Switzerland/ 4. Current issues in cultural policy development and debate  

4.3 Other relevant issues and debates

The Federal Lotteries Act is still subject to debate. The present situation, in which only the two large lottery companies (SwissLos and Loterie Romande) hold exclusive rights to run lottery games granted by cantonal authorities, is being increasingly criticised by those who plead for the liberalisation of the market. Within the context of the current review of the Federal Act of Lotteries and Professional Betting, this is one of the most criticised points by the cultural (umbrella) associations. They believe that the establishment of private lottery associations would decrease the amount of funds dedicated by lotteries to the arts and culture. The issue will be resolved definitively in a national ballot. In the meantime, a Lottery Initiative (betting and gambling in the service of public welfare) has been submitted.

A national centre of competency for photography has already been established (Fotostiftung Schweiz und Fotomuseum Winterthur), and this will be funded by public money and by a private foundation.

Private and public institutions are working on an integrated promotion concept for dance. Among others, this will comprise basic training and further training, the recognition of diplomas, documentation, and social security. "Tanz", a project headed by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture (BAK), was completed in 2006. The first results of its efforts can be seen in the development of the "Réseau Danse" Centre of Excellence, the introduction of postgraduate courses in dance culture and dance education as well as a Master's degree course in dance theory.

Within the new federal Law on the Promotion of Culture (2009), Switzerland needs to develop sustainable statistics on public culture. The Federal Statistical Office has begun to establish guidelines that have relevance for strategic cultural policy planning. A group of experts is currently devising a corresponding concept.

Film promotion, under the control of the Federal Office of Culture, represents a considerable share of the federal government's promotion of culture. Discussions are being held on whether or not to outsource film promotion by establishing a foundation separate from the Federal Office of Culture. 

Due to the structural problems of the Swiss film industry, new film promotion and funding concepts are being sought. For instance, the interest group of independent Swiss film producers points out that currently a total of 90% of the funding available for new film projects is allocated by committees and comparable decision-making bodies based on application dossiers and pledges, and that merely around 10% is allocated based on cultural and commercial success (selective and success-dependent film promotion).

The Swiss Film Archive (Cinémasthique Suisse), based in Lausanne, must be considerably expanded to do proper justice to its public remit as the "National Museum of Film". Expansion also raises questions concerning funding and the appropriate legal form that the archive should take in future.

Further education in Switzerland is distinctly heterogeneous and hardly regulated by law. There is a lack of comprehensive regulation, which would otherwise allow for purposefully developing and promoting the further education sector as part of the national education system. The Federal Council has been tasked with devising a new Federal Law on Further Education.

In Switzerland, the significance of the country's intangible cultural heritage for social cohesion, for the country's cultural self-image, and for its image and appearance abroad, as well as that of its various regions, is firmly acknowledged. By ratifying the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of 16 July 2008, Switzerland has formally accepted and become part of the international legal framework for the promotion of cultural diversity.

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