Austria/ 3.4 International cultural co-operation  

3.4.1 Overview of main structures and trends

The agendas of international cultural cooperation are distributed over various ministries in Austria. The main actors are the cultural policy department in the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (see chapter 3.4.2) and the Federal Ministry for Education, the Arts and Culture. The Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs, Family and Youth and the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection are also involved in this area (see chapter 3.1); also the Federal Ministry of Finance, which provides state guarantees for major international museum exhibitions, the Federal Ministry of Science and Research and the Ministry of Justice (copyright or / and other intellectual property rights issues).

The Cultural Policy Department of the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs consists of four divisions. They are responsible for coordination, planning, evaluation and financing international cultural cooperation, the organisation of cultural and scientific events abroad, scientific-technical and dialogue between cultures and religions, as well as multilateral cultural policies and UNESCO affairs.

In the field of international cultural exchange, the Federal Ministry for Education, the Arts and Culture is responsible for cultural affairs in the framework of the EU (Cultural Contact Point Austria, Europe for Citizens Point Austria etc.), the Council of Europe and UNESCO (in particular the Cultural Diversity Contact Point established at the Austrian UNESCO Commission (ÖUK) in 2010, see chapter 3.4.3) and for bilateral cultural exchange (supporting the activities of Austrian artists abroad, events and artist-in-residence programmes in the framework of cultural agreements).

Above and beyond this, the association KulturKontakt Austria, founded in 1989, is responsible for cultural cooperation with eastern and south-eastern Europe, especially the Balkans and for arts and cultural education.

International cultural exchange also takes place at provincial (Bundesländer) and city level and, alongside the promotion of events and projects, includes support for the activities of Austrian artists abroad (scholarships, travel costs) and places for artists-in-residence. In addition, the City of Vienna also organises regular "cultural days" (Kulturtage) for selected guest cities.

The main cultural institutions, arts universities, but also smaller cultural initiatives, maintain their own cultural cooperation relations, including activities within European and international networks, such as Culture Action Europe, European League of Institutes of the Arts (ELIA), European Network of Cultural Administration Training Centers (ENCATC), International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts (IETM), etc.

Generally, international cultural cooperation is geographically focused on the neighbourhood region in central, eastern and south-eastern European countries and the Balkan region.

On the anniversary of 120 years of the opening and 50 years of the reopening of diplomatic relations between Korea and Austria, the two countries are celebrating the Austria-Korea year 2012/2013 with numerous cultural events.

In the immediate future, the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) is to focus on Austria's cooperation with the rest of the Danube region, the Black Sea region and the western Balkans. Further plans for cultural foreign policy in the coming years are work on issues of culture and religion, in particular the preparation of the annual forum of the "Alliance of Civilizations" 2013/14 in Vienna and issues on human rights, in connection with Austria's membership of the UN Human Rights Council 2011-2014. Austrian culture is recognised internationally particularly through music, fine art and literature. In the years ahead, Austrian international cultural policy will also emphasise the fields of dance and architecture in particular.

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