International News in May 2008
Show all of 2008
Italy on the World Stage: Frattini-Bondi Pact
Italy's Foreign Minister and Minister for Culture, Franco Frattini and Sandro Bondi, have today sealed an agreement to spread Italian culture around the world. more >
A whole Lotto nothing going on
As scores of beneficiaries wait indefinitely for their grants from the National Lotteries Board and increasing numbers of people institute legal proceedings against it, the board’s chief executive is being hauled before the CCMA by his own staff. more >
Artists seek royalties for 70 years from grave
Britain's artistic community is battling against leading auction houses and dealers to bring in a law forcing the payment of a royalty on artists' works for 70 years after their deaths — in line with writers and musicians. more >
Games and dot.com entrepreneurs join policy makers and educators for debate on future of the creative industries
The creative industries are poised for rapid growth. Will the latest government initiatives make a difference and help turn talent into jobs? more >
New RSA Research Network on Creative industries and the Region
A new network aims to address trends and issues around the development of the creative and cultural industries at the regional level, fostering a multi-disciplinary and international debate among researchers, practitioners and policy makers. more >
Rescuing Orphans: Can Congress Balance the Public Good and the Rights of Artists?
An analysis of the public good versus artists rights' issues surrounding ‘orphan works’ – artworks whose copyright-holders are difficult or impossible to locate. more >
Egyptian minister under fire for 'Goebbels-style' comment
Hosni, nominated by Egypt to be the chief of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), has recently raised Jewish ire for declaring in Parliament this month that he was prepared to burn Israeli books if he found them in local libraries. more >
Authorities raise concerns over performers' style of dressing
The National Arts Council of Tanzania (BASATA) has threatened a ban to three dance and music bands – FM Academia, TOT Respect and Akudo Impact – for their stage shows' alleged semi-nude clothing, reported Majira on 29 May 2008. more >
Cultural information project entitled ‘Global Cultural Futures’ launched
At a meeting on March 27-28, at which 30 scholars, journalists, cultural policy experts and officials from all continents took part, a new cultural information project was launched entitled ‘Global Cultural Futures’, an offshoot of the Cultures and Globalization Series. more >
Culture an economic driver, says chairman of arts group
A new report will identify successful cultural development models from around the world, explore effective cultural investment targets and propose policies to facilitate the production of creative work. more >
Culture Ministers discuss creation of a joint Euro-Mediterranean cultural strategy
Culture ministers and civil society representatives from the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership are meeting in Athens on to exchange views on the cultural dimension of the partnership and to explore the substance and scope of a joint cultural strategy. more >
Implementing policies in favour of creative economy
The government has laid the foundation for an initiative in favour of the country’s cultural and creative industries. more >
Old funds for new worlds
Virtual worlds and computer games are not everyone's idea of art, but these technologies come into their own when you take into account it's not just what you see and hear but what you do and how you interact with them that creates the art. more >
Reflecting On Festivals- A Critique Of NAFAC
At a four-day training workshop, participants discussed challenges and issues of government policies and national arts festivals. more >
Serowe braces for Culture Day
According to Head of Division (Culture) in the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth Dineo Phuti, preparations for the event, to be held under the theme: Culture Is My Business, are at an advanced stage. more >
What's going on with Culture Ireland?
Thanks to increased government funding, Culture Ireland appears to be a breath of fresh air in promoting the visual arts abroad. Looking at its pattern of decisions, however, visual arts may not be as well-served as appearances suggest. more >
Youth must be priority, Caricom SG says
Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretary-General Edwin Carrington has reiterated the need for the community to create opportunities for the full development of the creativity of its young people, noting that this was central to the development of the region’s culture agenda. more >
Cate Blanchett calls on Prime Minister to soften Bill Henson art remarks
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's handpicked arts mentor Cate Blanchett yesterday co-signed an open letter urging the Prime Minister to rethink his public comments about artist Bill Henson's work. more >
Bid to promote national identity
One of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community's central objectives is to promote national identity, and most of its budget goes into doing so. more >
CARICOM secretary general calls for more opportunities for youth
CARICOM secretary general Dr Edwin Carrington says opportunities need to be created for the development of creativity of youths in the region. more >
Food for the Poor donates instruments
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport recently received a donation of 16 musical and wind instruments from Food for the Poor (Guyana) Inc. to assist with the formation of a band for Carifesta. more >
Solving conflicts through the arts
The Ministry of Social Development has launched its Storytelling Caravan Competition in which students are encouraged to research, create and demonstrate how to avoid violence when settling disputes using art.
more >
ACE and DCMS slip back further on ethnic minority targets
Arts Council England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have again come under fire for failing on targets to increase the number of ethnic minorities attending and taking part in the arts. more >
Arts advocates thank Laura Bush for her support
Arts advocates are crediting first lady Laura Bush with kick-starting efforts to restore funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, which Republican leaders slashed in the mid-1990s. more >
Turkic states convene to forge common culture and elect new head
Ankara will host the 24th meeting of culture ministers from 14 Turkic states, which together form TÜRKSOY, an international organization that aims to 'consolidate Turkic culture’s place in world civilization,' in the words of its deputy director general. more >
Advertisements Championing Arts Education
A new series of public service advertisements designed to promote the benefits of arts education has been launched across the USA. more >
Anthony urges quick apprehension of channa bomb tossers
Guyana’s culture ministry came under attack around last Friday when a bomb was hurled into the ministry’s compound. more >
Art mixes with politics
A malaise of bureaucratic inactivity, the internal politics at the arts council and its clashes with the arts community have made the shining, marble-floored National Art Gallery nothing more than an exhibition hall. more >
Back to our roots
Fiji has ratified the 2003 Convention on Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
more >
Copyright, conflicts of interest, and how to deal with Uncle Sam
US museum lawyers met last month to discuss the most pressing issues they are currently facing . more >
Cultural Diversity, Weapon Against Poverty
UNESCO has emphasised that cultural diversity is a good weapon in the fight against poverty. more >
Forum recommends arts academy
A high level Trinity College Dublin forum on the future training needs for actors has recommended that the Government should consider establishing an independent Irish Academy of Theatre Arts. more >
Jamal Shah finally resigns from PNCA
The Visual Arts Director of Pakistan National Council of the Arts, has finally resigned from his post. more >
Ministers pledge to boost artists' mobility
Promoting the mobility of artists and other cultural workers within Europe featured prominently among policy priorities for the next two years adopted by EU culture ministers on 21 May. more >
Respect all cultures, says Caricom Secretary General
Caribbean Community's (CARICOM) Secretary General has called on the Community to respect and promote the principles of cultural diversity and to ensure that the Community is a place built on mutual understanding and respect for all cultures. more >
Talking Musika
There is absolutely nothing wrong with government taking an interest in the arts. In fact it must be applauded. But the artists of this county want consideration of the establishment of a national arts council that is not a child of the ministry of culture. more >
Bulgaria Celebrates Day of Slavic Script and Bulgarian Culture
People all over Bulgaria celebrated one of the country's most important national holidays - May 24, the Day of the Slavic Script and Bulgarian Culture. more >
Taking stock of culture
Dolores Cristina was appointed Minister for Culture as part of the general reshuffle of ministerial responsibilities after the election. What has changed? more >
Cultural heritage or artistic expressions
Is Eleston Adams minister of culture, or should he be minister of something more reflective of our overall expectations of his portfolio? If I was drafting the decision papers for a prime minister, about how to appoint a portfolio of this type, I would suggest the following: minister of heritage, the arts and celebrations. more >
Ministry Of Culture, NCC Partner On Creative Ingenuity
In its determination to safeguard the creative ingenuity of Nigerians, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation is going into partnership with the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC). more >
A ministry for internet cafe culture - or what else can we do?
Why is it that most times the Culture Ministry comes into the news spotlight, it does so to pass comment on something 'wrong' with the way young people are living their lives? more >
A Musician Who Performs With a Scalpel
But to the extent that music heals, how does it heal? The physiological pathways responsible have remained obscure, and the search for an underlying mechanism has moved slowly. more >
Agenda21 in Arabic
Agenda 21 for culture, the worldwide mission advocating the adoption of cultural development by cities, is now available in Arabic. more >
Arts world delights in budget's great script
The Federal Government's first budget has been welcomed by the arts sector as a good start with its focus on education, emerging artists and on delivering on its election promises. more >
Creative crisis: the arts world in revolt
It was meant to provide new focus and impetus for the arts in Scotland. Instead the Creative Scotland Bill has been called a political car crash. more >
Creative crisis: the arts world in revolt
It was meant to provide new focus and impetus for the arts in Scotland. Instead the Creative Scotland Bill has been called a political car crash. more >
Crooks' cash to boost cultural projects
Under the government's new CashBack for Communities programme, money seized from convicted criminals will be channelled into projects designed to increase access to cultural activities for youngsters in care. more >
Cuba Celebrates International Day of Cultural Diversity
Cuban cultural and social institutions, led by the Ministry of Culture, in coordination with UNESCO, are carrying out a series of actions that will conclude on Wednesday with an international colloquium on diversity in the Caribbean. more >
Culture Ministry backs idea of theatres’ transfer to self-financing
The Minister of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan has backed a proposal for national theatres to become self-financing. more >
Greats of US literature pressed into diplomatic service
For the second time in recent years, US literature is being pressed into the service of international relations. more >
Iran calls for promotion of cultural ties with China
Head of Iran's Islamic Culture and Relations Organization has stressed the importance of expanding ties with China in various cultural fields. more >
Noises off: Lessons in arts education
Chris Wilkinson considers instrumental and intrinsic arguments in support of the arts, focussing on arts education. more >
Pride in our national culture will help transform the UAE
UAE's astounding cultural initiatives deliver powerful messages about both national pride and its place in the world. The key question is how to sustain these cultural achievements. more >
Serbia, Macedonia and Romania Join Europe in the Night of the Museums
Balkan cities are joining the international Night of the Museums, a ‘free-for-all’ event initiated by the French Ministry for Culture in which European museums stay open late into the night, offering nocturnal tours, light shows, theatrical and music performances. more >
WIPO to Launch Pilot Training Program for Indigenous Communities
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will launch in September 2008 a pilot program to assist indigenous communities to document their own cultural traditions, archive this heritage for future generations, and safeguard their interest in authorizing use of their recordings and traditions by third parties. more >
World Culture Day
Stephen Chifunyise provides an African perspective on the commemoration of World Culture Day 2008. more >
Cultural governance observatory
"CultureWatchEurope" (working title) is the Council of Europe’s cultural governance observatory and an information and exchange platform for culture and cultural and natural heritage. more >
Business hands out a cool $171m in gifts
Arts companies have attracted $171.1million in sponsorship and donations in the past financial year, according to the Australia Business Arts Foundation, in what it calls the first reliable tally of non-government funds. more >
Creativity bides its time
This week's federal budget will do little to satisfy an arts sector looking for big-picture cultural policy and spending, despite a $103 million allocation for a new film body, Screen Australia, and $11.8 million for connecting young people with the arts. more >
Arts council plans rejected
The arts council has been sent back to the drawing board by culture minister Ronald Plasterk after he rejected its wish to boost spending on the arts by 10% over the next four years. more >
Every self-respecting graduate needs to have cultural polish
Art is now on the agenda, so Business schools should also be about how people think, argue and interact. more >
Prague theatres plan unrest over funding reform
Theatre artists in Prague, dissatisfied with the way the City Hall finances culture and with its intention to change the status of certain state-subsidised theatres, plan to stage nationwide Days of Unrest on May 25-29. more >
The Ministry of Culture shuts down Cameroon Music Corporation
The Minister of Culture, Amah Tutu Muna, has withdrawn the approval that gives the Cameroon Music Corporation (CMC) the legal standing to manage authors rights. more >
Cullen replaces Brennan as Irish arts minister
A new Irish arts minister has been appointed - the third in less than a year - following a government reshuffle. more >
An inspector calls
Taxpayers' money must be accounted for. It cannot be sensible for all arts organisations to be funded from the public purse without condition, scrutiny or time limit. more >
Express yourself: Arts Council's new way to judge how well public money is spent
Arts Council England is about to consult on what it believes could be a new model for judging success or failure in the public sector that involves both self-assessment and peer review. more >
Minister of Information to inaugurate GCC seminar
The Cultural Department of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, Kuwait, are co-hosting an inaugural three-day seminar on the 'GCC Cultural Development Plan' to boost joint GCC cultural action and activate the cultural plan. more >
Music transforms kids and towns in remote area of Bolivia
Inspired by a biannual baroque festival and the legacy of missionaries, young people join choirs and take up the violin and Vivaldi in parishes across the country's eastern lowlands. more >
Putin’s New Ark
Under a new government structure, the functions of the Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography have been passed on to the new ministry of culture, headed by former Russian ambassador to France Alexander Avdeyev. more >
The market for the performing arts in Spain
An interview with Lluis Bonet on his recent study on the market for performing arts in Spain, 'El mercado de las Artes Escénicas en el Estado Español'. more >
Why fund the arts?
The recent controversy surrounding bill C-10 rekindled the old debate about arts subsidies. Why do we need them? more >
Cultural revolution
The Chávez government attracts attention for its social and political programmes, yet its effect on Venezuela’s art scene has been just as striking. more >
Cyprus Minister of Education wants to modernise system
In the next few months the Ministry of Education and Culture will promote the creation of autonomous cultural centres all over Cyprus, to help involve the citizens more in cultural issues. more >
Iraqi artists and singers flee amid crackdown on forbidden culture
Iraqi singers, actors and artists are fleeing the country after dozens have been killed by Islamic radicals determined to eradicate all culture associated with the West. more >
Italian culture minister reaches out
Italy's new minister of culture tried to calm the waters between the government and the film industry Friday, announcing that he would seek to prove that the new Italian government could be a friend to culture and film. more >
No one's too young for a play
Listen to the practitioners of theatre for children and you may be inspired to believe that theatre is not just a force for good, but that it can change the world. more >
PM wants to promote country’s rich cultural heritage
The Prime Minister asked Culture Minister to devise a comprehensive policy to promote cultural activities in the country and prepare programs to involve youth in them. He said cultural activities should not be against Islamic values. more >
Tracey Emin, Thom Yorke and Ian McKellen - please come and join my artists' parliament
The truth is that the leaner arts council had grown apart from the artists and organisations it funds, many of whom report little or no contact with their funders from year to year. more >
‘Culture’ catalogue to be presented in Azerbaijan
The edition offers concrete results of cultural policy and processes of cultural revival. more >
Conversation with Professor Chengyu Xiong
An interview with Professor Chengyu Xiong - director of National Research Centre of Cultural Industries, Tsinghua University, and advisor to the Chinese government on cultural policy and creative industries - about Chinese creative visions and the burgeoning development of cultural and creative industries. more >
Creative economies have long-term development potential
With the potential to strengthen cultural identities and promote innovation, the creative economy is increasingly recognized as one of the world’s most dynamic emerging economic forces—and as a development imperative. more >
Culturescope.ca website ends
The website of the Canadian Cultural Observatory has been discontinued as at April 1st 2008. more >
iPods, HDD Recorders Might Be Taxed in Japan for Copyright Holders
Recorders with a built-in HDD and portable audio recorders were targeted for the compensation system because "These devices are primarily used for music and video recording," the agency said. more >
SNAAP: New National Project to Examine Impact of Arts Training
A project has been launched to examine the impact of arts training. It will provide a first-ever in-depth look at the factors that help or hinder the careers of graduates of arts high schools, arts colleges and conservatories, and arts schools and departments within universities. more >
Culture improves Nordic competitiveness
A new cultural campaign aims to improve the position of the Nordic Region in global competitiveness and to strengthen the creative industries and international dialogue, according to the Nordic ministers of culture, who have just agreed on a joint globalisation cultural initiative. more >
Culture, root of Iran-Algeria ties
President Ahmadinejad has said culture is the backbone of Iran-Algeria relations, commending the current status of mutual cultural ties. more >
Evaluation of the World Observatory on the Social Status of the Artist
UNESCO is undertaking an evaluation of the World Observatory on the Social Status of the Artist through an online survey (in English, French and Spanish). Responses due by 20 May 2008.
FR: évaluation de l’Observatoire mondial sur la condition sociale de l’artiste
ES: evaluación del Observatorio mundial sobre la condición del artista
more >
Kylie Minogue gets French cultural honour
Culture Minister Christine Albanel has presented the Chevalier dans l'ordre des Arts et Lettres, one of of France's top cultural awards, to Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue. more >
Risky business for Hollywood
To advocates, UNESCO’s Cultural Diversity Convention is a crucial defence of national cultures against the onslaught of 'global mono-culture'. Such a high-profile endorsement of cultural protectionism should worry both Hollywood and Washington. more >
World Day for Cultural Diversity
In the lead-up to the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development on 21 May, Director-General of UNESCO Koïchiro Matsuura reinforces culture as a contributor to sustainable development that respects people and environments, and serves the cause of dialogue and peace. more >
Cultural policy needs revision
The cultural policy needs to be revised in order to promote arts and culture in the country, said Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman. more >
EFAH becomes Culture Action Europe
The European Forum on Arts and Heritage (EFAH) is changing its name to Culture Action Europe and launching a new website.
more >
NEA Chief Offers His Perspective
This is an excerpt of a conversation Dana Gioia had with reporter Valerie Strauss about poetry and the program Poetry Out Loud that the National Endowment for the Arts co-sponsors. more >
Vague ambition puts Creative Scotland at risk of becoming another basket case
Creative Scotland is basically a good idea and keenly awaited. The worst thing that could happen after years of governmental paralysis and endless reports would be for it to raise expectations it is then unable to fulfil. more >
Vogue ads to find women arts chiefs
Arts minister Margaret Hodge has attacked the 'ludicrous' under-representation of women in the boardrooms of British cultural institutions and plans to advertise in women’s magazines in an attempt to raise the proportion of women running museums, galleries and theatres.
more >
Culture minister vows to purge dramas of vulgarity
Culture and Sports Minister Dr Tanveerul Islam has expressed the resolve to eliminate vulgarity and obscenity from stage dramas. more >
Federal Government to Review Law for Cultural Institute, Others
Federal Government is set to review and restructure the laws of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO). more >
New national project to examine impact of arts training
It will provide a first-ever in-depth look at the factors that help or hinder the careers of graduates of arts high schools, arts colleges and conservatories, and arts schools and departments within universities, whether the alumni work as artists or pursue other paths. more >
SNP breaks grants pledge to artists and writers
Review ordered to find alternative funding avenues for creative community. more >
Spare a few million for the arts, guv
For the money that Roman Abramovich would have to spend to bring one decent striker to Chelsea, he could buy the services of an entire British orchestra more >
Turning over an old leaf
Only 24 books are produced for every tree felled. But book-swapping websites could provide a solution for the eco-aware reader. more >
The international who's who in cultural policy, planning and research >