Note: A range of laws, decrees, and regulations exist at the cantonal and municipal levels, which cannot be shown here. In the 1960s, the first cultural laws were drafted and voted on in various cantons. In the canton of Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland’s first cantonal culture promotion law was passed on 26 May 1963 in a popular vote with 69 per cent in favour (followed by Graubünden (1965), Solothurn (1967), Aargau (1968)).[1]
Federal cultural law is based on several federal acts and numerous ordinances (please find a list below).
Federal Law on the Promotion of Culture (LEC)
With the ‘total revision’ of the Swiss Federal Constitution in 1999, the promotion of art and culture became an explicit task of the federal government (Art. 69 BV). To implement this so-called “cultural article” of the Constitution, a Federal Law on the Promotion of Culture (LEC) was developed and adopted by the Federal Parliament at the end of 2009 (in force since 2012). The following concrete aims are associated therewith:
- the responsibilities of the Confederation toward the cantons, communes, and cities, which are primarily responsible for the promotion of culture, are subject to precise delimitation;
- the division of tasks between the federal authorities responsible for the promotion of culture (FOC, PH, FDFA) are subject to clear regulation;
- the cultural policy guidelines of the Confederation are determined;
- the FOC is given new tasks in the area of promoting musical education and preserving cultural heritage.
- the organisation of the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia is being modernised
- four-year payment frameworks are adopted to steer the Confederation’s funding of culture.
List: Federal acts and ordinances (Source)
- Federal Act of 11 December 2009 on the Promotion of Culture (Culture Promotion Act, KFG – SR 442.1)
- Federal Act on Federal Museums and Collections (SR 432.30)
- Federal Act on the International Transfer of Cultural Property (KGTG; SR 441.1)
- Federal Act on Film Production and Film Culture (Film Act, FiG; SR 443.1)
- Federal Act on the National Languages and Communication between the Language Communities (Language Act, SpG; SR 441.1)
- Federal Act on the Swiss National Library (National Library Act, NBibG; SR 432.21)
- Nature and Cultural Heritage Protection Act (NHG; SR 451)
- Ordinance of 23 November 2011 on the Promotion of Culture (Culture Promotion Ordinance, KFV)
- Ordinance of 4 June 2010 on the National Languages and Communication between the Language Communities (Language Ordinance, SpV)
- Ordinance of the FDHA on the Promotion Concept for Strengthening Cultural Participation of 29 October 2020
- Ordinance of the FDHA on the Promotion Concept for the Support of Organisations of Professional Cultural Workers of 5 July 2016
- Ordinance of the FDHA on the Funding Concept for the Support of Organisations of Non-professional Cultural Workers of 5 July 2016
- Ordinance of the FDHA on the Promotion Concept for the Promotion of Reading of 5 July 2016
- Ordinance of the FDHA on the Promotion Concept for the Promotion of Publishing of 13 March 2020
- Ordinance of the FDHA on the Funding Concept for the Support of Museums, Collections and Networks of Third Parties for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage of 29 November 2016
- Ordinance of the FDHA on the Funding Concept for the Promotion of Music Education of 29 November 2016
- Ordinance of the FDHA on the Funding Concept for Swiss Prizes, Swiss Grand Prix and Purchases of 6 May 2016
- Ordinance of the FDHA on the Funding Concept for the Support of Cultural Events and Projects of 29 October 2020
- Ordinance of the FDHA of 29 October 2020 on the Funding Concept for the “youth+music” programme
- Rules of Procedure of 22 October 2020 of the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia Foundation
- Ordinance of the Board of Trustees of the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia Foundation of 22 October 2020 on its contributions (Pro Helvetia Contributions Ordinance)
- Ordinance of 27 October 2011 of the Board of Trustees of the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia Foundation on the staff of the Pro Helvetia Foundation (Pro Helvetia Staff Ordinance)
- Ordinance of 14 October 2020 on measures in the area of culture pursuant to the Covid 19 Act (Covid 19 Culture Ordinance)
[1] Source: Valär, Rico Franc, Kreis, Georg. “Wie viel Kulturpolitik braucht die Schweiz?”, 2019, pp. 123-136.
Comments are closed.