NEWSLETTER No. 14 / March 2010

Dear Compendium friends and users,

Welcome to the 11th edition of the Compendium Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe, the information and monitoring system provided by the Council of Europe and the ERICarts Institute.

Whether you're a first time user or a long term supporter, the Compendium will surely prove to be an essential information and research tool for you.

This newsletter highlights some of the latest additions and features in the Compendium which covers over 40 European countries. It introduces authors and experts who have recently joined us, and provides selected highlights of new policies and other cultural developments.

Please note the forthcoming Public Forum event with Compendium authors and prominent guests on "What Cultural Policies for Diversity?", 10th April at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). More in the next Newsletter and on the Compendium Website.

With best wishes from the Compendium Team!
Kathrin Merkle and Andreas Wiesand (Compendium Editors)

Hot Topic & Poll: Ethics and Rights
Ethics and Rights Issues in Cultural Policy in Europe

Ethical and/or human rights issues in the arts, the media and cultural policy are highlighted in the 11th Compendium edition. From now on a new Themes! Section will host related information and debates. Ethics provide the perspective, motivation and values to help ensure democratic and equitable participation in cultural development, diversity and dialogue. Rights serve as the fundamental underpinning and inspiration of cultural creativity and participation and provide the jurisprudence regarding violations of binding conventions and of other no less important instruments…

Countries:

The Compendium welcomes the Czech Republic, Cyprus and Bosnia and Herzegovina to its community!

In 2010, these countries have announced their participation to the programme and cultural policy profiles are expected to be added to the Compendium system during the year. It will then comprise 44 European countries!

8 countries profiles are available in their original language!New: Spain (in Spanish), Holy See (in Italian) and Liechtenstein (in German).

Also available: Bulgaria (in Bulgarian), Moldova (in Romanian), France, Monaco (in French) and Ukraine (in Ukrainian)

Upcoming: Russia (in Russian) and Germany (in German).

New Members of the Community

Kastriot Cipi (Tirana), Bjarki Valtysson (Copenhagen), Bård Kleppe (Bø), Małgorzata Nowak (Warsaw), Pavla Petrová (Prague), Jaka Primorac (Zagreb), Aleksandar Brkić (Belgrade), Kornelia Pfeiffer (Vaduz), Elena Theodoulou Charalambous (Nikosia), Ranko Risojevic and Aida Cengic (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Find out more under National Experts

Shopping in Europe? Compare prices with CUPIX

The CUPIX experiment provides prices for selected popular cultural goods and services in Europe.

Compare 2009 prices on the

- latest Black Eyed Peas album or the last Dan Brown book

- ticket prices to see the popular film Ice Age 3 or attend the opera or museum in Europe's capitals.

Trend data is also available from 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2003/4. While not a cultural price index in the strict sense, the CUPIX data does help to illustrate the result of policy measures such as the fixed book price or differences between the prices of publicly funded services vs. private sector culture industries.

Cultural Policy News in Europe: Selected Highlights

ORGANISATIONAL REFORMS

Austria: In May 2009 a new coordination office to support the new generation of film-makers was established by the Ministry and the Austrian Film Institute (ÖFI).

Georgia: The new National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation was created.

Ireland: Work of National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism taken over by the Minister for Integration.

Italy: A new DG for the Enhancement of Cultural Heritage will encourage wider participation in arts and culture and enhance Italy’s image abroad.

Latvia: The number of state agencies in the cultural sector will be reduced from 17 to 11. Several will lose their autonomy, while others will be amalgamated. Municipalities will gain responsibility for amateur art, cultural education and some professional art institutions.

Moldova: A new Ministry of Culture was established in autumn 2009, following the election of a democratic government that replaces eight years of communism.

Serbia: A National Council for Culture will provide permanent support from experts in preserving, developing and expanding culture in Serbia.

Spain: The State Council of the Performing Arts and Music has been created in the context of the "Cultural Institution Modernisation Plan.

NEW LAWS

Austria: Tyrol is currently discussing an amendment to the 1979 Cultural Promotion Law.

Austria: An amendment to the Art Restitution Act will be extended to all moveable federal property, not just federal museums.

Azerbaijan: The Culture Act is under review for updating by the Culture Committee of the National Parliament.

Bulgaria: The Culture Heritage Act was introduced in 2009 after years of debate.

Bulgaria's first Electronic Communications Act was adopted.

Croatia: The proposed new Law on Electronic Media was due to be passed in December 2009.

Croatia: The Museums Law was amended in 2009 to provide special provisions regarding immaterial cultural heritage.

Estonia: In 2009, VAT on books and periodicals was raised to 9% and on concert takings to the full 18%.

Germany: The majority of the Länder in the Bundesrat rejected the proposal by Berlin to include culture in the Constitution through the introduction of a new Article 20b stating: "The state protects and supports culture".

Hungary: A new Act on Performing Arts (to be implemented in 2010) regulates artists and directors employed in theatres and orchestras and the conditions of access to state subsidies.

Ireland: There have been suggestions to remove the artists exemption scheme (from tax), in place since 1969.

Latvia: A new model of state cultural policy coordination in the regions was implemented in 2009.

Liechtenstein: The new Cultural Promotion Act gives the Cultural Foundation responsibility for the organisation and decision-making functions relating to cultural promotion.

Poland has ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, which entered into force on 1 June 2009.

Poland: New Media Law (although passed by Parliament) was vetoed by the President as some of the regulations were considered as controversial by the opposition.

Serbia: The UNESCO Convention for the promotion and protection of cultural diversity was ratified on 29 May 2009.

Serbia: A new Law on Culture outlining the reconstruction of the cultural system will operate from March 2010. Sub laws including for theatre and self-employed artists will follow.

Spain: The draft of the new Act on Cultural Heritage is expected at the end of 2009.

Spain: A draft Ministerial Order (June 2009) is mainly focused on the regulation of subsidies for the film sector related to the Cinema Act.

Sweden: The report of the Committee on Culture proposing policy and funding changes and a reorganisation of agencies has caused much debate. A new Bill on Culture due in Sept 2009.

Switzerland: A new Federal Law of Cultural Promotion was proposed to the Parliament in early 2009, which includes the revision of Pro Helvetia.

POLICY DEVELOPMENTS

Austria: A catalogue of measures is being drawn up for the implementation of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in Austria.

Azerbaijan: A Baku World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue will be held every two years starting in 2011.

Azerbaijan: The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has declared its cultural objectives as: heritage, library and museum systems, supporting creativity in the theatre, music and fine arts fields, national cinematography and book publishing.

Estonia: New cultural buildings planned in recent years have been put on hold due to the economic recession.

Georgia: The priorities of the Ministry of Culture in 2009 are reform of the system of art education, safeguarding monuments of cultural heritage, supporting a positive international image for Georgia and support for development of the art forms.

Germany: An attempt by some Länder to abolish social security for artists failed; there was broad protest against such plans both from cultural politicians of all parties and culture and arts associations.

Hungary: From January 2010, 90% of the most popular lottery game will be diverted to the National Culture Fund, which will replace the 1% levy collected on cultural goods.

Hungary: Prospects for the 2010 cultural budget are dismal, both at national and local (municipal) levels.

Italy: Strong protests were successful in reinstating some of the cuts made to the Fund for the Performing Arts in the budget for 2010.

Latvia: The budget of the Ministry of Culture in 2009 decreased by 19.45% (by 34% when EU funds and National Library funding are excluded). The State Culture Capital Foundation budget was reduced by 45.9%.

FYR of Macedonia: New Strategic Plan 2009-2011 adopted by the Ministry of Culture.

Netherlands: From 2009, the public funding infrastructure will change which will have an impact on all types of arts organisations.

Netherlands: As of the school year 2008/2009, all 9 million students in secondary education will receive a culture card, which replaces the system of vouchers.

Poland: The Congress of Polish Culture was held in Sept 2009 to debate the role and development of culture involving artists, academics and politicians.

Poland: Public libraries will receive free connection to the Internet and will be exempt from license fees for three years under an agreement signed in August 2009.

Serbia: The Minister is insisting on rationalization and an entrepreneurial approach throughout the whole cultural and media sector due to the recession.

Serbia: The ambitious new plan for culture 2008-2011 may be thwarted by serious cuts to the budget in 2010.

Spain: The Ministry of Culture will create a "Plan for the Promotion of Cultural Content on the Internet" to supplement future measures to protect intellectual property rights.

Spain: In late 2009, the Historical Heritage Council will review issues related to intangible cultural heritage in the autonomous regions.

Sweden: A labour market programme targeted at unemployed cultural workers was extended from 2007 to the end of 2009 and will then be evaluated.

Switzerland: The new Study "Creative Industries Switzerland" provides analysis, derives models and draws conclusions for the current debate in Switzerland.

United Kingdom: In April 2009, a single structure was created to deliver leadership for museums, galleries, libraries and archives in the English regions, to replace the previous partnership approach.

NEW STATISTICAL DATA

Austria: The 2009/2010 budget for art and culture was increased by a total of EUR 50 million and provides a range of enhanced support measures.

Bulgaria: The National Culture Fund has doubled its budget.

Ireland: Cultural and creative industries valued at 7.6% of GNP and employment at 8.7% of total - recent research.

Latvia: Analyses of cultural sector issues such as consumption, participation, access, diversity are provided in recent studies.

FYR of Macedonia: Salaries of actors and directors in professional theatres raised by 60%, but other salaries by only 20% despite protests.

Norway: In 2009 the state budget allocated to culture will reach 1%, which has been a target for the government since 2005.

Spain: Resources for cultural promotion abroad have grown 55% between 2005-09.

United Kingdom: Arts Council England has been asked to cut its admin costs by 15% by March 2011.

REGIONAL OR LOCAL LEVEL HIGHLIGHTS

Austria: Linz 2009, European Capital of Culture, (along with Vilnius) has more than 200 projects and 7 000 events.

Azerbaijan: Baku is Islamic Culture Capital for 2009, including the hosting of many international cultural events.

Bulgaria: The city of Sofia is the first local authority in Bulgaria to introduce a grant programme to support culture.

Poland: The project Multimedia City (2010-2012) was introduced in Nowy Sącz - Małopolskie Voivodeship. It will cost over 26.5 million euro.

Spain: The regions are establishing new support structures for the creative industries, a sector which represents 3% of GDP in Spain.

Spain: The new Cultural Bonus, to promote access for young people to art and cultural products and services in Andalusia, is worth 5.87 million euros in 2009.

Answering Your Questions

Contact the Compendium Editors for overall questions and comments:

Kathrin Merkle Council of Europe

Andreas Wiesand, ERICarts

Contact the Web Master with your technical questions:

Joerg Torkler, Medianale Group