The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture share the responsibility for international cultural cooperation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the presentation of Norwegian arts and culture abroad, including exchange projects with developing countries, in cooperation with several cultural institutions (that receive their funding from Ministry of Culture).
The Norwegian foreign services missions (administrated by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs) play a key role in establishing and administering cultural cooperation with other countries.
The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), which is a directorate under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is also involved in international cultural projects and provides assistance for culture, media and information activities.
The Ministry of Culture is responsible for multilateral cultural cooperation, Nordic cultural cooperation as well as the domestic part of cultural exchange.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, (including the Norwegian foreign service missions), the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and the Ministry of Culture are responsible for cultural cooperation with other countries.
State-funded institutions and professional organisations particularly aim at stimulating artistic exchange and promoting Norwegian artists and works of art, not least through the administration of specific grant schemes. The following organisations administer support programmes on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
The Norwegian Film Institute (NFI) works to preserve, support and distribute Norwegian and foreign films so that film as an expression of art and culture becomes more visible. The NFI also distributes and markets Norwegian films abroad and administers the Ministry of Foreign Affair’s support programme for the promotion of Norwegian films.
NORLA – Norwegian Literature Abroad (NORLA) plays an important role in providing information on Norwegian literature and Norwegian authors of fiction and non-fiction. NORLA facilitates contact between Norwegian authors and publishers, translators, universities and others interested in Norwegian literature abroad. In addition, NORLA provides translation subsidies to publishers of Norwegian literature abroad, offers travel grants for Norwegian authors and their translators and provides promotional subsidies for sample translations and presentations of authors.
- The Office for Contemporary Art Norway (OCA) was founded by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2001. The main aim of OCA is to develop collaborations in contemporary art between Norway and the international art scene. OCA supports Norwegian contributions to major exhibitions abroad, the international activities of Norwegian artists and curators, and foreign curators and critics who wish to carry out research in Norway.
- Music Norway is the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ formal advising organisation on music matters. They act as an adviser for the political establishment and serves as a facilitator and enabler for the entire Norwegian professional music scene.
Music Norway administers the Ministry of Foreign Affair’s tour support programme in order to facilitate the international touring activities of Norwegian artists and bands.
- Performing Arts Hub Norway (PAHN) works to facilitate independent theatre and dance activity in Norway. PAHN administers the Ministry of Foreign Affair’s tour support programme in this field.
- Norwegian Crafts is the national organisation for professional practicing artists, whose task is to administer the grant scheme for the activities of crafts artists abroad.
- The MFA’s advisory-organization within design and architecture is Norwegian Centre for Design and Architecture (DogA). DogA was established in 2014, when the Foundation for Design and Architecture in Norway and the Norwegian Design Council merged. Prior to that, the advisory role was carried out by the Foundation for Design and Architecture in Norway, an organization established at the initiative of the Ministry of Culture in 1992.
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