International News in 2008
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Arts and culture policy-related news from online news services. Subscribe to our newsletter, ACORNS. To alert us to international news please email us.
January 2008
Govt proposes National Cultural Fund
Disclosing this at an official meeting here on Monday, Minister for Culture and Tourism Ambika Soni said the proposal envisages 100% tax rebate for contributions of corporates for the proposed National Cultural Fund. more >
Funding cut may close low-cost legal advice organisation
An organisation offering cut-price legal advice to arts groups across London has emerged as one of the latest victims of Arts Council England’s proposed funding cuts. more >
Hewitt to answer theatre professionals in ‘testing’ ACE cuts meeting
Arts Council England chief executive Peter Hewitt is to face an interrogation by leading theatre figures next week at an emergency meeting called to address concerns at the scores of arts organisations threatened with potentially fatal funding cuts. more >
Greenspan, Keynes in Arabic? Abu Dhabi Sets Translation Project
As part of efforts to transform the emirate into the cultural lodestone of the Middle East, the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, or Adach, has chosen 100 books to be translated into Arabic. more >
Call on government to create culture fund
The Minister of Home Affairs has called for the establishment of a proper budget for the country’s cultural activities. more >
Arts get U.S. fund boost
Congress has approved increases for most of the nation's federally funded arts and culture programs. The National Endowment for the Arts' increase is the largest in 24 years. more >
On not getting on - Romania and Hungary
A Romanian film won the Palme d'Or at last year's Cannes Film Festival. Something's happening in our neighbour's cultural life which has attracted the whole of Europe's attention. more >
Gambia's Cultural Policy Updated
The National Centre for Arts Culture (NCAC) in collaboration with the Gambia National Commission for UNESCO, organised a three-day seminar in a bid to update the 1988 National Cultural Policy. more >
Why the arts needs creative accountancy
There's more to cultural life than just how much per head is spent, says Dr Sam Burnside. more >
Creative industries emerge as key driver of economic growth
The UNCTAD Secretary-General´s High-Level Panel on the Creative Economy and Industries for Development has met in Geneva to consider the potential of creative economy for development. more >
Arts study a culture shock
Forget class versus trash, the elite versus the masses. Divide culture consumers into four new groups, says an international study Oxford University researchers released late last month that will have far-reaching results for arts support everywhere. more >
Blood on the dancefloor
Culture secretary James Purnell wants to fund art according to how good it is, rather than how many see it - and his critics are already sharpening their knives. more >
Britain on verge of 'new Renaissance'
Britain may be about to produce 'the greatest art yet created' according to a policy review to be published by the government next Thursday. more >
The reading cure
Book groups are proving that Shakespeare can be as beneficial as self-help guides. An investigation of the rise of bibliotherapy. more >
Cuban Intellectuals Consider the 2007 As a Year of Important Cultural Debates
Intellectuals from Cuba have qualified the 2007 as a year of valuable cultural debates, which will have its continuity in the 2008. more >
Funding for NEA is enlightened
The recent increase in the NEA's budget is a victory for an organisation that is consistently misconstrued and misunderstood. more >
Iran to step up cultural activities in Latin America
Iran’s ambassadors and cultural representatives have met to discuss cultural policies and plans for implementation in Latin America. more >
Jamaica/South Africa explore cultural exchange programme
An effort is being made to establish a cultural exchange programme between the governments of Jamaica and South Africa. more >
Culture Minister Pledges Aid To Artists In Province
The intention of the Ministry of Culture is to channel, this year, more assistance to makers of culture in the country’s provinces. more >
Arts Council undergoes modernizing renovations
The Jakarta Arts Council office is undergoing a number of physical changes in efforts to modernize the organization. more >
The Role of Ghanaian musical artistes
It is very necessary for a society or country to concern itself seriously with the kind of music that is composed by its musical artistes for public consumption. more >
Cultural groups to benefit from EURO 2m grant
Individuals and organizations involved in cultural activities will benefit from a €2m grant by the EU government to support culture and the arts in Ghana. more >
Arts forum shines spotlight on Obama
The common denominator on Sunday at an arts-based political discussion was concern for the state of arts and culture in the local community and in the United States. more >
Commentaries: Controversial Funding
An editorial in Kathimerini, Greece's International English language newspaper on the allocation of the culture ministry's funds. more >
Opening of the Conference "Intercultural Dialogue as the fundamental value of the EU"
The purpose of the conference is to present intercultural dialogue as a precondition for establishing a diversified yet tolerant society. more >
Americans for the Arts Convention registrations open
Registrations are now open for Americans for the Arts' 2008 convention American Evolution: Arts in the New Civic Life. more >
Artsvote intitiative for 2008 presidential election
Americans for the Arts' Action Fund has launched a new, national initiative designed to promote the arts during the 2008 presidential campaign. more >
Artists can influence the bigger picture as paymasters
Arts organisations hoping to qualify for public funding will in future need at least two artists on their board under proposals to be released by the Culture Secretary today. more >
Cuba is near to a better daily cultural program
Fernando Rojas asserted that 2007 was a year of intense cultural debates, which is something good and must be further developed. more >
Sarkozy shakes up French TV
The President plans to overhaul public television in a 'cultural revolution' he says will change the landscape of France's cultural policy. more >
Actors boo Arts Council over swingeing cuts
Britain's acting community yesterday declared it had no confidence in the Arts Council England, which is cutting money to nearly 200 groups in the biggest shake-up of arts funding in living memory. more >
No longer free, Swedish museums see big drop in visits
Visits to Sweden's national museums dropped nearly 20 percent last year after they scrapped a policy of free admissions and began charging for entry, the culture ministry said Thursday. more >
Increased arts funding is a must for the future
Cultural well-being has fallen so far down the list of priorities that the amount of money the arts receives is tokenistic at best. more >
The Civil War and Liberian Artists
Liberian writers have been accused of failing to produce literature of high quality addressing the burning issues confronting the nation, Africa, and the world. more >
Artistic licence fees
The balance between accountability and creative freedom has fallen somewhat out of kilter in recent years. more >
Algiers as 2007 Arab Cultural Capital receives mixed reviews
In 2007 Algiers became the third Maghreb city to be named Arab Cultural Capital. Organisers will pass the torch to Damascus on January 14th, after putting together a plethora of events that failed to impress Algerians. more >
Impact Database changes address
The Impact Database, hosted by the Centre for Cultural Policy Research at University of Glasgow, has a new website address. more >
Changes at the British Council 'appalling', say leading artists
What is known is that the British Council is planning a radical shakeup in the way it delivers arts abroad, and part of that will entail scrapping its long-established arts departments, including visual arts, theatre, film and dance. more >
English arts plan ‘applicable to Scotland’
Radical plans for the arts in England, which include scrapping admission charges to publicly funded arts for one week a year, are "totally applicable" in Scotland, according to the man who made the recommendations. more >
Legal war looms on arts cash cuts
The Arts Council is to face a succession of legal actions if it goes ahead with its planned arts cuts. more >
After 25 years, 'The Gift' keeps on giving'
The working life of an artist does not fit well into a market economy: the alternative is to imagine the commerce of art to be described by gift exchange. more >
Theatre company rejects grant that's 'not worth it'
A national theatre company has rejected a $750,000 grant from the Australia Council, saying it does not make business sense to accept the money. more >
ASEAN nations agree to enhance cultural cooperation
Culture- and arts-related ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have agreed to enhance the regional cooperation in the areas of culture and arts. more >
Letter to our American friends
As we start the new year, isn't this the time to send out wishes? An ardent wish that we set at your feet in the form of this little registered letter!The wish that you will offer us as often as possible a present as big as this magnificent cover of Time, taking the death of Marcel Marceau as pretext, with a tearful mime on the cover. more >
Wales at heart of Liverpool's celebrations
As part of Liverpool's European Capital of Culture activities, Wales will be playing a prominent part in the artistic activities planned in the city throughout 2008. more >
Arts and Culture 2007: Lofty dreams, steady moves
The year 2007 was not an unsual one on account of the activities and events featured in the arts and culture sectors. more >
New committee seeks to fund artists
For many arts organizations, the first part of the year can typically be a slow period. But considering recent changes to the city’s cultural funding system, the early months of 2008 are particularly rough, as cash-strapped theaters wait for much-needed grants to be approved. more >
Culture Club
Despite being a 'giant moneymaking enterprise', New York's creative sector comes with special policy challenges. more >
US and Italian officials seek better collaboration
The Italian culture minister has offered to set up an office within the Cultural Ministry to coordinate and simplify international loans of Italian artworks. more >
Ama Tutu Muna: a fresh start for artists in Cameroon
Barely four months into office, the new minister for Culture Ama Tutu Muna, is fast printing indelible marks of her own on the culture in Cameroon. more >
Morocco and Bulgaria to Collaborate in Educational and Cultural Sphere
Morocco and Bulgaria signed an agreement to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the areas of education, science and culture over the next three years. more >
Scrapping funding for culture 'beyond belief'
Just as other countries, those in our region included, are ramping up programs designed to project soft power, the Rudd Government has decided to scrap Australia's. more >
Korean communication ministry shuttered
President-elect Lee Myung-bak has dissolved the Ministry of Information and Communication in a drive for leaner government. more >
International Declaration on the Rights of Peoples to Safeguard their Cultural Memory
Bamako Communiqué Calls for Issuing an International Declaration on the Rights of Peoples to Safeguard their Cultural Memory. The international scientific symposium on the rights of peoples to safeguard their cultural memory called upon the international community and human conscience to take immediate action to preserve the precious volumes of manuscripts and authentic scientific works treasured in the city of Timbuktu and other African regions. more >
President of Turkmenistan lifts ban on operas, circuses
The president of Turkmenistan says he will now permit operas and circuses to be performed, reversing a decision by his predecessor to ban those forms of expression. more >
Over 70, creative as ever
The benefits of art have been touted by many; certain areas researched and the stats rightfully marshaled out to bolster interest, growth and direction. There are few studies on its effects on the older practitioner. more >
Artists must brush up on business
Scottish artists might do well to worry less about the Muse and more about their business model. more >
Britain Suspends Cultural Activity in Russia
The British Council is suspending its cultural activities in two Russian cities, citing intimidation and harassment of its local employees by Russia's Federal Security Service. more >
Seoul Advised to Become Culture-Friendly
Prominent economists and scholars have stressed the importance of 'culturenomics' at an international conference in Seoul. more >
Minister seeks rise in arts sponsorship
Arts minister Seamus Brennan is aiming to treble corporate and business sponsorship of the arts. more >
Arts Funding: It’s All in the Story
As a tool for encouraging the City Council to vote for arts funding, Santa Monicans were asked to describe a personally meaningful or memorable arts experience. more >
'Posh' TV programme funding fears
The culture secretary, James Purnell, warns against applying the arts council model of funding to public broadcasting. more >
New Danish focus on culture and experience economy
The Danish government has launched a new initiative to boost the national culture and experience economy by strengthening the interaction between culture and business.
more >
Sustainable future will come only from new sources of finance
A call for an endowment for the arts in Australia: a future fund financed through a special tax incentive linked to corporate and individual investment. more >
Iran's classical music needs reform
Reformation is essential in the field of Iranian classical and symphonic music. more >
Portrait gallery plans a national embarrassment, expert says
Shirley Thomson, one of Canada's leading cultural experts, calls the Harper government's plan for the Portrait Gallery of Canada "a national embarrassment that makes us look like peasants on the international scene." more >
Sri Lanka government to build a cultural centre in hill country
The new Cultural Centre will include, a fully equipped art gallery, library, drama theatre, and lecture halls. The project is expected to be completed within six years. more >
Arts Alive celebrates its 550th episode!
Celebrating its five hundred and fiftieth episode, Arts Alive is an integral fixture in the Australian community broadcast milieu. more >
Call for submissions: ‘grey literature’ policy reviews
The journal Cultural Trends is introducing review sections devoted to reviewing current policy (or 'grey') literature. more >
America's Secret Weapon
Review of a book on how the CIA sponsored modern art exhibitions and literary journals during the cold war. more >
Call for papers for two workshops on arts festivals
The European Festival Research Project has put out a call for submissions for two research workshops in 2008: Urban Impact Of Artistic Festivals, Helsinki, and Festivals Of Theater For Children And Youth, Moscow.
more >
Burnham named culture secretary
Andy Burnham, chief secretary to the Treasury, has been appointed culture secretary, replacing James Purnell. more >
John McCain, Multiculturalist
Republican party presidential canditate John McCain is an 'ideological multiculturalist'. more >
Sadanand Menon: Cultural policy and its challenges
The past year has seen a series of national seminars on the vexed issue of the possibility and impossibility of having a coherent ‘cultural policy’ in the Indian context. more >
Provinces spend only 25% of library grant
Arts and Culture Minister has expressed concerned about how little money has been spent on a program to promote reading and writing, especially in disadvantaged communities, a core of the department’s programme of action until 2009.
more >
Alberta Announces Cultural Policy
Premier Ed Stelmach is putting Alberta culture in the spotlight with a new policy that focuses on ensuring that all Albertans have access to culture in their communities, and that our artists and cultural industries can thrive. more >
Barack Obama's Arts Policy
Democratic party presidential candidate Barack Obama uniquely appreciates the role and value of creative expression. more >
Govt Terminates Arts Extension Programme
Some 70 Namibian part-time art lecturers are staring unemployment in the face after an announcement that the National Arts Extension Programme is to be terminated by the Government come October 18. more >
Visual arts denied role on world stage
Our sporting and screen stars might be widely known, but how do Australian artists rate internationally and what is being done to promote them? more >
Agenda21 in Japanese
Agenda 21 for culture, the worldwide mission advocating the adoption of cultural development by cities, is now available in Japanese. more >
Armenian Culture in Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Germany
Armenia's ministry of culture will hold days of Armenian culture in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Germany and the Scandinavian countries, and will introduce Armenians to the cultures of Iran, Germany and Scandinavian countries. more >
Hong Kong gov't promotes arts for disabled persons
The government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is seeking more performance opportunities through the provision of a barrier-free environment. more >
Why the nation needs an Angel of the South
We have a growing need for statement public art. It can tell a story about a place, capture its essence. more >
Stars force Arts Council to drop cuts
Theatre, dance and music groups win reprieve after fierce attack on funding plan. more >
Fans 'should help to run arts and sport'
A fan should sit on the board of every football club while actors, artists and musicians should be drafted in to help run Britain's arts institutions, the new Culture Secretary says. more >
Mama, dis is business!
The multiple sources of income that flow into the hands of popular mas bands have not entirely escaped the eye of the taxman. more >
Funding the arts : the false alternative
A counter to the ‘false alternatives’ argument against arts funding. more >
Campaign wins extra £3m for arts in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland’s arts sector has secured an additional £3 million funding from the region’s legislative Assembly, thanks to a high-profile protest campaign against proposals that would have led to an uplift of just £500,000 for 2008/9. more >
Report on human trafficking through cultural troupe sought
The Federal Minister for Culture said that in the past young and innocent girls were sent abroad in the name of cultural troupe and were forced to get involved in anti-social activities. more >
Development of national culture
"Development of the national culture is one of the criteria for defining the level of the country's strength". more >
Ovation TV Adds Cultural Partners
A cable network is partnering with major US cultural institutions to develop content for the network and enhance marketing for the organizations. more >
Kazakh Culture Ministry forwards 7 strategic initiatives for 2008
"Kazakh Culture and Information Ministry forwards seven strategic initiatives for 2008 year, which will become a locomotive of culture and information sphere development". more >
Let art and culture surround Istanbul
Already amid a flurry of preparations, Istanbul is gearing up to show its dynamism and artistic depth as the 2010 European Capital of Culture. more >
Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertuğrul Günay
Ertuğrul Günay was once a tourist with an interest in archaeology, but now he is the minister of culture and tourism. more >
Success of arts can be matter of terms
Advocacy for the arts has become a lot easier in recent years. The idea that arts and culture are a critical component of building and maintaining a healthy, vibrant community is almost universally accepted, and there are all sorts of resources available to help strengthen the case for the arts. more >
Art as a reflection of the community
The amount and quality of art produced by a community is directly related to socio-economic and political factors affecting that community. more >
European Commission to launch study on unleashing talent and creativity in Europe
European Commissioner Ján Figel' announced the launch of a study on the role of culture, and the EU's cultural industries, in promoting and stimulating creativity, innovation and growth in the EU. more >
Culture is good for you!
Two Nordic Council committees are co-hosting a hearing about culture and health. more >
Copyright law should distinguish between commercial and cultural uses
We need to establish a new copyright regime that reflects the age-old normative consensus about what's fair and what isn't at the small-scale, hand-to-hand end of copying, display, performance and adaptation. more >
Budget boosts for education and arts
If the aims and aspirations of the programme for government, linked to the 2008-2011 budget, are followed through, what a rosy picture they paint of the future for education and the arts. more >
Corporate art spending reaches record high
Banks and companies are spending record amounts on the arts, music and theatre as they seek to boost their brand, motivate workers and develop links with the cultural world. more >
Dreaming under a pyramid
Parliament was at its most bizarre yesterday. The emergency reshuffle meant that the new culture, media and sport secretary, Andy Burnham, had had only a day or so in the job. more >
Using IT To Reserve Cultural Diversity
A three-day national training session on the use of information technology in the preservation of cultural diversity started yesterday. more >
Launch of International Year of Languages
On 21 February UNESCO and the Council of Europe will host a seminar to launch the International Year of Languages, followed by an information seminar on normative instruments promoting multilingualism. more >
Cosoma wants annual awards, cultural festivals
The Copyright Society of Malawi has called for the Ministry of Culture to introduce annual awards and cultural festivals that will recognise and celebrate local talent. more >
Record amounts of private investment in culture in the UK
Survey of over 4,500 arts organisations reveals private investment up by 11 percent. more >
French Cyberistes Moan in Pain at Government Cuts
Creative media groups have reacted negatively to a perceived withdrawal of support to media culture by the French Ministry of Culture. more >
Support Programme to cultural industries in ACP countries
The Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) has launched a programme to contribute to the development and restructuring of the cultural sector in the ACP member states.
Programme d’appui aux industries culturelles des pays ACP
more >
German minister urges greater cultural exchange in Europe
The German minister responsible for cultural affairs called Thursday on European museums to engage in a more active exchange of their cultural treasures. more >
Auditor General assures on Arts in Wales
THE Arts Council of Wales has put its house in order since a major funding debacle at the beginning of this decade, according to a report published today. more >
February 2008
Classical music is a big hit on the London Underground
Steadily and, if not secretly, then certainly stealthily, London Underground is rolling out a compulsory classical diet. And it's joining a growing group of local authorities, transport companies and even supermarkets across the country. more >
Funding cuts close business arts scheme
The Arts Council has slashed its grant to Arts & Business, the independent consultancy that helps arts organisations find business sponsors.
more >
A $22-billion problem
The price tag of IP theft is extraordinarily high for Canadian businesses. Conservative estimates put its annual cost in the $22-billion range. more >
Nicolas Sarkozy's gold retirement for rock dinosaurs
Sir Cliff Richard and other ageing British artists may be heading for a more comfortable retirement, thanks to Nicolas Sarkozy and his friendship with the dinosaurs of the early French rock era. more >
Participation experiments aim to build arts fan base
The problem with some arts events is they treat audiences as if they don't exist at all. more >
British Council team meets VS
British Council of India on Friday indicated its willingness to hand over to the State government all the books and facilities at its library here. more >
Cuba and Ecuador Penned Cultural Agreement
Cuba and Ecuador have signed a cultural collaboration agreement that will enhance the exchange among arts teachers and students from both countries and will encourage the training of cultural promoters. more >
Song and dance about the arts
THE economic potential of Australia's artists, performers, filmmakers, designers and architects will never be realised until the wider community appreciates its culture, according to the chief executive of the Australia Council for the Arts. more >
Japanese Language and Cultural Exchange Center to be set up
Deputy Prime Minister, Pham Gia Khiem has given a approval for the set up of a Japanese language training and cultural exchange center in the capital of Hanoi. more >
Arts governance: survey shows report is off beam
Governance of arts boards has been somewhat overlooked in recent studies of organisation and board governance. more >
Great Art for the Greatest Numbers
An interview with Dana Gioia, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, on US cultural policy. more >
National Meeting to Aid Bulgaria Rural Areas
A meeting is being held to to coordinate and enhance the participation of the cultural community clubs in the application of the National Program for Development of Rural Areas for 2007-2013. more >
Americans for the Arts Responds to President’s FY09 Budget
President Bush has proposed a $16.3 million cut for FY 2009 for the National Endowment for the Arts. more >
White House Proposals for Culture Funding 2009
The White House's 2009 budget request includes rises in funding for a variety of cultural insitutions, but an effective decline in funding to the National Endowment for the Arts. more >
Cultural Policy Research Award 2008: official launch in Venice of its 5th edition
Designed to stimulate academic and applied cultural policy research and to explore, through comparative cross-national research, issues at stake in contemporary Europe, and possibly anticipate new cultural
policy orientations, the CPRA has also the ambition to contribute to the process of creating an
"infrastructure", a network of scholars who are competent in doing comparative research projects in
cultural policy.
more >
Arts, culture not an elitist pursuit: report
Many Canadians who read as a hobby are the same people attending concerts, visiting art galleries, watching the latest flicks and participating in cultural activities in general, according to a new report. more >
Workshop on arts, environment
A workshop is scheduled as part of the Green Arts initiative, a program that combines the creativity of the arts with knowledge of environmental sciences to create a better understanding of our environment and promote a more sustainable community. more >
Creative Local Communities: Cultural Vitality and Human Rights
The UNESCO Observatory on Multi-disciplinary Research in the Arts has released a call for papers for Vol 1, Issue 2 of its e-journal. more >
Arts council plans Boyden follow-up
Arts Council England is to undertake its most comprehensive assessment of the theatre sector since Peter Boyden’s landmark investigation into regional producing venues and the ensuing Theatre Review in 2001. more >
Mass Dismissals in Bulgarian Ministries
Round 200 state employees from Ministry of Culture will be dismissed on account of optimizing the system. more >
Tories proposing Lottery reforms
The Tories plan a reform of the National Lottery which they say would end political interference, and ensure an extra £182m a year for good causes. more >
Cultural Policy: South Africa
The latest instalment in Power of Culture's series 'cultural policies of non-western countries'. more >
Museums Throw Open Their Doors to the Disabled
The Venezuelan Culture Ministry has launched a programme, 'Creating Without Limits', to draw in people with a disability to take part in the creative and artistic enjoyment that museums have to offer. more >
Free Trade and Culture Book Review
Garry Neil reviews the book by Peter van den Bossche, 'Free Trade and Culture: A Study of Relevant WTO Rules and Constraints on National Cultural Policy Measures'. more >
A Tight Grip Can Choke Creativity
The meaning of 'fair use' is being forgotten as copyright holders try to tighten their grip.
more >
Malcolm Chisolm on arts policies
I am astonished by the patronising and dismissive attitude displayed by the culture minister in last week's Sunday Herald to the legacy she inherited from her predecessors. more >
Here, kids - have some nice culture, says new minister of fun Andy Burnham
In his first interview since he was propelled into his 'dream job', new head of the 'Ministry of Fun', Andy Burnham, explains how he intends to make high-quality culture part of the school curriculum more >
Union Boards Back Deal to End Writers’ Strike
An end to Hollywood’s long and bitter writers’ strike appears all but assured, as the governing boards of the unions representing 12,000 movie and television writers on Sunday unanimously approved a tentative three-year deal with production companies. more >
Similar ends, varied means - the big three’s manifestoes reviewed
The three main parties contesting the upcoming general elections have outlined their intentions in cultural policy - from increasing funding for arts supporting culture to improving the image of Pakistan.
more >
Give peace a chance
A policy document drafted recently makes recommendations on public support of music and looks at the structure of the Ministry of Culture, which is 'overloaded' by its multiple functions of promoting arts, culture, sports and gender issues. more >
Teddy Francis clears the air!
Director of Culture Teddy Francis says that news that his job was in jeopardy came as a surprise to him when he returned to St Lucia from Trinidad this week. more >
Protecting the public from provocative art is misguided
Fear has caused art's 'gatekeepers' (producers, presenters and administrators ) to do something that they shouldn't - warning you about 'dangerous' art. more >
The government cannot create culture
Art moves in mysterious ways and no government initiative, no matter how well-intentioned, can kick-start a new Renaissance. more >
Cultural diversity - an obstacle to the EU single market?
It is not acceptable that that the UNESCO convention has been poorly implemented in EU legislation up to now. more >
Equity launches online survey on funding after ACE cuts cause outrage
Equity has launched an online survey to discover the industry's views on whether the arts funding system should be changed. more >
How to bring Milan, Davos and Los Angeles to London
A £200 million national film centre. A permanent home for fashion shows in London. Funding for avant-garde film projects. A Davos-style arts and finance conference. These are among a range of commitments to the arts being set out by the Government next week. more >
Fable of the cultural elite
In an international survey for a research project, Oxford sociologists John Goldthorpe and Tak Wing Chan have found that the fabled cultural elite is just that: a fable. more >
Culture ministry reveal plans
The Minister for Culture and National Heritage Bogdan Zdrojewski has unveiled the main line of activities of his ministry. more >
Cultural capital
London's art scene has boomed over the past eight years – but opinion is divided about how much credit Ken Livingstone can take. more >
Cultural Initiative Support launched
The cultural Initiatives Support Programme has been launched in Accra as a first call for proposal for activities and initiatives that enhance Ghana’s cultural sector. The programme is a three-year initiative under which the European Union has provided Ghana with a €2m grant to support the cultural sector. more >
Arts projects given £8m worth of inspiration
The Scottish Arts Council unveiled an £8 million lottery pot yesterday to fund 'inspiring' arts projects across Scotland. more >
'Culture' plans branded naive
Plans for the inclusion of more cultural activities in schools have been greeted with scepticism. more >
Cruel Britannia
Governments do not make culture; artists and entrepreneurs do. more >
EU Proposes Extending Artists' Copyrights to 95 Years
European Union musicians may earn royalties for 95 years as in the U.S., up from 50 years, under a plan to avoid cutting off income for artists as they retire. more >
Arts Council to be supported
The Ministry calls on corporate organisations, business communities, NGOs and the public at large to assist the Fiji Arts Council in reviving the art industry. more >
Cultural tourism to be used in war on poverty
The development of cultural tourism will be emphasised as part of the Government’s poverty eradication programme. more >
Cultural Policy Debate Keeps Growing
More than a year after the outbreak of the so-called "e-mail war", the debate on cultural policy has not died down in Cuba. And although the issue is not addressed in the national media, the discussion continues, and is spreading to embrace other aspects of life in this socialist island nation. more >
Canadian authors get over $9 million for library lending of their books
The more libraries in which an author's eligible titles are found, the larger the payment, to a maximum of $2,681. more >
Papatola: Art is vital, well worth the price of a gumball
We live in a culture that is ever dumber. This sobering assessment comes from no less an authority than Dana Gioia, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. more >
Muse Vibes
It has now become known that the National Arts Council has received about 200 applications for financial support from Namibian artists in four different art disciplines. more >
Code bolsters Indigenous artist protection
Aboriginal artists will have more commercial protection with the finalisation of a National Code of Conduct on Indigenous Art. more >
First person singular: Art can thrive without the Arts Council
Two recent musical events have persuaded Ivan Hewett that it is possible for the arts to go it alone. more >
Private copying royalty system in focus
Confrontation over the private copying royalty system has been intensifying between copyright holders on one side and appliance makers and consumers on the other. more >
National Endowment for the Arts budget cuts should be met with outrage, not complacency
Barely two months after signing off on a $20 million increase in the NEA's budget -- the largest in the endowment's history -- our nation's chief executive quickly shifted into fiscal reverse. more >
Youth needs to look up to a higher plane
Schoolchildren can easily have a cultural life. We just have to drop fees and charges.
more >
Turning creative in a digital world
Arts grants and prizes contribute to promoting and supporting new media arts, though they remain scarce. more >
Time to Review National Cultural Policy
Looking at the issues raised at the National Cultural Indaba in 2006 and at some developments in 2007, it is clear that another review of the national cultural policy is now very necessary. more >
Hope stirs in culture sector over Minister’s actions
Akintayo Abodunrin appraises the new developmental initiatives in the culture sub-sector and the cautious optimism the actions of Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, is eliciting among stakeholders. more >
Axed arts plan was attracting an extra £2m
The cultural co-ordinator scheme, aimed at increasing children's participation in artistic activities that was controversially axed last year by the Scottish Government, was attracting at least £2m in extra funding for youth arts. more >
Culture is the best reply to war
An interview with Swiss ambassador Francois Barras about pro Helvetia's intercultural dialogue exchange program with Lebanon. more >
Culture minister wants more funding for contemporary arts
Culture Minister Claudia Schmied has called for more money for film and other contemporary arts in Austria. more >
Awake, aware and online
Speaking about the role of mass media in today's society, Gil offered a refreshing perspective on Internet rights, copyright and digital culture. more >
A cultural hand to hand: Spain and Cuba
After announcing the first Cuba–Spain Cultural Day, the first meeting between executives from both sides agreed on actions for exchange between the two nations. more >
UK Seeks to Prevent Foreigner Tax From Affecting Art Assets
The UK government is seeking to protect art investments from the potential side effects of a tax on non-domiciled residents. more >
Iraq wants renewal of culture accord
Iraq's Deputy Minister of Culture Jaber al-Jaberi has called for renewal of a previous cultural agreement between Tehran and Baghdad. more >
Taiwan's arts sector needs a home
A fire on Feb. 11 burned the Cloud Gate Dance Theater's painstaking efforts to the ground and, at the same time, exposed the government's indifference to arts and culture. more >
Museum opening hours to be extended
Museums and cultural institutions will have their weekend and evening opening hours extended as part of new measures to increase public access to the arts announced today. more >
Culture vultures: Rudd razor gang targets capital's top institutions
The government's 2 per cent efficiency dividend has slashed the budgets of national cultural institutions. more >
The problem with privately funded museums
Adrian Ellis, AEA Consulting, on large-scale change in the institutional ecology of art. more >
Update: 10th Festival of Pacific Arts
Preparations are well under way for the region’s largest traditional and contemporary cultural event, the Festival of Pacific Arts. more >
The transforming power of culture
Policymakers perceive the arts and culture as mere cosmetics, overlooking the fact that they could be a driving force for development. more >
Arts job boost for young people
Young people will be offered the chance to break into the arts and media with government-backed apprenticeships. more >
The state is tuning its cultural apparatus for the revolution
Recent developments and current strategies of Venezuela's cultural policies. more >
Artist-in-residence program in Denmark 2009
To promote creative exchange between Danish and foreign artists and art institutions, The Danish Arts Council has established an artist-in-residence program in Denmark. The program makes it possible to invite artists from abroad to stay and work in Denmark for extended periods. more >
Portuguese creative industries and their challenges
Creative Industries are growing in importance in Portugal, but still face many obstacles.
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Showbiz kids not approved by protection committees
In 2006, only four requests were made for authorisation for youths to work in show-business, despite this official permission being compulsory by law. more >
Greek minister: Greek-Sino relationship enters golden period
The relationship between Greece and China has entered a golden period, Greek Culture Minister Michalis Liapis said in an interview with Xinhua Saturday before he embarks on a four-day visit to China.
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New body to sustain the nation's creative mind
Scotland's Minister for Culture, Linda Fabiani, outlines key points of her address to the Scottish Arts Council's conference 'Scotland: Creative Nation'. more >
Prof Speaks On Isolation of Artists
In a lecture entitled 'Cultural Planning and The Creative City', Ann Markusen has criticised big institutional investments and praised local, decentralized, 'organic' initiatives. more >
Czechs open European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008
The official opening of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008 in the Czech Republic today took place in Prague's Archa theatre that has actively joined the programme which is aimed at promoting mutual understanding and better co-existence of people of various cultures. more >
Arts budget needs creative thinking
Would more money really bring better arts and culture? Not necessarily. more >
Policy discussion on Culture, Creativity and the Lisbon Agenda
At a forum on European cultural policy, and the contribution of culture and creativity to economic growth, many were suprised when the public debate revolved around the public funding of the arts; a telltale sign that the curr