Norway/ 3.4 International cultural co-operation  

3.4.3 European / international actors and programmes

Multilateral cooperation in the cultural field includes Norwegian participation in the activities of international organisations such as:

Nordic Cooperation

Multilateral cooperation in the cultural field includes Norwegian participation in the activities of international organisations such as The Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers.

The Nordic Council was formed in 1952 and is the forum for Nordic parliamentary cooperation. Since then, cultural cooperation has been the core component of intra-Nordic cooperation. The Nordic Council of Ministers, which was formed in 1971, is the forum for Nordic governmental cooperation. Culture is defined as one of the major areas for cooperation.

In 2005, a new structure for cultural cooperation was proposed and prepared. The aim was to add more energy, visibility and new working methods to Nordic cultural cooperation and to add more focus to the national contributions. The reform was passed by the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2006 and implemented in 2007.

The overall aim of the reform was to allocate more money for projects, while spending fewer resources on administration. One of the main structural changes was the establishment of Culture Contact North, which replaced the former expert committees in literature, music, visual arts, performing arts, culture and media, youth cooperation, children and culture, as stated below.

The reform also implied that the following cultural institutions were to be closed down on 1 January 2007: Nordiskt Center för Scenekonst - NordScen, Nordisk Institut för Samtidskonst - NIFCA, Nordiska musikkommittéen - NOMUS, Nordiska litteratur- och bibliotekskommittéen - NordBok.

Reform of the Nordic cultural cooperation was evaluated in 2010 (The evaluation can be downloaded here (http://www.tmforsk.no/mediafiler/fil.asp?id=1170) .

In order to give the culture and media sector in the Nordic region more opportunities to work together, the Ministries of Culture have set up three new programmes:

• The Mobility and Residential Programme is an important part of the new structure for Nordic cultural cooperation. The programme focuses on mobility for artists and professionals within the field of culture, network building and artists in residence. One of the aims of the programme is to open doors for the arts inside and outside the Nordic countries and to contribute to strengthening the role of professionals within the field of culture.
• The Programme for Nordic Art and Cultural Cooperation is a three-year framework programme for Nordic art and cultural cooperation which is open to professional and creative artists, agents, producers and cultural players from all the art and cultural sectors. The overall objective of the Art and Culture Programme is development, including new interpretations, renewal and innovative methods and presentations. The programme aims to renew and revitalise Nordic art and cultural cooperation internally within the Nordic region and through interplay in "the Nordic Region in the world - the world in the Nordic Region", to stimulate new impulses and initiatives in the field, including local, national and international players, organisations and institutions, to firmly establish Nordic art and cultural cooperation in the Nordic countries and adjacent areas and make this cooperation noticed globally.
• The Nordic Computer Game Programme (2006-2012) aims to stimulate the Nordic computer game industry to produce a higher quality and wider offering of computer games produced in the Nordic countries for children and young people. The Nordic Computer Game Programme aims to ensure an effective Nordic infrastructure for developers, producers and distributors of computer games. The programme will coordinate joint Nordic activities and ensure a greater exchange of information and improved industry know-how.

The Nordic Culture Fund (Nordisk Kulturfond) is a Nordic body of cooperation whose task is to support cultural cooperation in a broad sense among the Nordic countries. The Nordic Culture Fund awards approximately DKK 25 million every year to cultural projects in the Nordic Region or to Nordic projects outside the Nordic Region. The projects that are supported reflect the entire spectrum of cultural life and involve all areas, including visual art, theatre, music and dance, literature and new media. Education, research and trans-sector projects are also supported, although these projects must have a clear connection to art and culture. Projects that can receive support from the Fund must include at least three Nordic countries or autonomous areas (the Faroe Islands, Greenland and the Aaland Islands).

Every year, the Nordic Council awards a literature prize, a music prize, a film prize and a nature and environment prize. Each prize is worth DKK 350 000.

• The Nordic Council's Literature Prize is awarded for a work of imaginative literature written in one of the Nordic languages. The intention of the prize is also to increase interest in the literature of neighbouring countries, as well as in Nordic cultural fellowship.
• The Nordic Council's Music Prize recognises creative and practical musicians of a high artistic standard. The prize is awarded to a piece of music by a living composer and to a small or large ensemble of high artistic and technical standards. The prize was launched as early as 1965, and was originally awarded every third year.
• In 2005, the Nordic Council established the annual Nordic Council Film Prize, which is awarded to scriptwriters, directors and producers. The criteria for winning the prize is the creation of an artistically original film rooted in Nordic cultural circles.

Further information on Nordic cultural cooperation is available at http://www.norden.org/.

European Union

Although not a member of the EU, Norway is closely associated with the European Union through the Agreement on the European Economic Area, which also encompasses cultural cooperations. Norway takes part in relevant programmes such as:

• The European Union Culture Programme (2007-2013), which is a continuation and expansion of the Culture 2000 Programme (2000-2006). The general objective of the programme is to enhance the cultural area common to Europeans through the development of cultural institutions of the countries taking part in the programme, with a view to encouraging the emergence of European citizenship. Arts Council Norway is the official European Cultural Contact Point in Norway, which means that the Arts Council is responsible for promoting the programme and facilitating the participation of as many cultural professionals as possible.
• MEDIA 2007 (2007-2013) aims to strengthen the competitiveness of the European audiovisual industry in the international market. Through various support schemes, the programme promotes European cultural diversity and European film heritage, facilitates access to the films for European citizens and promotes intercultural dialogue.
• Safer Internet Plus, which promotes the safe use of the internet by children and youth. Norway, has participated since 2003. Based on economic support from the programme, the Norwegian Media Authority has established a project called SAFT. The principal task of SAFT is to be the national coordinator of the work for the safe use of digital media among children and youth in Norway.
• The Information and Communications Technologies Policy Support Programme aims to make digital content in Europe more accessible, usable and exploitable.

The Council of Europe

Norway is one of the ten countries that established the Council of Europe in 1949 and has been a member of the European Cultural Convention - the basic document which regulates the cultural cooperation between the member states - since 1956. Norway takes part in the cultural cooperation of the Council of Europe in the Steering Committee for Culture.

UNESCO

Norway is a member of UNESCO and has participated in the international work for the protection and promotion of cultural diversity, including the Convention on the Promotion and Protection of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, which was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO in October 2005. Norway ratified the Convention in January 2007. At the same time, Norway also ratified another UNESCO Convention - the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The International Network on Cultural Policy (INCP)

Norway has been a member of the INCP since 1999 and has been active in the working group on Cultural Diversity and Globalisation that elaborated the framework and scope of a cultural diversity instrument, which has been developed and is now carried out by UNESCO.

Your Comments on this Chapter?