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| NEWSLETTER No. 19 / August 2011 |
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Dear Compendium friends and users,Welcome to this edition of our Newsletter, exploring new content and features of the "Compendium" www.culturalpolicies.net. Edited by the Council of Europe Secretariat and the European Institute for Comparative Cultural Research (ERICarts), this information and monitoring system provides key facts about Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe. Many thanks especially to our long term supporters who continue
to encourage us with feedback and through using the Compendium as
their preferred information and research tool! |
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"HOT TOPIC" UPDATES: The Financial Crisis and its Effects on Public Arts Financing – update July 2011 – and Norway after the Shock – August 2011 Fresh data provided by the CultureWatchEurope platform and the Eurocities Network confirm the view of the last Hot Topic: Cuts in public cultural budgets do exist, but they are not (yet) the rule! Compendium national experts Per Mangset and Bĺrd Kleppe will
reflect on the shocking act of terrorism in Norway
in our upcoming Hot Topic. WorldCP – towards an "Asian Compendium"? Authors of a future Asian cultural policy information
system - which will be linked with those of other
continents (WorldCP) - attended a training session
arranged by ASEF
and Korean authorities in Seoul; Ritva Mitchell (ERICarts/Cupore)
acted as their advisor. Compendium on Facebook Since mid-May, the Compendium is featured on Facebook! You will find different pieces of information and many photos depicting the Compendium community of practice over the past ten years. On the Compendium homepage you can add us to your “Like this” list!
Surprising Results: Comparisons of Facebook use and of cultural participation in Europe New comparative tables in the Compendium Statistics Section: One table shows the 2010 numbers of Internet and Facebook users and their share of the population across Europe. On top: Iceland, Malta, Norway, Denmark and the UK. Low rates: Russia, Ukraine, Poland and even Germany!Two tables (based on EU data) suggest similar national differences in cultural participation. |
Intercultural Cities Index ICC Index grows from 16 to 24 cities! Recently, the cities of Copenhagen, Dublin, Limassol, London Lewisham, Pryluky, Rijeka, San Sebastian, Västerĺs and Zurich could be added to the ICC Index which aims to inform essential debates by highlighting facts and processes which suggest the level of interculturality of a city. Compare different cities and indicators with our ICC Charts
NEW Cultural Policy Actor in Focus The Director of the Federal Office of Culture of
Switzerland, Jean-Frédéric
Jauslin, has been nominated as the current "Cultural
Policy Actor in Focus" on the Compendium
homepage. 10th Compendium Experts Assembly and Research Conference, June 8 - 10, 2011 At the invitation of the Forum voor Amateurkunsten and with the support of the Culture Department of the Flemish Government, the 10th annual Plenary of Compendium Experts was held on June 8 - 10, 2011 at the arts centre "Vooruit" in Ghent (Belgium). In partnership with the AMATEO Network and a number of scientific institutions, the meeting included an Open Forum and Research Workshop on issues of Active Cultural Participation in Europe. The agenda of the Forum was partly based on Compendium information on amateur arts and folk culture in Europe. Other presentations, documents and outcomes of the Forum can be downloaded here. To mark the 10th anniversary of the annual Compendium conferences, a collection of pictures from all previous assemblies is on display at the Compendium Facebook site. |
The Cultural Policy Profiles of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, San Marino and the United Kingdom were recently updated! Selected highlights: | |
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Czech Republic - Profile Updates - In January 2011, the Concept for Traditional Folk Culture for 2011-2015 was approved. - Protests were aired over a proposal to introduce a uniform rate of VAT. - Cuts to public finances in 2011 are impacting on cultural organisations. - Plans progress to bring local museums under one umbrella organisation despite criticism. - Russian-language secondary schools are to adopt Estonian language for 60% of lessons from 2011. - VAT on books and periodicals raised from 5% to 9% and on concert returns to the full 20%. - The 2020 strategy focuses on the competitive edge of the Finnish economy and culture. - Mobility of workers, culture industries and circus are in the focus of the Nordic Council in 2011. - A new centre for media education and video programmes will operate from 2012. - In March 2011, the new Minister for Culture (Giancarlo Galan) identified increased investments in the cultural field, a renewed emphasis on the heritage and an acceleration of reform in the performing arts as his main priorities. - To achieve savings, ETI, the state agency for theatre, was abolished by the 2011 Budget Law, and its staff transferred to the Ministry's DG for the Performing Arts. - According to an ISTAT index, the rate of book reading (at least one per year) is still low in Italy, albeit increasing from 38.6% in 2000 to 46.8% of the population in 2010. - From 1 July 2011, VAT will be applied to foreign e-books sold in Norway. - Annual cinema attendance is reported very high at 70% of the population. - A new touring policy for 2010 to 2016 has been published by the Arts Council. - Commission on Taxation suggests abolition of tax exemption for creative artists. - Funding review recommends discontinuation of the Dept. of Arts, Sport and Tourism and closure of Culture Ireland. - Arts Council funding has now returned to 2005 levels. - Since 2011, the Ministry of Culture is responsible for integration. - 2011 changes in VAT will impact negatively on the cultural sector. - From 2010 income tax on authors' royalties was increased from 15% to 25%. - A new Law on Archives came into force in 2011 followed by major reforms. - The Culture Capital Foundation budget in 2010 was 72% less than in 2008 and the Min. of Culture 43% less. Liechtenstein - Profile Updates - In 2010, the government approved a concept for the country's future cultural foreign policy. - In 2010 the government reduced the length of time grant support is provided for artists. FYR of Macedonia - Profile Updates - A new Law on Realization of Culture will establish long-term objectives and priorities for culture. - Salaries of actors and directors in professional theatres raised by 60%, but other salaries by only 20% despite protests. - Figures released in 2010 show that the average salary for cultural workers is still lower than the national average. - Attendances at art exhibitions increased by 22.2% and the number of participating artists increased by 28%. - A new national cultural policy will be implemented in Malta in 2011 following extensive review work undertaken in 2010. - Following a number of censorship issues, a thorough review of the present classification system was made in 2010. - In September 2010, the Romanian Cultural Institute was opened in Chisinau. - In Oct 2010 a resolution was drawn up to strengthen the relationship with the Moldovan diaspora, supported by grants. - The Law on Archaeological Heritage was adopted in Sept 2010. - The state budgets allocated to culture are still growing despite the financial crisis. - From January 2011, the Norwegian Archive, Library and Museum Authority will be phased out and the tasks will be split up. - National surveys show that the share of the total household spending allocated to cultural activities and goods is increasing. - A Fund for the International Promotion of Portuguese Culture was formed in 2011. - A Portugal Music Export Agency was set up in 2011, involving the ministry and associations. - However, the Ministry of Culture's existence is under threat. - In 2010 a Strategic Plan for State Museums was launched. - The percentage of the central budget for culture averaged 0.5% over a period of thirteen years to 2010, compared to 1.1% for local government. - A new public-private partnership will see 1% of project costs donated to conserve cultural buildings. - Budgetary cuts have impacted on the cinema review Occhi sul Cinema, incontri col cinema d'autore (art cinema) and the Theatre Season. - In 2011 San Marino will formally apply for accession to the Bologna Process. United Kingdom - Profile Updates - The new government (May 2010) has announced significant structural changes to the cultural support system. - The UK Film Council is to close with responsibilities transferred to the British Film Institute in 2011. - A Parliamentary committee on arts funding is expected to report in 2011. - An Arts Council fund of 40 million GBP is to help protect arts organisations in the recession. - Possibly 250 libraries will have to close due to budget cuts of local authorities.
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Answering Your Questions | |
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