Many efforts have been invested since 2018 in changing the overall approach to the cultural sector, in challenging long established policy approaches and in rendering procedures more participatory, thus narrowing the gap between discussions within the sector, civil society and the policy level. In that process, a very strong focus is being put, on the one hand, on the professionalisation of the cultural and creative actors and on professional artists’ working conditions, whereas cultural heritage protection is the other predominant priority.
In terms of governance, significant emphasis is put on the participatory approach to cultural policies through the regular organisation since 2016 of cultural plenary meetings, the “Assises”. These give the sector many opportunities to point to difficulties or gaps in approaches and to input their views on topics or problems at hand on the policy level. The most notable result of this approach is the Cultural development plan 2018-2028 (KEP) that constitutes the first programmatic, supra-political document for medium term policy development in the cultural and creative sector.
The participatory process also applies outside the Assises, insofar as the sector and all other relevant actors are regularly consulted on measures and legislative matters during the phase of definition (this was even reinforced during the Covid19 pandemic). To that end, those sectors that had no unified representation so far, have been financially encouraged to assemble within federations or associations that could serve as representative interlocutor to the national authorities.
An important success with regard to cultural heritage protection is the adoption of a new cultural heritage law that represents a fundamental change of paradigm in the approach to heritage protection and preservation.
In the general context of the evolution of cultural policies in Luxembourg, an interesting role falls to the European Capitals of Culture. While the “designation of Luxembourg-City as European Capital of Culture in 1995 raised awareness of the lack of cultural facilities from which the country suffered”[1] and breathed new life into the professionalization of the sector, “Luxembourg and Greater Region, European Capital of Culture 2007” has heightened awareness of the cross-border aspect of creative production in this geographically limited space of Luxembourg. Audience development and participation, notably of the young, are also important aspects of the ECoC. Finally, the current Esch2022 project aims to become a driving force for the development of an entire region on both sides of the Franco-Luxembourg border.
[1] Kulturentwécklungsplang eBook 1.0 – Septembre 2018, Volume 1, p.49
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