International News in April 2008
Show all of 2008
2009, European year of creativity and innovation
Europe needs to boost its capacity for creativity and innovation for both social and economic reasons.
That is why the Commission has adopted a proposal to declare 2009 the European Year of Creativity and Innovation.
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Architects of the new Argentina
Argentina is in the throes of an unprecedented cultural revolution… Minister of culture, José Nun, is in a strategic position in a government seeking a redefinition of its historical traditions. more >
Northeast Asia forum urges closer co-op in culture, education
Experts from China, Japan and the Republic of Korea have made proposals for closer cultural and educational cooperation, including the establishment of a culture ministers' meeting.
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Once it was only God, now we're all 'creators'
'Creativity" is a word much bandied about in our babble of culturespeak. Like "community", it has a warm glow around it, and we rarely give it much further thought. more >
Spacey in plea over theatre funding
Acting legend Kevin Spacey has complained that theatres and other artistic groups had to jump through an increasing number of 'hoops' to obtain funding from the Government. He told an audience of business leaders that arts organisations were having to spend more and more time 'ticking boxes', which was hampering their efforts to engage with communities.
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UN Seminar to Focus on Art as a Vehicle for Changing Attitudes Toward the Environment
A seminar to be be held at UN headquaters on 8 May 2008 as part of an ongoing initiative to utilize the universal language of art as a catalyst to empower individuals, communities, and leaders to focus on environmental values. more >
Davey unveils ACE’s priorities for the arts
Newly-appointed chief executive Alan Davey has revealed his four strategic priorities for Arts Council England as it responds to the landmark McMaster Report. more >
Federal Government to Review National Culture Policy
The Federal Government in conjunction with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is to review the National Cultural Policy in order to make it more compliant with global trends. more >
Ma pledges to enhance the int'l status of local culture
The president-elect promised to spur cultural development during his term in office by raising the annual budget for cultural affairs to 4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), from the current 1.3 percent. more >
A truce in the culture wars
The government has an opportunity to heal some wounds and invigorate Australia's cultural outlook, writes cultural economist David Throsby. more >
Asian, European countries seek to promote cultural interactions
Culture Ministers from Asian and European countries reiterated here on Wednesday that both Asia and Europe should take concrete action to further promote their cultural interactions. more >
Arts quango scraps £100,000 of grants to Scottish publishers
The Scottish Arts Council has quietly axed grants to about half a dozen Scottish publishers worth around £100,000, The Scotsman has learned. more >
NAG in news for all the wrong reasons
With the seat of the director general of Pakistan National Council of the Arts waiting to be filled, now is the time for the Ministry of Culture to take stock of blunders of the past, and to make amends by installing a visionary who can steer the National Art Gallery out of troubled waters. more >
The truth about music
The term ‘the research shows…’ is often deployed because we find it difficult to justify art as true or good in its own terms. This opportunistic manipulation of art ends up seriously devaluing it. more >
Action plan could see jazz jumping
Sydney promoter Peter Rechniewski has developed a proposal for a national jazz plan after coming across the dance plan, which resulted in increased government funding for both the traditional and independent dance sectors. more >
Culture way to boost ties within Asean
The Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry has called for more bilateral cultural and heritage development programmes among Asean member countries. more >
Cyberkaris now available in French
Cyberkaris, the monthly electronic newsletter for all those interested in the field of international cultural policies and cultural cooperation, is now available in French. more >
Dialogue among civilisations
An initiative that will publicly exhibit artworks throughout South Africa when it hosts the 2010 Soccer World Cup to prompt the public to internalize ‘moral ownership’ of values such as creativity, freedom of expression, inspiration, and respect for individual rights. more >
Disabled dancers playing it safe
Restless Dance, South Australia's pioneering disability dance group, has set up a professional arm, where disabled dancers will be paid professionally for the first time in Australia. more >
Discusión general sobre el derecho a participar en la vida cultural
El Comité de Derechos Económicos, Sociales y Culturales de las Naciones Unidas organizará un día de discusión general el viernes 9 de mayo de 2008 sobre el derecho a participar en la vida cultural. more >
Foundation releases 'Sharing Strengths' report on cultural diversity Convention
A report from a March 2008 seminar that brought together experts from Commonwealth and Francophone governments and civil society to discuss the ratification and implementation of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. more >
General discussion on the right to take part in cultural life
The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will organise a Day of General Discussion on Friday 9 May 2008 on the right to take part in cultural life. more >
Hungary plans 'tie tax'
Hungary's culture minister has unveiled plans for a tax on ties to raise additional revenue for the arts. more >
Hunt for most musical city
A new competition launched by Arts Council England gives people the chance to choose the nation’s most musical city. more >
Information ministry to go ahead with the theatre for every governorate project
The information ministry is determined to proceed with establish a theatre in every governorate to provide local theatres with suitable spaces to stage their performances and rejuvenate the Bahraini theatre movement. more >
NEA Launches New Grants Initiative: Creativity and Aging
May 23, 2008 is the deadline for grant applications to a new Creativity and Aging in America initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts. more >
New website for Accessible Arts
Accessible Arts has launched its new website, with a wealth of information on arts and disability. more >
Respect cultural diversity, says Najib
In a speech at the third Asem Culture Ministers Meeting dinner, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has said that cultural difference is ‘an accident of birth’ and should never be the source of hatred or conflict. more >
Russia, Iran agree to cooperate in sphere of culture
A memorandum on mutual understanding between Russia and Iran, signed after talks in Moscow between the culture ministers of the two countries, envisages the development of diversified cooperation, a boost in exchanges between delegations of cultural activists and regular art exhibitions. more >
Spencer quits
An article on difficulties faced by board members of Barbados’ national arts funding agency in avoiding conflicts of interest. more >
State and private funding needed by the arts
Art and private money. The two, it seems, rely on each other if creativity is to enjoy public appreciation. more >
Arts body poised for cuts
Staff cuts and a streamlined grant applications for artists are part of the Australia Council's $2million budget saving plan for 2008-09. more >
Arts institutions feeling impact of ailing economy
Like homeowners and stockholders, museums, concert halls, dance companies and other arts organizations are feeling the pinch from the faltering economy. more >
China takes piracy steps
Chinese officials say they’re taking major proactive steps to prove to the entertainment biz and the world that it is serious about stopping piracy. more >
Culture body costs 'unreliable'
Cost estimates for creating Scotland's new arts body Creative Scotland have been branded vague and unreliable. more >
Dancer's attack on Spanish culture
Tamara Rojo, the Spanish ballerina who has taken the British dance world by storm, yesterday delivered a stinging attack on her country's attitude to culture. The prima ballerina blamed the Spanish government for failing to make the best of its home-born talent. more >
Everyone's a conductor with new game
But would-be Leonard Bernsteins who wave the remote control correctly as they try out "UBS Virtual Maestro" can experience a small part of what it's like to be a conductor. more >
For Frohnmayer, all the political world's a stage
Frohnmayer, a U.S. Senate Candidate, is getting ready for the May premiere of a satirical musical titled "Spin," which is loosely based on Frohnmayer's account of his stormy tenure as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts when the elder George Bush was president. more >
Great cultural drive in Oman
Oman’s Under Secretary of Ministry of Heritage and Culture says attending to culture is part of supporting human development. more >
Arts economy snapshot
It can take a while for an economic downturn to inflict serious pain on people, organizations and businesses. That appears to be true for regional arts groups. While it's business as usual for many arts organizations, they are bracing for what could be tougher times ahead. more >
Arts groups fear bill will `chill' free expression
A federal bill that would revoke tax credits for films deemed inappropriate by the government will open a 'Pandora's Box of censorship' that could see controversial ideas snuffed out across the arts. more >
China launches largest ever Tibet cultural relic preservation
China has launched a project to preserve 22 historical and cultural relics in the southwestern Tibet Autonomous Region. The project, China's largest protection move in the region, will last until 2010. more >
Culture Ministry idea floated at summit
Increasing access to the arts, boosting Australian TV content, and establishing a ministry of culture were the key policy ideas that emerged from the creative stream of the Australia 2020 summit. more >
Development of culture of the Russian North
Preservation and development of culture of the Russian North was the subject of discussion at the joint exit session of Committees of the State Duma on culture and problems of the North and the Far East and the Commission on preservation of cultural and spiritual heritage of Public Chamber of Russia. more >
Economics and arts are tarred with the one brush
In the relationship between public policy and the arts: how does one legislate for creativity? We know our society is poorer without the arts, but what they provide is not always quantifiable. more >
Hungary's parties appear set to drop ‘internet tax’ proposal
A proposal to levy a tax on the internet, mobile content and imported furniture to raise revenue for the National Cultural Fund has come under heavy fire. more >
Ministry Grants Funds for Multi-Cultural Projects
The Ministry of Education has awarded 400,000 euros in state grants to support multiculturalism and fight racism in Finland. more >
Open Lines to Intercultural Dialogue: have your say
LabforCulture has launched an online participatory project, ‘Open Lines to Intercultural Dialogue’, which invites people from around the world to share their personal interpretations of intercultural dialogue. more >
Safeguarding culture for future generations
The Culture and Tourism Ministry and UNESCO have held a workshop in Jakarta on strengthening national capacities for implementing the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
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Sport and arts to benefit from plan
‘Cashback for Communities’, launched two years ago, uses money seized from criminals to help sports and other organisations. more >
Tourism backbone of Zim turnaround
Bright Madera writes on the importance of culture in developing Zimbabwe’s tourism sector. more >
French Art for the French
France's Culture Ministry has announced measures aimed at reversing the general lack of interest among the French in buying art — a deficiency some fear is slowly bleeding an enormous vein of national culture dry. more >
Govt committed to addressing negative ethnicity
President Kibaki pointed out that the Government is creating a new department of national cohesion, which will be charged with the task of developing programmes for galvanising all the communities in the country. more >
'We All Play a Part' Campaign Launched in Sydney
A coalition of national arts organisations and leading Australian artists today pledged to promote the part played by all Australians in making the performing arts industry a national and international success. more >
Arts Council: spend, spend, spend
The guardians of the arts are hoarding cash at the very time we need our spirits lifted. more >
Deal set to help Welsh artists make the most of opportunities abroad
A new agreement between the Arts Council of Wales and the British Council will be signed today, enabling the two organisations to further promote Welsh art abroad. more >
Portuguese Minister of Culture aims to double Ministry’s budget
Recently appointed Portuguese Minister of Culture José António Pinto Ribeiro has announced that he is committed to raising his Ministry’s budget to 1 percent or more of the State Budget. more >
El subsidio público de espectáculos culturales y la construcción de públicos
A la columna “La misión que nos deja Morricone”, de Arturo Navarro, sobre la necesidad de cambiar la Ley de Donaciones de Chile para que incluya el principio de financiamiento cultural mixto (público y privado), responde Jorge Orlando Melo, ex director de la Biblioteca Luís Ángel Arango del Banco de la República de Colombia, con una alternativa que surge de su experiencia en el contexto colombiano. more >
Public subsidy for cultural events and the formation of audiences
Arturo Navarro Ceardi argues for the need to include private funding in the Ley de Donaciones (Donation Law) that outlines the tax deductions for which a private company can apply when it supports a cultural or artistic event. more >
Publishing is 'unsung' success
UK culture minister Margaret Hodge has dismissed calls for more Arts Council England funding for publishing, and said the industry could benefit from more entrepreneurial libraries. more >
Support Programme to cultural industries in ACP countries
Information notice for grants: The programme provides for intervention to enhance a common cultural space for ACP States, through the promotion of an enabling environment for creativity, cooperation and
exchanges, independence and viability, as well as the safeguarding of cultural diversity and fundamental cultural values.
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The importance of being creative
Actor Cate Blanchett, co-chair of the creative Australia stream at the government's upcoming national planning summit, sets out her views on the importance of creativity. more >
When suits tread the boards
Arts companies are under increasing pressure to take care of business. more >
Confidence the biggest change in arts world
Culture Secretary Andy Burnham sets out his main policy challenges, including freeing the arts from targets and measurement, relying more on the critical assessments of artists and cultural organisations, and applying free entry principle more widely across the cultural sector, particularly the performing arts. more >
Funding cuts threaten theaters
A frustrated arts community starts petition, plans protest. more >
Joe Musa’s reform mission in the culture sub-sector
The culture sub-sector is now becoming a major and attractive sector likely to be reckoned with as one of the nation’s greatest revenue earner as well as employer of labour in the very nearest future, given its assumed reform posture. more >
Modern Libraries To be Opened In Villages Of Georgia
Modern libraries will be opened in more than 100 villages of Georgia during 2008. more >
Sarkozy and the embarrassment quotient
Nearly a year into his term, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France has hardly mentioned the arts or culture. In late February, he said that French cuisine should be added to the Unesco World Heritage list. more >
Smothered With Money
The arts are important. But that doesn't mean taxpayers should have to subsidize them. more >
Talfan Davies claims Welsh schools are failing the arts
Arts teaching is worse in Wales than England and leaves many unable to fully enjoy music and theatre, says a former Arts Council of Wales chairman. more >
UNESCO supports opening of the virtual branch of the russian museum in Baku
A specially equipped “virtual auditorium” in the Museum Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan will give a chance to Azerbaijani audience to take virtual strolls around the Russian Museum and familiarize with the artifacts that are on display at the Museum. more >
'We've got to rebuild our credit'
The arts council had a shambolic winter. Will its new boss put things right? more >
Hip hop gets bad rap from federal funders
Despite its obvious growth and popularity, documents obtained under the Access to Information Act from the CCA indicate that the genre might still not be accepted by the federal agency committed to encouraging the arts. more >
Hungary new approach is strengthening ties with Iran: Deputy minister
According to the report of Foreign Ministry Media Department on Saturday, the visiting Hungarian official called her country's cultural diplomacy "Important". more >
National Ballet of Canada goes West
Ballet company makes a rare yet successful jaunt to a foreign stage in San Francisco. more >
Sift through enough dirt and you find gold
The recent controversy surrounding bill C-10 -- designed to let the Heritage minister's bureaucrats refuse tax-credits to Canadian-made movies they don't like -- rekindled the old debate about arts subsidies. Why do we need them? more >
What's Denmark's cultural secret?
Even in an age of funding cutbacks, the Danes have done a better job than most in promoting the arts in Europe. more >
Ballet companies team up to boost classic dance
A new initiative funded by The Arts Council of Ireland has injected a new lease of life into Irish ballet with the creation an promotion of a long-term structure to enhance up and coming dancers and widen their audience. more >
Culture sent to rural areas in Anhui
'Mobile Stages', a program of the national ministries of finance and culture that stages art performances in rural areas, In 2007 nearly 2,000 performances were staged to 1.6 million spectators. The program promotes the constructon of key cultural projects and enriches local people’s lives in rural areas of Anhui province. more >
Five things you should know: Federal arts policy
After eleven years in deep freeze, Australia’s cultural policy debate appears to be slowly thawing out. Ben Eltham examines the new agenda. more >
Games to have international cultural appeal
China's Ministry of Culture on Tuesday released a tight schedule of major cultural events to be held in Beijing to celebrate the upcoming Games. more >
Increasing Number of Private Museums Stir Debate in Art World
A growing number of wealthy art collectors are choosing to build their own museums rather than donate works to existing institutions, leaving many museum directors nervous about the future of their collections. more >
Opera revival: Youngsters' performance keeps musical form alive
According to the National Endowment for the Arts, only 0.7 percent of people ages 18 to 24 participate in opera, compared with 1.1 percent in ballet. more >
Row over resale right grows
The Design and Artists Copyright Society (Dacs) and the Artists’ Collecting Society have disputed the findings of an independent report that criticises the Artists’ Resale Right (ARR), which became law in the UK in February 2006. more >
Sheikh Mohammed to open national identity conference
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development is hosting a two-day conference to spotlight issues surrounding national identity and culture, and ways to enhance it. more >
South African museums left empty-handed
Art made by South African artists is so popular at foreign auctions that the country's own museums can no longer afford to purchase the work. more >
Update on the cultural policy of Angola
An update on developments in Angolan cultural policies over 2007, including the implementation a new museum policy and the establishment of a 'film university' for actors, producers and directors. more >
What are Taiwan's cultural goals?
Since the establishment of the Council for Cultural Affairs, it has never been clear just what the government thinks about culture. Now the council may be converted into a ministry of culture and be given charge of tourism as well. What great goal is the government trying to realize? more >
Arts sector plays new tune
Arts leaders have been attempting to change their tune in recent years, from subsidy-seekers to drivers of creativity and innovation. more >
Bend it like an artist
A look at Singapore's creative industries and the government's creative industries and media support and educational policies. more >
Business-like arts a failure, says entrepreneur
Filling the boards of arts companies with business appointees has been a dismal failure that has stifled creativity. more >
Cuban artists for the defence and authenticity of the national culture
Cuban artists have called for a number of policy changes to improve the presentation of Cuban culture to the world. more >
Exhibits are counted
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science has budgeted MNT 42 million for ongoing counting exhibits of museums in Mongolia. more >
Poll: 1 in 4 Norwegians not big on opera
Opera and ballet are the least favorite cultural activities for nearly one in four Norwegians, a survey indicated. more >
Restrictions on music discussed in parliament
A commission for cultural and religious affairs in Afghanistan's parliamentary lower house wants to impose new restrictions on music and dance performance in Afghanistan. more >
Solomon Island changes focus to tourism development
The Solomon Islands Ministry for Culture and Tourism says it is changing the focus of its spending to developing tourism and cultural products. more >
Trisexual? Tell It to England's Arts Council
The British way of running the arts has fallen into terminal disarray. The thin blue Keynesian line that held politics apart from the arts has been eradicated under New Labour. more >
World Book and Copyright Day
By celebrating this day throughout the world, UNESCO seeks to promote reading, publishing and the protection of intellectual property through copyright. more >
Launch of Cultural Development Foundation
Premier of Nevis said the establishment of the foundation had become necessary to relieve government from continually subsidising cultural activities. more >
Peter Garrett’s arts policy
After eleven years in deep freeze, Australia’s cultural policy debate appears to be slowly thawing out. more >
Too few women in key roles
Culture minister Margaret Hodge said there were far too few women in key roles at UK arts organisations. Is she right? And if so, who's to blame? more >
Arts boost from public-private deal
Under the scheme, the State Government will match money that businesses donate to an arts organisation or individual artist over the next three years. more >
Arts Council disorientation
The proposal by the Arts Council to ask everyone applying for a grant to reveal - in the name of fostering “diversity” - his or her sexual orientation is grotesque. more >
Daniel Pink and the Economic Model of Creativity
His basic thesis is simple: In our competitive and evolving economy, being logical and analytical is no longer enough. more >
La OEI pondrá hoy en marcha en Costa Rica el programa ‘Educación Artística, Cultura y Ciudadanía’
Se trata de una iniciativa de la OEI, realizada con el apoyo de la Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECI), que se propone fortalecer los vínculos entre educación y cultura en los sistemas escolares y formar así una ciudadanía que reconozca y respete la diversidad cultural. more >
Redford, Legend ask legislators to better fund the arts
Actor, Robert Redford, singer John Legend and actress Kerry Washington, joined arts supporters from across the United States for Arts Advocacy Day in Congress. They urged legislators to restore funds for the National Endowment for the Arts to the high of $176 million received in 1992. more >
The OEI will launch the program ‘Arts and Education, Culture and Citizenship’ in Costa Rica
This program is an initiative of the OEI, supported by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI), which aims to strengthen the links between education and culture within the school systems and to build, as a result, a citizenship that takes into account and respects cultural diversity. more >
The Role of Evidence in the Cultural Sector
The journal Cultural Trends held its first one-day conference on 22nd February 2008 at City University, London. The conference focused on the role that evidence plays in the cultural sector. more >
Arts donor Carol Hogel quits Britain over ‘spiteful, philistine’ tax on foreign residents
An American philanthropist who has donated more than £20 million to the arts in Britain is to return to the United States in protest over the Government’s “nondom” tax and the “hostility” she has encountered in this country towards foreign donors. more >
Campaign aims to boost performing arts
A coalition of performing arts groups has launched a nationwide campaign aimed at dramatically boosting community support for the sector. more >
Toward a Cultural Policy for Liberia
It is common knowledge that a nation that does not acknowledge its ethos is bound to repeat the follies of its past, spin its wheels, wasting precious time and resources in the present, and such a nation is doomed to a grim future punctuated by the folly of its past. more >
The international who's who in cultural policy, planning and research >