1. Cultural policy system
Liechtenstein
Last update: May, 2023
Cultural policy objectives
Liechtenstein’s cultural policy is aimed at the general population, artists, cultural institutions and projects. This is about more than just promoting culture. Cultural policy represents a public discussion, framework conditions and the interests of artists.
Major cultural policy responsibilities are vested in the state. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the country has strived to become an internationally renowned centre of art and culture. For the purpose of sustainably supporting cultural creativity and cultural values while raising public awareness, Liechtenstein has adapted its funding instruments.
For example, the Culture Promotion Act (CuPA), which has been in force since 2008, regulates
Culture Promotion Act (CuPA) of 20 September 2007: www.gesetze.li/konso/2007290000 the promotion of cultural creativity by individuals and private organisations in literature, music, performing and visual arts, film and video, folk culture and regional studies. The objective of the law is to promote diversity, independence, freedom, innovation and quality in the development of vibrant art and culture. It summarises what was previously regulated in several laws.
The cultural mission statement (LIECHTENSTEIN cultural mission) of 2011 outlines the main objectives of Liechtenstein’s cultural policy up to 2021. Cultural policy guidelines reflect the small country’s intention to be open, visible and independent. In terms of both cultural positioning and economic development, Liechtenstein has set a number of sustainable priorities: to strengthen Liechtenstein culture at home and abroad, to promote cultural awareness, to support cultural practitioners and promote the creative industries, to foster neighbourly relations as well as international cooperation.
With the Cultural Assets Protection Act (CAPA) of 2016, supplemented by the Cultural Assets Protection Ordinance in April 2021, the Principality of Liechtenstein expanded the scope of its active cultural policy. Cultural heritage is not only of great importance in affirming the identity of society. The modern law on the protection of cultural assets also complies with the various international conventions that Liechtenstein has adhered to for years. This law enshrines the protection of cultural assets in national law for the first time in the history of the Principality of Liechtenstein.
By agreeing to the Davos Declaration 2018 (Davos Declaration 2018) Liechtenstein also commits to making a high level of building culture a political and strategic priority. That Declaration is a reminder that “building” is culture and creates space for culture. In the European Year of Cultural Heritage, the European Commission called for raising awareness of the social and economic importance of cultural heritage.
Cultural policy in Liechtenstein always focuses on preserving the special characteristics of the small state and the participation of as many people as possible. Accordingly, the state bears responsibility for public institutions: for the Music School and School of Fine Arts, for the country’s library as the national library, for the art museum as the national gallery and the country’s museum as the national museum, for the University of Liechtenstein as well as the Adult Education Foundation. One element of the cultural-political obligation is to document the country’s sovereignty.
Cultural policy as social policy also deals with social challenges such as migration or digitalisation. Thus, there is consensus that one objective of cultural policy – especially at the municipal level – must be to integrate the culture of migrants and to take into account the cultural needs of people with a migrant background.
The Liechtenstein government’s Digital Agenda of 2019 (see 2.1) explicitly aims to broaden cultural funding to include digital content and to provide greater support for digital artistic creation. In addition, the creative industries are to be given a higher priority with regard to the further diversification of the business location. Cultural content from libraries, museums and archives is to be digitised in order to create the widest possible online access to culture.
At the same time, Liechtenstein participates in the “Digital Europe” and “Creative Europe” programmes of the European Union from 2021 to 2027. The principles for the participation of the EEA/EFTA states (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) in EU programmes are set out in Part VI, Art. 78 et seqq. EEA Agreement (cooperation outside the four freedoms). In 2015 and 2020, Liechtenstein looked back on 20 and 25 years of membership in the European Economic Area (EEA), respectively. The government presented an overall assessment in each case and acknowledged the EEA as a “model of success” for Liechtenstein (BuA No. 18/2015, BuA No. 34/2020).
Main characteristics
With 39,055 inhabitants (2020), Liechtenstein is the fourth smallest state in Europe. One third of the people come from other countries, mostly Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Italy. Cultural policy in Liechtenstein refers to both national identity and cultural diversity as an expression of being open to the world. Geographically, the country is situated between the Austrian province of Vorarlberg and the Swiss cantons of St. Gallen and Graubünden. The state guarantees a liberal environment, promotes the cultural climate as well as the private promotion of art and culture.
In Liechtenstein, culture as a state responsibility comprises three levels:
- Culture refers to all the intellectual and artistic achievements of the community in terms of civilisation.
- Culture includes science, research, education, art, history, religion, natural landscape, form of government, politics – in short, everything that enables people to understand themselves and their living space.
- Culture reflects the modern lifestyles of society.
Culture is also seen as a means of integration and European dialogue. When it comes to cultural creativity, a small state is dependent on its exchanges with the rest of the world. As such, cultural foreign policy is highly valued both regionally and internationally. This is explicitly spelled out in the 2012 report “Priorities of Liechtenstein Foreign Policy”.
An essential element of Liechtenstein’s cultural policy is the principle of subsidiarity, which stimulates and promotes private initiative. The state intervenes where more financial and human resources are needed to make culture possible, especially in order to realise exhibitions or buildings. A large number of stakeholders and different forms of cooperation underpin the national model. There is an increasingly important role for the private sector in Liechtenstein’s cultural landscape. Traditionally, this applies to cultural clubs, associations and institutions.
The eleven municipalities of the country contribute to the promotion of culture in line with the principle of subsidiarity. Funding for culture by the state and the municipalities is clearly separated. The municipalities of Liechtenstein organise their cultural life independently – under the Municipalities Act of 20 March 1996 (Law Gazette LGBl. 1996 No. 76), which includes the promotion of cultural life in the municipality’s own sphere of activity (Art. 12). The municipalities mainly support cultural associations and further develop the protection of sites of local character and monuments (see 1.2.4).
Cultural policy decisions in Liechtenstein are marked by transparency, competition and efficiency. According to Art. 78 para. 4 of the Constitution, the government has overall supervision of public enterprises. The 2010 Corporate Governance Act (law concerning the control and supervision of public companies (ÖUSG)) puts Liechtenstein in the top league. Under the control of Parliament, the government manages and supervises state-owned enterprises in a responsible and qualified manner.
Background
The connection between the Princely House of Liechtenstein and the country plays a special role. In 2012, the celebrations marking “300 years of the Upper Country” in Liechtenstein commemorated the beginnings of the Principality and the treaty on the sale of the County of Vaduz to Prince Johann Adam Andreas of Liechtenstein in 1712. The country of Liechtenstein then celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2019. In 1719, the Principality of Liechtenstein was founded and elevated to the status of Imperial Principality. Prince Johann Adam Andreas is not only considered the founder of the state; he also added a centrepiece to the Princely Collections: the world-renowned works of the Decius Mus cycle by Peter Paul Rubens.
The Princely Collections are among the most important private art collections in the world, placing special emphasis on the Baroque era, with paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, Anthonis van Dyck and Rembrandt, as well as sculptures by Giambologna, Adriaen de Vries and Massimiliano Soldani Benzi. For a long time, anyone who spoke of culture in the small state of Liechtenstein thought of these treasures of European art spanning five centuries.
Christian customs determined what the people in the Catholic country, which was still a poor agricultural country at the turn of the 20th century, believed to be culture in their everyday lives. In other words, culture was based on religion.
Great talents sought and found success abroad. The educator, historian and politician Peter Kaiser (1793–1864) was elected to the German National Assembly in the Paulskirche in Frankfurt in 1848 as a deputy of Liechtenstein. Just before, in 1847, he had written the book “History of the Principality of Liechtenstein”, which was of seminal importance for Liechtenstein. He is considered to be the founder of Liechtenstein historiography and the “discoverer” of a Liechtenstein nation-state identity rooted in its people.
Josef Gabriel Rheinberger (1839–1901), a composer, organist and music teacher born in Vaduz, is even often thought of as a German composer. At the age of twelve, he went to Munich and became one of the successful composers of his time. He achieved international acclaim as a composition teacher at the Munich Music School and the Academy of the Art of Music.
1900–1945:
The Liechtenstein National Museum (see 1.3.1 and 1.3.3) is the oldest cultural institution in the country. It was established around 1900 by Prince Johann II and supervised by the Historical Society for the Principality of Liechtenstein (see 1.2.5). The aim was to collect cultural objects of historical significance to the country. Important reforms in Liechtenstein took place during the reign of Johann II, including in the school system and municipal administration. He signed the first constitution in 1862 and the constitution based on democratic parliamentary principles in 1921. Johann II supported the arts and sciences and initiated the modernisation of the agricultural state.
The 1862 constitution made it possible for people in Liechtenstein’s municipalities to form associations. The first theatre association was founded in 1862. By 1921, there were ten brass music societies, and almost all the villages in the country had choral societies. The Historical Society was the first institution (1901) to deal with Liechtenstein’s past and present in an intellectual and scientific manner. It had a decisive influence on cultural development in the 20th century, being a driving force for the protection of cultural assets and the preservation of historical monuments.
A portrait of Prince Johann II can be seen on the first Liechtenstein stamps, issued on 1 February 1912. It was designed by the Art Nouveau artist Koloman Moser, a co-founder of the Vienna Secession in 1897. The high artistic quality of Liechtenstein stamps continues to attract the interest of philatelists worldwide. In 2021, Liechtenstein’s postal service continued to focus on innovation and received the “Runner-Up Prize” of the Innovation Award 2021 from PostEurop for the Blockchain-based Stamp 4.0. This crypto stamp is forgery-proof and interactive (see 2.4).
The painter, graphic artist, textile designer, book designer and typographer Ferdinand Nigg (1865–1949) is considered Liechtenstein’s most important contributor to modernism. In 1912, he became the first professor of paramentics at the School of Applied Arts (“Kunstgewerbeschule”) in Cologne, while producing an enormous body of artistic work. The “master of the cross-stitch” returned to Vaduz in 1931.
Following the annexation of Austria by the German Reich, Prince Franz Josef II left Vienna in 1938 and chose Vaduz as his residence. During the Second World War in 1944/45, the collections of the Prince of Liechtenstein, which were subject to an export ban, were also brought to Vaduz Castle under the most difficult conditions and thus rescued from looting and destruction.
1945–1960:
A real cultural landscape only began to develop when the economy in Liechteinstein caught up with modernisation at a rapid pace after the Second World War. While the roots of the Princely Collections are to be found in the Baroque ideal of art-loving princely patronage, representatives of the private sector in Liechtenstein also promoted art and culture alongside the Catholic Church.
In 1948, the parish priest of Schaan, Canon Johannes Tschuor (1896–1990), founded a school for “adult education”. It remained a key pillar of culture in Liechtenstein for two decades and was a forerunner of the Liechtenstein Adult Education Foundation, which was founded in 1999 (see 1.2.2 and 1.3.3).
The painter, graphic artist and philosopher Eugen Zotow (1881–1953) created portraits and landscapes of Liechtenstein and Switzerland as well as still lifes for the few wealthy Liechtenstein citizens, for immigrants from Germany and for Prince Franz Josef II. He designed several stamp series for the government. The Ukrainian-born artist lived in exile in Vaduz from 1938 to 1953. In 1951, he produced “etchings from the eleven municipalities” as well as drawings and graphics of Vaduz Castle.
Liechtenstein scholars and committed students founded the non-profit association Liechtenstein Academic Society (LAG) in 1951. By studying cultural, governmental, social, philosophical and religious issues, LAG aims to influence and enrich cultural life in Liechtenstein. LAG has published two high-level scientific series under its own publishing house (VLAG) since 1972, in addition to individual publications. A total of 60 volumes were published in the series “Liechtenstein – Politische Schriften” (LPS) up to 2019, predominantly with essays on political science, the humanities and law. The series “Kleine Schriften” contained a total of 55 booklets by 2019.
1960–1980:
State cultural policy began in the 1960s and 1970s – late and gradually in response to private initiatives. The Liechtenstein National Library and the National Archives were founded in 1961 (see 1.3.1, 1.3.3 and 3.2). In 1963, a private group initiated the establishment of the Liechtenstein Music School, and since 1971, the International Master Classes have evolved into a high-profile international seminar and event platform in Liechtenstein (see 1.3.3). The Liechtenstein State Art Collection was founded in 1968, which laid the foundation for the Liechtenstein Art Museum (see 1.3.1 and 1.3.3). In 1970, the “Theater am Kirchplatz” (TAK) (see 1.3.1) opened its doors, which today serves the function of a state theatre. In 1978, the PEN Club Liechtenstein was founded as an autonomous PEN centre of PEN International, one of the best-known international authors’ associations.
Liechtenstein joined the European Cultural Convention (1954) in 1979. The new cultural policies of the 1980s and 1990s reflected the priorities set by the Council of Europe on issues of cultural identity, heritage, cultural diversity and participation in cultural life.
1980–2000:
In 1986, the Historical Society and the Academic Society founded the Liechtenstein Institute in Bendern. The Institute explores through scientific research topics relevant to Liechtenstein, where the promotion of research is considered a state responsibility. Even though the state delegates this responsibility to a private initiative, the Liechtenstein Institute, the Institute receives state funding and is also commissioned by the state. The Liechtenstein Institute conducts research in law, politics, economics, social sciences and history. Its findings are intended to contribute to the understanding of the Liechtenstein State at home and abroad, to promote a cosmopolitan and realistic Liechtenstein self-image, as well as to facilitate the shaping of opinions on important issues.
In the 1990s, the arts and culture sector continued to gain momentum. The Symphony Orchestra is born, the Musical Company, the International Guitar Days, the Liechtenstein School of Fine Arts, and a growing number of professional artists contribute to music, literature, theatre, dance and visual arts. Liechtenstein presents books at the book fairs in Frankfurt am Main and Leipzig and has participated in the European Heritage Days since 1993.
In 1995, Liechtenstein joined the European Economic Area (EEA). This has shaped Liechtenstein’s political system and bolstered its sovereignty. The EEA Agreement allows the EEA/EFTA states (Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway) to participate in framework programmes, special programmes, projects or other actions of the European Union (EU).
Since the beginning of the 21st century, Liechtenstein has increasingly showcased its diversity internationally. It participates in Expo 2000 in Hanover and the Literature Express Europe 2000 project, as well as in the Long Night of Museums organised by the Austrian broadcaster ORF in Austria, South Tyrol and Liechtenstein (see 6.1). Each year, the Liechtenstein Cultural Foundation awards two scholarships to professional young artists. They then spend a year in another country to further their education at music and art schools, universities or in studios. Since September 2006, Liechtenstein has also had a residential studio in Berlin for artists from Liechtenstein, which serves as a centre for art, culture and encounters for all artistic disciplines.
The Liechtenstein Art Museum, based on the Liechtenstein State Art Collection of 1969, has been a central institution in the country since 2000 (see 1.3.1 and 1.3.3). The museum deliberately seeks out themes that deal with the contemporary attitude to life in Europe. Although the National Gallery is a place of international art, as a regional museum it also relates to the cultural essence of the Rhine Valley region.
2000–2021:
In 2006, the Liechtenstein Art Museum embarked on a new, innovative path of museum cooperation across national borders and contributes to a cooperation that is unique to date in the German-speaking cultural sector. The MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst Frankfurt am Main, the Kunstmuseum St. Gallen and the Liechtenstein Art Museum have jointly purchased the Rolf Ricke Collection – 152 works of US classics – for EUR 4.5 million. Liechtenstein’s Parliament approved CHF 1.15 million (EUR 731,600) to co-acquire the collection.
The connection between private and state is also playing an increasingly important role in Liechtenstein’s culture. Private donors donated the art museum to the country in 2000. In May 2015, the Liechtenstein Art Museum deepened its cooperation with the Hilti Art Foundation, which presents its internationally important art collection in its own new building under the roof of the Art Museum.
It was in 2013 that Liechtenstein discovered its potential for the cultural and creative industries and has been developing networks ever since. Then, in September 2014, the Institute of Architecture and Planning at the University of Liechtenstein presented the first Creative Industries Report for Liechtenstein. The report is considered an important step in highlighting the country’s great creative potential. In the Digital Agenda of 2019, the Liechtenstein government commits to expanding cultural diversity to include the dimension of digitalisation.
The exchange about and of art and culture across borders as well as the open cultural policy are also part of Liechtenstein’s foreign policy. For Liechtenstein, culture is a means of integration and dialogue. In 2015, Liechtenstein celebrated its 25th anniversary of joining the UN. Today, Liechtenstein is one of the leading voices when it comes to the rule of law and international criminal justice (see 2.1).
In 2019, Liechtenstein celebrated “300 years of the Principality”. A series of events focusing on history, foreign policy, cultural activities, education and the economy was organised at Liechtenstein’s museums and embassies.
Protecting its cultural heritage is an important issue for Liechtenstein. The first “Blue Shield” of the organisation Blue Shield International, which is affiliated with UNESCO, was affixed to the government building in Vaduz (1903–1905) in September 2021 to serve as a signal.
Since August 2021, the Office of Cultural Affairs has been running a residential studio for creators of culture and art from other countries. The Liechtenstein artists’ studio is located in the listed “Turmhaus” in Balzers.
Last update: May, 2023
The Government of the Principality of Liechtenstein is the supreme executive body of the country. It consists of the head of government and four government councillors and answers to both the Landtag (Parliament) as the highest legislative body and the Prince Regnant as head of state. The Government is appointed for a period of four years by the Prince on the proposal of the Landtag and has its seat in the Liechtenstein capital Vaduz.
Last update: May, 2023
The country’s cultural policy tasks focus on the following: Representation of the country as a whole, creation of a regulatory framework for the development of art and culture, promotion of cultural institutions and projects of national significance, preservation and protection of cultural heritage, foreign cultural policy, promotion of historical awareness.
The five members of the Liechtenstein Government are responsible for 15 ministries:
The Department of Education, which is part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Education and Sport, is responsible for the Liechtenstein education system from early education to adult education.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for cultural events at the embassies in Bern, Vienna, Berlin, Strasbourg, Brussels, Washington and New York, as well as for its involvement in the UN.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Culture (the Department of Culture has been part of this Ministry since 2021, previously it was part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) is responsible for the social, societal and cultural policies of the Principality of Liechtenstein.
Cultural policy in Liechtenstein bridges the past, the present and the future. This includes preserving the special characteristics of the small state. Thus, the state also bears responsibility for public institutions: for the Music School and School of Fine Arts, for the National Library, the Art Museum and the National Museum. According to Art. 78 para. 4 of the Constitution, the government has overall supervision of public enterprises. The Government relies on the 2010 Corporate Governance Act to control and supervise state-owned enterprises. The coordination office for control and supervision is the Finance Unit, which is part of the Ministry of General Government Affairs and Finance.
In 2008, Liechtenstein transferred state cultural promotion to the independent and autonomous Liechtenstein Cultural Foundation (see 1.3.3). It ensures artistic freedom and is committed to pluralism, diversity, quality, creativity, innovation, identity and internationalisation. The country has a strong tradition of folk culture. Thanks to the funding, the cultural scene has become much more diverse and richer.
Until 2011, the Cultural Affairs Unit coordinated the state tasks of Liechtenstein’s cultural life. It was integrated into the newly founded Office of Cultural Affairs (AKU) in 2012, which advises the Ministry of Culture, implements projects and works as an interface for the country’s regional and international engagement in the cultural commissions of the Council of Europe, EEA/EFTA and the International Lake Constance Conference (ILCC). Since 2017, the AKU has also been tasked with implementing comprehensive protection measures for Liechtenstein’s cultural heritage as well as its architectural heritage. The cultural departments of archaeology, monument preservation, national archives and cultural creation are integrated into the Office of Cultural Affairs, as well as the LIVE specialist unit, which is responsible for the digital records management of the national administration.
The Agency for International Educational Affairs (AIBA), as the national agency for Liechtenstein, oversees the education, youth and sports programmes of the EU Commission (see 1.3.3 and 1.4.2).
Since 1999, the Liechtenstein Adult Education Foundation has had the task of planning, promoting and coordinating adult education in the country, supporting the organisers financially, ensuring the quality of the courses, coordinating adult education with continuing vocational education and training, and closing any gaps in Liechtenstein’s adult education. One topic is the promotion of literacy so that all people can participate in the political, economic and cultural life of Liechtenstein. Another one is access to lifelong learning for people with disabilities.
The Office of Communications, which is part of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Economy and Sport, is the office of the Media Commission, which makes decisions regarding media subsidies. It also advises the Government on media-specific issues. Its responsibilities are regulated in the Media Promotion Act of 19 October 2005, (LGBl. 2005 No. 250) and in the Media Promotion Act of 21 September 2006 (LGBl. 2006 No. 223) (see 4.2.5).
According to the Liechtenstein Radio Act of 23 October 2003 (LGBl. 2003 No. 229), the Media Commission is also responsible for the legal oversight of broadcasting. The Media Commission is elected by Parliament and is under the legal supervision of the Government.
Last update: May, 2023
In Liechtenstein, region implies exchange and cooperation with neighbouring countries. Liechtenstein is closely linked to Austria and Switzerland. It is part of the Rhine Valley life and economic region as well as the Lake Constance Euregio. Euregio (from “European” and “region”) is a cross-border association of local and regional areas of the EU in economic, cultural and social terms. In 2018, more than 4.1 million people lived in the Lake Constance Euregio (founded in 1997). This European region encompasses German districts in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, six Swiss cantons (including Zurich), the Austrian province of Vorarlberg and the Principality of Liechtenstein.
Cross-border cooperation exists, for example, via the information platform of the Rhine Valley Border Community, which was founded in 1985. Its goal is to promote the economic, political and cultural developments of the region. This includes areas along the Rhine in the Swiss cantons of St. Gallen and Graubünden, the Austrian province of Vorarlberg and the eleven Liechtenstein municipalities.
Liechtenstein has been a member of the International Lake Constance Conference (ILCC), founded in 1972, since 1998 (see 1.4.1). In January 2022, in the 50th year of its existence, the heads of government of the ILCC reaffirmed the common goals of the Lake Constance region in the “2022 Summit Declaration”: Lake Constance and the Rhine are to connect urban and rural people. The members focus, for example, on climate-neutral transport for the future, on educational cooperation and on initiatives and commitment from the younger generation.
Through the ILCC, Liechtenstein is involved in a number of cultural institutions: such as the Lake Constance History Association and Lake Constance Bibliography, the Association of Lake Constance Archivists. The Office of Cultural Affairs represents Liechtenstein on the “Culture” commission. The University of Liechtenstein participates in the ILCC “Education, Science and Research” commission and is part of the International Lake Constance University (IBH), the largest inter-university network in Europe.
Since 1991, the ILCC has been awarding sponsorship prizes in alternating cultural fields. Seven cultural creators from the Lake Constance region with outstanding potential in their respective cultural fields are recognised each time. In 2020, the Liechtenstein art association “Schichtwechsel” received one of the sponsorship awards for its commitment to linking art and society and consequently opening up new perspectives. At the same time, the ILCC Culture commission takes up relevant topics in an art forum: 2022 is about promoting culture in the midst of digital transformation. In addition, the ILCC artist meeting 2022 is aimed at professional musicians of all genres who have a refugee background and have lived in the Lake Constance region for no longer than ten years. The aim is to facilitate an interdisciplinary and creative exchange.
Apart from regional cooperation, there is also bilateral cooperation between Liechtenstein and its neighbours. There are regular meetings between the Liechtenstein Ministry of Culture and representatives of the cantons of St. Gallen and Graubünden as well as Vorarlberg. Liechtenstein has been working with the Swiss Pro Helvetia foundation for its participation in the Venice Biennale since 2015. The University of Liechtenstein is the direct cooperation partner (see 1.3.3).
Last update: May, 2023
In accordance with the Municipalities Act of 1996, the eleven Liechtenstein municipalities each shape their own cultural profile. The decision-making body is the local council elected by the population, advised by a cultural commission appointed from time to time. Key tasks of the cultural commissions are the promotion of cultural life, the protection of historical monuments, the support of cultural associations or the purchase of works of art. These commissions are responsible for customs as well as cultural assets and organise cultural events. Five municipalities maintain their own museums, and two municipalities (Vaduz and Balzers) have their own operetta theatres.
Last update: May, 2023
Amateur art, volunteer work and private initiatives play a central role in Liechtenstein’s cultural landscape. There are various cultural associations across Liechtenstein: galleries, choral societies, photo clubs, folklore and music societies. For example, the ten brass bands have been cornerstones of cultural and social life for around 150 years and today comprise 450 musicians. Since 1985, the Liechtenstein Brass Band Association has been a member of the International Confederation of Music Societies (CISM), which has set itself the goal of promoting amateur musicians. Liechtenstein also has 25 choral associations, with over 1,000 singers. These associations are joined together in the “Fürstlich Liechtensteinischer Sängerbund” (Liechtenstein Choir Association). This largest cultural association in the country is a member of the European AGEC. Both wind music and choirs are supported by the Liechtenstein Cultural Foundation.
The Historical Society for the Principality of Liechtenstein has set itself the goal of promoting historical and regional studies as well as historical awareness. Its yearbook series, which has been published by the Society’s own publishing house since the beginning, is the most important publication on regional studies. The Society initiates and supports research in this field. In addition to the Liechtenstein Cultural Foundation, other foundations as well as EEA and Norway grants from the funding programme of the EEA states Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway contribute to the financing of projects.
The Liechtenstein Art Society, founded in 1975, is a cooperation partner of the National Museum and the Art Museum as well as the English Building Art Space and the Liechtenstein School of Fine Arts. It enables its approximately 600 members to engage with art on various levels. The Art Society is financed by membership fees and grants from the Liechtenstein Cultural Foundation.
Artists in Liechtenstein, with few exceptions, work on a semi-professional level. There are three professional associations that influence cultural events in the country. Since 2016, the Association of Visual Arts Visarte Liechtenstein (known as BBKL 2006 to 2016) has promoted and ensured the regional and international networking of its members. Visarte Liechtenstein is a member of Visarte Switzerland and the IAA (International Association of Art). It supports artists in legal, financial and social matters. The association is financed by membership fees, donations and subsidies from the Liechtenstein Cultural Foundation. In Switzerland, Visarte is the largest professional association in the cultural sector with around 2,500 active members.
In August 2013, Liechtenstein writers joined together to form “Word – the Authors’ Interest Group in Liechtenstein”. Since 2015, this interest group of authors has awarded an annual honorary prize to individuals, organisations or projects from Liechtenstein and abroad who have made outstanding contributions to the literature of Liechtenstein. It is funded by membership fees and donations.
The non-profit association “IG Kunst & Kultur in Liechtenstein” has existed since September 2020. This interest group represents the interests of all cultural and artistic creators (performing arts, visual arts, film and media, literature, music). “IG Kultur” lobbies for better economic conditions, social security and acceptance of art and culture as fundamental values of society. It sees itself as an initiator, as a discussion partner and as a critical authority vis-à-vis the institutions and the government. “IG Kultur” received start-up funding from the Liechtenstein Cultural Foundation. It is funded by membership fees as well as public and private donations.
Last update: May, 2023
In a small state, cultural policy is closely linked to other political areas, such as foreign policy, financial policy, tourism, communication policy, education policy, migration policy, the economy and environmental policy. Cultural policy is about more than managing and promoting culture; it always affects society as a whole. The country, ministries, authorities and municipalities work together at different levels.
Ministries
The Department of Education, which is part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Education and Sport, is responsible for the Liechtenstein education system. This also includes the University of Liechtenstein, the Agency for International Educational Affairs (AIBA) and the Liechtenstein Music School, the Liechtenstein School of Fine Arts as well as the Adult Education Foundation. The Ministry of Education as well as the School Board constantly cooperate with various bodies, commissions and working groups such as the municipalities, the business associations and the Office for Vocational Education and Training.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also responsible for cultural events at the embassies in Bern, Vienna, Berlin, Strasbourg, Brussels, Washington and New York, as well as for its involvement in the UN.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Culture is responsible for the social, societal and cultural policy of the Principality of Liechtenstein. It is also responsible for independent foundations under public law, such as the Liechtenstein National Museum, the National Library and the Art Museum. The Department of Culture is also responsible for cultural issues in cooperation with the Council of Europe, the EEA, the EU and the region.
Authorities and municipalities
Cooperation in the field of art and culture has traditionally been close between the Ministry of Culture, the Office of Cultural Affairs and the Liechtenstein Cultural Foundation as well as the University of Liechtenstein and the Liechtenstein embassies. The same applies to the cooperation between the state and the municipalities. For example, the National Archives, which are part of the Office of Cultural Affairs, are in regular contact with the municipal archives. Similarly, the areas of monuments and archaeology regularly exchange information with the eleven municipalities in the country.
300 years of Liechtenstein
Cooperation at all levels in the preparation and implementation of Liechtenstein’s 300th anniversary in 2019 is impressive. After the celebrations of 300 years of the Lower Country (1999) and Upper Country (2012) as well as 200 years of sovereignty (2006), the 2019 jubilee points to the real culmination around the birth of the Principality. The central idea was: “Thinking about tomorrow today with yesterday’s experience”. This was the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Justice and Culture. Cooperation was specifically coordinated through the Office of Cultural Affairs and the municipalities. The project was managed by the Liechtenstein Marketing Competence Centre, which reports to the Department of Economic Affairs.
Discussions on the implementation of the anniversary were broad-based. The idea was to make the population identify more closely with the country and to promote a sense of the basic values of the state (300.li). The state and the municipalities jointly financed the anniversary: the municipalities organised a nationwide jubilee trail, while the state handled events, exhibitions, the scientific review of Liechtenstein’s history, an internet platform, as well as media coverage through media partnerships. In addition, there was support from cooperation partners such as companies, associations, institutions, government offices, foundations and private individuals. The diplomatic representations of Liechtenstein also played an important role (see 1.4.1).
Last update: May, 2023
It is impossible to quantify the share of the private sector in the total volume of cultural funding. A clue is provided by the study “Developments in cultural funding in Eastern Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein since 2008”, published in 2020 by Interface Politikstudien Forschung Beratung, Lucerne. According to the study, the share of public funding for cultural institutions is between 40 and 47 per cent and for projects between 33 and 40 per cent.
With major works of European art spanning five centuries, the collections of the Prince of Liechtenstein are among the most important private collections in the world. There is a kind of bridge between Austria and Liechtenstein with the Liechtenstein Museum in Vienna, which since 2012 has been open to the public as the Palais Liechtenstein only for events and guided tours of the Princely Collections. Prince Hans Adam II had the Garden Palace renovated and presented it to the art world in March 2004 as a modern museum and baroque synthesis of the arts.
Companies in the export and financial sectors, private stakeholders, foundations and sponsors also play a significant role in Liechtenstein's cultural sector. They frequently support projects in the municipalities, promote artists or make their own art collections accessible to the public.
For example, the Hilti family has been accumulating an extraordinary collection of classical modern art up to the present since the 1970s. But that is not all: since May 2015, the Hilti Art Foundation has displayed its internationally important art collection in a separate exhibition building in the centre of Vaduz – an extension and complement to the Liechtenstein Art Museum.
Various styles of painting from the post-war period to the present day form the focus of the VP Bank Art Foundation’s collection, which was established in the 1970s. It promotes artists at home and abroad through acquisitions. VP Bank has also taken an active role in supporting young musicians since February 2022, supporting the Ensemble Esperanza and the International Music Academy in Liechtenstein. The Ensemble Esperanza is an ensemble of young soloists, founded in 2015 by the International Music Academy in Liechtenstein, which promotes highly talented musicians between the ages of 10 and 28.
One of the main players in the cultural scene in Liechtenstein is the Theater am Kirchplatz (TAK) in Schaan (see 3.3). Since 1972, this theatre has been organised under private law as a cooperative. The TAK is a theatre for the region from Liechtenstein to Vorarlberg and Eastern Switzerland, which brings international theatre and concerts to the country, but also stages its own productions and co-productions. It receives state funding, as well as private support and money from the municipality of Schaan and Vaduz.
The Liechtenstein National Museum in Vaduz (founded around 1900) is the social memory of society, a place of identity, a park with attractions and a cultural laboratory. On display at the museum is the life of the people of Liechtenstein, shown as a journey through time that begins in the here and now. As memory is never chronological, six guiding concepts and guiding objects point to the focal points of life. This is where archaeology and folklore, history and art, popular piety and industrial history meet. Thanks to multimedia technology, the modern museum has been transformed into a database.
Branches of the National Museum are Farmhouse Museum House No. 12 in the municipality of Schellenberg, the Postal Museum and the Treasure Chamber in Vaduz. The Liechtenstein Treasure Chamber (opened in 2015) is unique in the Alpine region. The Liechtenstein Postal Museum (opened in 1930) illustrates the development of the postal system since the 15th century.
The history of the Liechtenstein National Library (1961), which is fairly recent for a national library, begins shortly after the Second World War, in a time of economic upswing and increased self-awareness (see 1.3.3). When it was renovated in 1998, the library was given a modern infrastructure. In 2021, the inventory of Liechtenstein publications comprised around 150,000 items. The National Library will have larger premises from autumn 2026, which means that all media will be under one roof.
The Liechtenstein National Archives have been a department of the Liechtenstein government since 1961 and have been part of the Office of Cultural Affairs since 2012. Opened in 2009, the new National Archives building in Vaduz is the first public administration building in the Principality of Liechtenstein to meet the “Minergie-P” standard. It is the central archive for all state agencies of the Principality of Liechtenstein, and also holds archival material from private sources, while also developing its own documentation and collections.
The knowledge that culture affects people and society at the deepest level shapes the position and profile of the Liechtenstein National Gallery. The Liechtenstein Art Museum – opened in 2000 – contains works from the collections of the Prince of Liechtenstein, among others, as well as works from the State Art Collection, which, with works of art from the 19th and 20th centuries, is chronologically linked to the collections of the Princes of Liechtenstein. The Liechtenstein State Art Collection Foundation became part of the Liechtenstein Art Museum Foundation in 2000. The complete collection of works by the thirteen Arte Povera artists is also considered a unique contribution of the Art Museum.
With 2,750 students, the Liechtenstein Music School is the largest educational institution in Liechtenstein. It is open to all age groups, actively participates in the cultural life of the region and promotes musical diversity. Musicians are trained at the Music School until they qualify for university studies.
The Liechtenstein School of Fine Arts was founded in 1993 as a school-based educational institution for children, young people and adults (see 1.3.3, 2.8 and 3.4). Since 2002, it has been an independent foundation under public law. With an open and independent understanding of art and design, the School of Fine Arts sees itself as a contemporary centre of education.
Liechtenstein also invites artists from neighbouring countries to exhibitions at the English Building Art Space. This building has been used for exhibitions of contemporary art since 2002. The Liechtenstein Cultural Foundation has been the sponsor of the Art Space since 2008.
The Institute of Architecture and Planning at the University of Liechtenstein represents the country at the architecture exhibition “La Biennale” in Venice and, as such, has been part of national and regional cultural policy since 2014 (see 1.3.3).
Since 2019, the Literature House (founded in 2009) has had its own premises in Schaan. The association intends to make literary treasures accessible to the public. It publishes texts and organises workshops for authors.
Last update: May, 2023
Table 1: Cultural institutions, by sector and area
|
Domain |
Cultural institutions (subdomains) |
Public sector |
Private sector |
||
|
|
|
Number |
Trend, last 5 years (in %) |
Number |
Trend, last 5 years (in %) |
|
Cultural heritage |
Cultural heritage sites (recognised) |
186 (2019) |
nda # |
nda # |
nda # |
|
|
Archaeological sites |
5 (2022) |
nda # |
nda # |
nda # |
|
Museums |
Museum facilities |
11 (2022) |
nda # |
6 (2022) |
nda # |
|
Archives |
Archive institutions |
14 (2022) |
nda # |
nda # |
nda # |
|
Visual arts |
Public galleries |
4 (2022) |
nda # |
9 (2022) |
nda # |
|
Performing arts |
Theatres |
1 (2022) |
nda # |
4 (2022) |
nda # |
|
|
Orchestras |
2 (2022) |
nda # |
nda # |
nda # |
|
|
Theatre companies |
1 (2022) |
nda # |
4 (2022) |
nda # |
|
|
Dance and ballet companies |
|
|
8 (2022) |
nda # |
|
|
Symphonic orchestras |
2 (2022) |
nda # |
nda # |
nda # |
|
Libraries |
Libraries |
13 (2022) |
nda # |
nda # |
nda # |
|
Audiovisual |
Cinemas |
2 (2022) |
nda # |
nda # |
nda # |
|
|
Radio and television |
1 (2022) |
|
|
|
|
Interdisciplinary |
Socio-cultural centres |
21 (2022) |
nda # |
|
|
|
Other |
Music School School of Fine Arts |
1 (2022) 1 (2022) |
nda # |
|
|
Source(s):
nda # = no data available
Last update: May, 2023
The Liechtenstein Cultural Foundation took over responsibility for state cultural promotion in 2008. From 2009 to 2015, it had to adopt austerity measures with a gradual reduction of the state contribution by 31.8 per cent – from CHF 1.8 million to CHF 1.2 million. As a result of the cuts, funding for projects and the development of artists is increasing – a positive trend for the Foundation. In 2020, the state contribution was just under CHF 1.6 million.
The fact that about one third of the funding goes to music each year reflects the tradition of community music activities in clubs and associations (see 1.2.5). Broad-based promotion is intended to affirm Liechtenstein’s appreciation of the intensive cultural commitment of the population. The state shows its support for artistic development in an international context by means of funding for excellence.
The Foundation also launches its own projects, which are intended to give artists a platform. One focus of the Foundation is the art collection documenting contemporary artistic creation. In 2011, it comprised 360 objects of visual art; in 2020, it was around 700.
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed substantial challenges for cultural creators, cultural enterprises and cultural associations in Liechtenstein since March 2020. In order to support Liechtenstein’s culture in a reorientation towards virtual formats and to compensate for a lack of income, Parliament approved an additional CHF 500,000 for the Liechtenstein Cultural Foundation at the end of 2020, another CHF 500,000 in May 2021 and a further CHF 250,000 in February 2022. To date, Liechtenstein has supported cultural creators to the tune of CHF 1.25 million in order to enable them to emerge from the pandemic safely.
The Liechtenstein Art Museum bridges the gap between contemporary art and the world of the Old Masters. For the 300th anniversary of Liechtenstein, masterpieces from the 15th to 19th centuries from the important collections of the Prince of Liechtenstein entered into a dialogue for the first time with works of art from the 20th and 21st centuries from the collection of the Art Museum. The conversational and thematic juxtapositions across the centuries and generations distinguish the profile of the Art Museum. The museum’s collection – at the same time the State Art Collection of the Principality – also earns its profile through three-dimensional works of art: sculptures, installations and objects. Arte Povera and Post-Minimal Art constitute the main elements in terms of content.
In 2014, the country cut the budget for art purchases from CHF 628,223 (2012) to CHF 200,000. By contrast, in 2019 and 2020, Liechtenstein had set aside CHF 300,000 each for this purpose. In view of the limited acquisition funds, the Liechtenstein Art Museum is adding to existing artists’ positions in the collection.
The Liechtenstein National Museum (LLM) with its long collection history (since the end of the 19th century) documents the history, art, culture, customs, industry, nature, environment and philately of Liechtenstein, also as it relates to its neighbouring countries and the Princely House. The LLM’s activities are based on the cultural area of the Alps, Europe and the globalised world, with the Principality of Liechtenstein at its core. It is a challenging task to maintain a balance between a museum with a national dimension and an internationally recognised national museum. Between 2013 and 2015, the state contribution was cut by around ten per cent. In 2014, this was CHF 2.4 million, but in 2020 it is restored to CHF 3 million.
Music education and making music together are the core tasks of the Liechtenstein Music School. Its comprehensive music education reaches out to a wide variety of groups in Liechtenstein and the region: from toddlers to seniors, from beginners to the most gifted, from classicists to rockers. The programme aims to promote musical development on a broad basis, culminating in excellence. With the “International Master Classes”, the Music School in Vaduz gives musicians from all over the world a platform for meeting renowned artists of our time from the fields of classical music and jazz. The Music School, too, had to cut ten per cent of its budget between 2010 and 2015. In 2020, the state contribution was back to around CHF 6.6 million.
The Liechtenstein School of Fine Arts (founded in 1993) has been a foundation under public law since 2002. Liechtenstein followed the trend across the EU towards the independent establishment of institutions for the education of all inhabitants in the visual arts. The objective of the school is to contribute to the aesthetic and cultural education of the general public in Liechtenstein and the region. At the same time, it is a meeting place for artists and art lovers. The Liechtenstein School of Fine Arts is financed by contributions from the state (50 per cent), municipalities (25 per cent) and sponsors, as well as school fees.
According to the law of 2009 (LGBl. 2009 No. 368), the Liechtenstein National Library sees itself as a public library and offers users free access to media. In its role as national library, it collects all publications from Liechtenstein and about Liechtenstein and safeguards them for future generations. As a scientific library, the National Library supports researchers, students and learners, especially in their work on Liechtenstein topics. Based on the Library Strategy 2025, the National Library aims to increasingly address the needs in a time of technological and social change. One of its objectives is to be a guide in the diversity of information. It had a total inventory of around 330,000 media in 2020.
The Liechtenstein Adult Education Foundation sees itself as a source of inspiration and a central platform for continuing education. Starting in 2015, it became clear that adult education can play an essential role in responding to the refugee situation in Europe. Liechtenstein has been offering continuing education vouchers co-financed by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union since 2017. This way, the country also supports financially weaker people with language or computer courses in order to promote social and economic development as well as integration and to overcome cultural barriers. The state contributed just under CHF 1.3 million in 2019 and just under CHF 1.6 million in 2020.
As a member of the EEA, Liechtenstein has participated in EU education programmes since 1995. The first phase was completed by the end of 1999, the second phase by 2006. Through its participation in the third generation of EU education programmes, Liechtenstein created the Agency for International Educational Affairs (AIBA), which is affiliated to the national administration, in 2007. The National Agency manages the EU Erasmus+ programme (2014–2020, 2021–2027) and oversees regional and international programmes such as the International World Cup, the EEA Grants Programme, the eTwinning programme as well as the National Qualifications Framework Liechtenstein (NQFL) to ensure international comparability of educational qualifications (see 1.4.2). In 2014, the state contribution amounted to CHF 615,000; in 2020, it was CHF 909,000.
AIBA’s key partner in the implementation of the EU programmes is the non-profit association aha – Liechtenstein Youth Information. The country entrusted aha-Liechtenstein with the management of the National Agency for the EU programme Erasmus+ Youth in Action in 2000. For the fifth generation of the EU Erasmus programme, AIBA takes over all programme areas starting in 2021 in order to benefit from administrative synergies.
The University of Liechtenstein meets the challenges of a constantly changing world by providing education and training, research as well as knowledge and technology transfer. It provides decisive momentum for the country and the region in terms of entrepreneurship, finance, business law and business informatics, as well as in the fields of architecture and planning. For example, in 2015, architecture students at the university developed concepts for the future of the Austrian Alpine landscape “Maiensäss Montafon”. Another group of students developed new scenarios for old-age living in the Liechtenstein village of Eschen. Interdisciplinary architecture and economics students designed innovative solutions for the energy-efficient refurbishment of houses in the “Energy City” of Vaduz.
Last update: May, 2023
Cooperation – national, regional and international – is essential for the small state of Liechtenstein in the heart of Europe. The Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education are responsible for cooperation with the Council of Europe, the EEA, the EU and the Lake Constance/Rhine Valley region. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for cultural events at the embassies in Bern, Vienna, Berlin, Strasbourg, Brussels, Washington and New York, as well as for its involvement in the UN. In 2008, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had stepped up its dialogue with UNESCO. However, there is no government policy for Liechtenstein to join UNESCO for the time being.
As a member of the United Nations since 1990, Liechtenstein is particularly committed to human rights (see 2.1).
Liechtenstein has been a member of the Council of Europe since 1978 and is also involved in European cultural projects. The cultural objectives of the Council of Europe – promoting diversity, identity and creativity – are reflected in Liechtenstein’s cultural policy. Liechtenstein has signed the European Cultural Convention and the European Conventions for the Protection of Architectural and Archaeological Heritage. In 2007, for the first time, the government defined culture as a mandate of foreign policy in order to take cultural creation out into the world: through embassies, through its involvement in the “Steering Committee for Culture” of the EEA and in the “Steering Committee for Cultural Heritage” of the Council of Europe, by collaborating in the cultural commissions of the International Lake Constance Conference (ILCC), by cooperating with the cantons of Eastern Switzerland and with the Austrian province of Vorarlberg. Liechtenstein is currently represented by the Office of Cultural Affairs in the Steering Committee for Culture, Heritage and Landscape (CDCPP) of the Council of Europe. CDCPP is the committee responsible for activities related to culture, heritage and landscape and for following up on their implementation, monitoring and evaluation. The exchange with the neighbouring countries of the Lake Constance region is particularly lively. In 1998, Liechtenstein joined the International Lake Constance Conference (ILCC), represented by the Office of Cultural Affairs (see 1.2.3). Every two years, the ILCC initiates encounters of artists in rotating domains of the arts. The purpose is to promote artistic dialogue across borders in the Lake Constance region. Partners in southern Germany, Vorarlberg, Graubünden, Tyrol and the Principality of Liechtenstein, for example, took a closer look at the history of the “Swabian children”. The cooperative project was supported by the Interreg IV programme of the EU entitled “Alpine Rhine – Lake Constance – High Rhine”.
Since 2013, Liechtenstein has made use of the worldwide network of libraries of the Goethe Institute of the Federal Republic of Germany (EU). These now also offer publications from Liechtenstein on the country’s history and culture. Both countries have close and multifaceted cultural relations. This includes a long-standing presence at the Frankfurt Book Fair and an intensive exchange with the Berlin district of Treptow/Köpenick. Since 2006, artists from Liechtenstein have been able to live and work in a studio in Berlin. Furthermore, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) enables German students or university teachers to spend time in Liechtenstein. In turn, Liechtensteiners are given the opportunity to study, teach or conduct research in Germany.
Relations with Austria (EU) and the customs treaty partner Switzerland (EFTA) are of central importance for Liechtenstein (EEA/EFTA). In 2015, Austria and Liechtenstein signed a cultural agreement. With the signing of a memorandum of understanding in February 2016 between Austria and Liechtenstein, musical talents from Liechtenstein can also take part in the renowned youth music competition “prima la musica” at the national level in Austria. The two countries further consolidated their cooperation in 2020. This also includes the expansion of the “Liechtenstein shelf” in 65 Austrian libraries in more than 28 countries – a window for Liechtenstein culture and literature out into the world.
Switzerland and Liechtenstein have had a dense network of treaties for around 100 years. In 2019, an agreement also came into force that complements the existing opportunities for music education in Liechtenstein. The programme “Youth and Music”, or “Y+M” for short (see 5.1), aims to facilitate access to music for children and young people. But it also offers associations – for example, harmony bands, choirs and all those involved in music – additional opportunities and possibilities for further training and certification.
At the same time, representatives from the Ministries of Culture and Education work closely with Swiss partners. For example, the Archaeology Division of the Office of Cultural Affairs is represented in the Conference of Swiss Cantonal Archaeologists (KSKA) and the Archaeology Commission of the Canton of Zurich. It also cooperates with the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Archaeological Prospection and Virtual Archaeology Vienna (LBI). The Monument Preservation Division of the Office of Cultural Affairs is a member of the Conference of Swiss Monument Conservators (KSD) and is also involved in the interdisciplinary coordination committee of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), such as on earthquake issues. The Liechtenstein Cultural Foundation works with the Conference of Cultural Officers of Eastern Switzerland (KBK). In the area of education, the Liechtenstein Ministry of Education and the School Board exchange information in specialist groups of the German-Swiss Swiss Conference of Cantonal Directors of Education (D-EDK).
With their “cultural diplomacy”, the diplomatic representatives, in particular, contribute to Liechtenstein’s international prestige. In 2019, for example, exhibitions and lectures were held at Liechtenstein’s embassies in Bern, Berlin, Washington and Vienna to mark the 300th anniversary of the Principality. Art and cultural creation as well as the history of Liechtenstein played a central role in that context.
Last update: May, 2023
As a member of the European Economic Area, Liechtenstein, like Iceland and Norway, has had the opportunity to participate in EU programmes such as the European education and youth programmes since 1995 – a success story spanning more than 25 years.
The first two phases of the programmes (1995–1999 and 2000–2006) were called “Socrates” (general education), “Leonardo da Vinci” (vocational training) and Youth in Action (2000–2013). Starting in 2007, the two education programmes were merged, first in the “Lifelong Learning Programme” (2007–2013) and in the fourth generation (2014–2020) in the Erasmus+ programme with the areas “Education”, “Youth” and “Sport”. The statistical analysis of the Erasmus+ programme shows that around 10,000 people have been involved in Liechtenstein projects since 2014.
As regards research and development, Liechtenstein participated in the fourth (1994–1998), fifth (1998–2001), sixth (2002–2006) and seventh Framework Programmes (2007–2013). The Liechtenstein Parliament decided against participation in the eighth Framework Programme “Horizon 2020”. Cost-cutting efforts led to a massive reduction in participation when the EU programmes ended in 2013. Liechtenstein took part in only three EU programmes between 2014 and 2020: Erasmus+, European Statistical Programme and “Rights, Equality and Citizenship” Programme.
For the European programme period 2021–2027, the Government and Parliament decided to participate in the EU programmes Erasmus, EU Single Market, Digital Europe, Creative Europe and European Solidarity Corps.
In the Erasmus programme, apart from the topics of mobility and cooperation, the promotion and reinforcement of dual-track vocational education and training as well as adult education are interesting, as is international mobility for vocational education and training beyond the EU and the focus on the new target group 50+. Added to this is the concept of a “Green Erasmus”. The Europass project is also enhanced, a website of the EU to create CVs and cover letters. Liechtenstein wants to promote this actively.
The Digital Europe programme focuses on building the strategic and digital capacities of the EU and the EEA. For the digitalisation of Liechtenstein, the focus is on “cyber security and trust”, “digital capacities” and “interoperability”. In addition, the private sector can submit projects in the areas of “high-performance computing” and “artificial intelligence”.
The Creative Europe programme supports all artistic domains with its sub-programme “Culture” and the audiovisual sector with its sub-programme “Media”. This allows cultural and creative actors from the small state of Liechtenstein to work across borders and distribute their works throughout Europe. Furthermore, it covers transfer of knowledge, promotion of translations of literary works, access to European prizes for literature, architecture, music and cultural heritage, as well as Liechtenstein productions at film festivals and the participation of the film industry in co-productions.
The EU also has various programmes to foster convergence and solidarity between Europe’s regions, as well as regional competitiveness. Liechtenstein has the opportunity to participate within the Interreg framework. The INTERREG IV programme “Alpine Rhine – Lake Constance – High Rhine” (ABH) is deemed a successful project (2007–2013). One of nine objectives was to increase the attractiveness of the common natural and cultural heritage.
The International Lake Constance Conference and the Interreg programme work closely together. Since 2010, around 350 projects with over 600 regional project partners have been funded through the ILCC Small Projects Fund with resources from the ILCC and the Interreg programme Alpine Rhine – Lake Constance – High Rhine, including “Destination Museum”, for which around 50 museums in Vorarlberg (Austria), Liechtenstein and in the Swiss canton of St. Gallen offer special family programmes.
Liechtenstein partners can participate in cross-border cultural projects and student exchanges through the EEA Financial Mechanism. One example is the exchange between Liechtensteinisches Gymnasium (Liechtenstein Secondary School) and the German-speaking secondary school in Brno/Czech Republic. The EEA Financial Mechanism (EEA Grants) is the solidarity contribution of Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. These funds support EU countries in Eastern and Southern Europe. Liechtenstein focuses on Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The European Cultural Convention has been in force in Liechtenstein since mid-1979. The cultural policy of Liechtenstein is in line with those of the Council of Europe to promote identity, creativity, diversity and access to cultural life.
Liechtenstein is not a member of UNESCO.
Last update: May, 2023
Bilateral cultural cooperation promotes exchange in the field of art and culture as well as intercultural dialogue with European and non-European countries. It comes about through the classic instrument of intergovernmental agreements (cultural agreements, memoranda of understanding), but increasingly also through direct cooperation at the bilateral or multilateral level, such as the exchange of expertise in museums, monument protection, libraries or cooperation in the exhibition and theatre sector.
In 2021, for example, the Theater am Kirchplatz (TAK) took part in the Prague German Language Theatre Festival in a joint production with the Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar and Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg.
Seven theatre companies from Switzerland and Liechtenstein (TAK) joined forces in the PRIMA network in 2014. The aim is to bring high-quality performing arts from different genres to children aged two years and older.
Under the patronage of H.S.H. Hereditary Prince Alois and H.R.H. Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein, the Liechtenstein Festival Week was celebrated in Vienna in January 2009. It was the result of a cooperation between the children’s culture network ASSITEJ Liechtenstein, the DSCHUNGEL WIEN theatre company and the Theater am Kirchplatz.
ASSITEJ Liechtenstein, founded in 2005 as a section of the global association ASSITEJ International, promotes theatre for children and young people within Liechtenstein as well as international cooperation. In 2006, the “Festival of Young European Playwrights” was organised in cooperation with the TAK and the association Interplay Europe/Frankfurt am Main.