasses notions from various contexts,
from issues of identity and diversity to culture and trade, or the
development of relevant documents or names of agreements. Complex
philosophical concepts with cultural connotations are among the
entries, as well as much more technical terms. Instead of trying
to give comprehensive explanations or clear analyses, this project
is focused on one aspect of the debate, with the intention of reflecting
upon a few critical positions and ideas which should encourage some
further discussion.
So far, you can find descriptions of the following
terms:
- Culture 2000
- European Cultural Observatory
- Cultural Identity.
The inventory can be considered as research in progress,
as it was started earlier this year by Therese Kaufmann while she
was working for EFAH in Brussels. The inventory will now be completed
by her from Vienna and published step by step on EFAH's website.
The project was made possible with the support of the European Cultural
Foundation.
The definitions that will also be available in the
near future include the European Added Value, Cultural Policy at
the European Level, Europe as a 'Cultural Union', Cooperation and
Exchange, Stability Pact and Cultural Governance.
To read more about this project and EFAH's
other activities, please visit: http://www.efah.org
Art and Education - Active Art
Mediation within Educational Processes
Summary and Recommendations
Executed by ÖKS Österreichischer Kultur-Service, Vienna, 2001, 15
pp.
During 2001 the ÖKS Österreichischer Kultur-Service
executed the study Art and Education - Active
Art Mediation within Educational Processes commissioned by
the Austrian Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. (See also
Culturelink no.
34/August 2001 where ÖKS contributed several texts to the Dossier
entitled 'The Role of the Arts in Processes of Social Change'. The
Dossier was edited by Sabine Schaschl and included texts by Michael
Wimmer, Erhard Busek, Renata Salecl and Max Fuchs.) This study is
not only a description of the political, administrative and professional
setting in which cultural education takes place in Austria and abroad,
but is also a first evaluation of different practices in the field
combined with recommendations for a more easily sustainable future
development.
The study Art and Education
was published in German, with a summary and recommendations translated
into English. The study focuses on the relation between art and
education with the aim of intensifying the links between these two
fields and facilitating concrete mediating work. It seems that this
effort is even more important considering comprehensive social changes
taking place at present, which makes it impossible to maintain 'simple
modern age' traditions. This paper aims to highlight some trends
crucial for the development of art as well as education, stressing
the importance of rapprochement of the two fields.
The study reviews some changes that have occurred
in both art and education, which also reflect the position of these
two fields in modern society. In order to survive, art and education,
just as any other sector, need to adapt to the new environment and
standards defined by the overall development of our societies. However,
the authors claim that the mainstream of art education does not
always acknowledge the need for the changes. In view of the focus
of this paper, the authors express their belief that an 'exchange
of languages and codes' across borderlines, going beyond the technical
discourse of the established disciplines, has only just begun. So
the stage should be set now for a theoretical discussion, not only
to open new opportunities but also to support already existing practices.
The study also offers a more concrete summary as regards
the ways of putting these ideas into practice. It gives an overview
of the situation in art and education both in Austria and in the
rest of Europe. Comparing the existing data on European practices
and the results of a questionnaire sent to Austria's most important
art and culture institutions, the authors give an overview of the
current situation in individual arts, such as music, performing
and visual arts, etc.
The concluding part of the study is a short survey
of current measures in the field of further training for teachers.
Here, the ÖKS has developed a range of subject-specific training
courses which should acquaint teachers with contemporary art and
its representatives.
The integral parts of this publication are two sets
of recommendations: one at the European and another at the national
(Austrian) level, which can also serve as a basis for further research
and debate on the best practices and best policy solutions for this
important field.
To find out more about the work of the ÖKS
Österreichischer Kultur-Service or to order the publication, please
contact: Mag. Daniela Kaser, ÖKS Österreichischer Kultur-Service
Projektmanagement, Stiftgasse 6, 1070 Vienna, Austria; tel.: +43
(0)1 523 57 81; fax: +43 (0)1 523 89 33; e-mail: daniela.kaser@OKS.at;
http://www.OKS.at/
The Artist-in-Residence Programme
in Andalucia
Artecasa is an international
art centre where artists from different cultures meet each other
and hold exhibitions together. Artists dealing with ceramics, sculpture,
oil painting, watercolour, pastel, drawing, jewelry and more are
welcome.
The Artecasa centre, in cooperation with the city
of Cadiz (South Spain), presents visual artists with an opportunity
to combine a stay in a wonderful area in Andalucia with creativity
and exhibition. Both workshops and galleries are located in the
renovated fortress of Santa Catalina near the sea.
The centre will start operation in September 2002
and will be open throughout the year.
For further information, please contact: Artecasa
International Art Centre, Alex Mero, Project Coordinator, tel.:
+32 2 306 95 11 or mobile phone: +32 475 939 903; e-mail: info@artecasa.org;
http://www.artecasa.org/
Postgraduate Courses in Cultural
Management at Barcelona University
The University of Barcelona has for the past 12 years
been running postgraduate courses in the field of cultural management
and policy with the objective to provide good training for cultural
professionals. The first course that they organised was Master in
Cultural Management, followed by three other courses.
- Master in Cultural Management (Máster
en Gestión Cultural) is a two-year course that can also be taken
as a distant education course through the Internet. The course
programme includes introduction to cultural policy, theoretical
framework for cultural management, different development strategies,
analysis and evaluation of projects, etc. By the end of the course,
in addition to fulfilling course obligations, the participants
have to complete a research project and do the internship in some
cultural institution, as well as two study trips.
- The Postgraduate Diploma in Cultural Management
and Policies (Diploma de Postgrado en Gestión y Politicas
Culturales) is intended for experienced professionals from Spain
and Latin America interested in cultural policy issues and challenges
of contemporary cultural management. The course consists of four
parts: conceptual framework, analysis of the cultural sector,
management of cultural organisations, and development of cultural
projects. The course organisation is suited to working professionals
and it is organised in 5 one-week intensive sessions taking place
once every 6 weeks. During the course, the participants must complete
a study trip, as well as elaborate and develop their projects
(with the help of individual tutors).
- The Postgraduate Diploma in Iberoamerican
Cultural Cooperation (Diploma de Postgrado en Cooperación
Cultural Iberoamericana) is envisioned as a platform for cooperation
and exchange of experiences between cultural institutions and
managers from both side of the Atlantic; who are interested in
Iberoamerican cooperation. It takes place in two stages - the
first stage in which the participants attend intensive training
session in Barcelona and Madrid and the second stage lasting three
months which is realised at a distance (away from home institutions)
and in which the participants further elaborate their cooperation
projects. The programme consists of three parts: conceptual framework,
strategies for cultural cooperation, and instruments for the development
and management of cultural cooperation projects.
- The Postgraduate Diploma in Cultural Tourism
(Diploma de Postgrado en Turismo Cultural) is a one-year course
that aims to link tourism and culture and is intended for professionals
from both fields. The programme has three parts: conceptual framework,
cultural tourism strategies, and project management. During the
course, the participants analyze different case studies and make
study visits in order to learn from the experience of their colleagues.
By the end of the programme, the participants must complete practical
work or a research project relevant to their professional profile
and experience.
In addition to these four already established programmes,
a new course has been planned to start in 2003 entitled the Postgraduate
Diploma in the Production and Management of the Performing Arts
(Diploma de Postgrado en Producción y Gestión de Espectáculos).
For more information, please contact: Secretaría
de los Cursos en Gestión Cultural, Aurora Tresserras i Conxita Camós,
Universitat de Barcelona, Pg. Vall d'Hebrón, 171 Edifici Migdia,
08035 Barcelona, Spain, tel.: (+34) 93 403 44 27; e-mail: cultura@eco.ub.es;
http://www.ub.es/cultural/
Grants Programme of the Fund
for Central and East European Book Projects (CEEBP)
In response to requests from publishers from various
Central and East European countries to develop a programme of support
for publications that would enhance integrating their societies
into Europe, the Fund for Central and East European Book Projects
(CEEBP) (See also pp.75-76 in this issue.) has launched the European
History and Integration Programme 2001 - 2005. Especially
in the EU-accession and pre-accession countries, the need for books
on European history and integration aimed at non-specialist readers
is acutely felt.
Calls for proposals: 15 February and 15 August. Publishers
can request support for the translation of a title from a list of
recommended books, or send in proposals of their own choice.
For the list of recommended books and further procedure
details, see the website: http://www.ceebp.org/
The Banff Centre 'Beauty Thematic
Residency'
October - December 2002
'It is certainly not true that there is in the
mind of man any universal standard of beauty with respect to the
human body'. (Charles Darwin)
The thematic residency of the Banff
Centre from 21 October to 6 December 2002 will focus on the
concept of Beauty. The organizers seek
proposals from artists who have completed their basic training,
produced an independent body of work, and received recognition of
their peers through public presentation of their work. Resource
facilities include ceramics, mixed media, computer arts/new media,
painting, paper media, performance art, photography, print media,
sculpture, television and video, textiles.
As the concept of 'beauty' evolved through time from
Darwin through St. Thomas Aquinas' beauty and aesthetics as co-dependents
'Ad pulchritudinem tria requiruntur: integritas, consantia, claritas',
to Kenko's undesirability of uniformity where 'leaving something
incomplete makes it interesting, ... imperfect sets are better',
the residency programme in the same way leaves the beauty aspects
to be defined by the artists themselves.
For more information or to participate, please
contact: The Banff Centre, Office of the Registrar, P.O. Box
1020, 107 Tunnel Mountain Drive, Banff, Alberta T1L 1H5, Canada,
tel.: +403 762 6180; fax: +403 762 6345; e-mail: arts_info@banffcentre.ca;
http://www.banffcentre.ca/arts
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