International News in September 2009
Show all of 2009
Culture and EU Structural Funds: a success story? Invitation to participate
Together with the Centre for Strategy & Evaluation Services (CSES), the ERICarts Institute is currently conducting a study for the European Commission on the Contribution of Culture to Local and Regional Development as part of European Cohesion Policy and our aim is to involve as many people with practical experience in the field as possible. more >
Egypt and UNESCO: other reasons behind the defeat
The uproar over the defeat of Egyptian Minister of Culture Farouq Husni in the elections of the UNESCO director-general has not yet subsided. These elections have truly reflected the size of the chasm between the north and the south, one that cannot be concealed by giving some speeches and words or by watching the hugs and kisses among leaders. more >
Over 1,000 EU stakeholders and policy makers at the European Culture Forum in Brussels
Culture cooperation and intercultural dialogue was discussed in Brussels on 29 and 30 September at the European Culture Forum, attended by more than 1,000 culture sector experts and policy makers from across Europe and beyond. The Forum, one of the headline events of the 2009 European Year of Creativity and Innovation, took stock of progress towards the goals of the European Agenda for Culture, which was launched in May 2007. more >
Policy changes to promote culture industry
The plan for boosting the Chinese culture industry released by the State Council Saturday includes major projects for cultural development, which aim at expanding domestic demand, creating new jobs and promoting economic development, said a spokesman for the State Council answering reporter's questions Sunday. more >
Tango on UNESCO world heritage list
Tango was declared part of the world's cultural heritage by the United Nations on Wednesday and granted the international seal of approval Argentina and Uruguay have long sought for the dramatic dance and its sensual moves. more >
The new European Union Prize for Literature puts twelve emerging European authors in the limelight
In the Flagey Theatre in Brussels, 12 emerging European authors received the new European Union Prize for Literature during a ceremony attended by 800 people from the European cultural scene. more >
Fiji Arts Council - “Understanding the values of diversity and authenticity of tourism in a globalising world”
History and culture is a significant part of Fijian identity and this is often clearly demonstrated through a diverse range of local art forms. more >
Irish arts world launches unified bid to fight €37m of cuts
A national campaign has been launched by the Irish arts community aimed at protecting the sector from across-the-board cuts of €37 million recommended by a government-appointed committee. more >
Music grant is a lifeline for musicians
Heritage minister James Moore is making a big mistake cancelling the Canada Council's Specialized Music Recording Grant. more >
70 countries gather for Summit
Almost 450 delegates from 70 countries are meeting at Museum Africa in Newtown, Johannesburg for the 4th World Summit on Arts & Culture. more >
Call for investment in the arts
London mayor Boris Johnson and two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey have called for continued investment in cultural attractions during the downturn. more >
Culture experts gather in Joburg
How can we embrace our differences to build a multicultural world? Experts from around the world are thrashing out this and other issues at the World Summit on Arts and Culture. more >
Curtain rises on the 4th World Summit
The first ever World Summit on Arts & Culture to take place in Africa opens tonight at the Alexander Theatre, Braamfontein, Johannesburg. more >
Editorial: Singling out the arts
Filling Pennsylvania's budget gap with a new tax on the arts unfairly singles out a community that already is struggling. more >
Festival boss bags our theatres
One of Australia's most respected arts figures has launched a veiled criticism of Adelaide's theatres, saying they are in danger of becoming outdated. more >
French Assembly Adopts Anti-Piracy Bill
The French National Assembly has adopted the sanctions side of the three-strikes Creation and Internet bill to tackle illegal file-sharing. more >
Hodge returns to government
Downing Street has announced that Margaret Hodge will return to DCMS as minister for culture, creative industries and tourism. more >
World summit on arts and culture kicks off
Movers and shakers in the arts scene will take part in the fourth world summit on arts and culture which starts Tuesday. more >
Worlds beyond our own
Annabell Lebethe: Academy-award winning film Tsotsi were part of a corporate social investment project which donated a soccer field to the community. Here is an example of two of the country's youngest actors -- who have achieved remarkable feats for the cultural community -- and their contribution to Soweto was a soccer field. more >
Obama makes key appointments to Committee on the Arts and Humanities
A prominent movie and television producer, a New York theater producer and a high-ranking university arts scholar are headed to Washington to join the president's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. more >
Portrait of the artist as an older man – this time with a pension
Creative types have their strengths, but not usually in financial planning. more >
Bulgarian Who Is to Lead Unesco Advocates Political Pluralism
The Bulgarian diplomat who defeated the Egyptian culture minister in a close vote on Tuesday night to become the first woman to lead Unesco is a 57-year-old mother with two grown children, an expert in arms control and the daughter of an influential family who came of age during the cold war. more >
Culture and Society
The culture ministers of Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina signed a declaration on co-operation to protect cultural diversity. more >
Culture ministers of Islamic countries to meet in Baku
Azerbaijan will host a meeting of culture ministers of Islamic countries in October. more >
How Helpful Is Cultural Diplomacy?
While other countries have been active exporters of their arts -- China and Great Britain come to mind -- the United States government has been reticent to invest in this form of diplomacy. more >
Independent artists angry over lost grants
Federal Heritage Minister says the policy reforms ‘have long been called for by people in the music industry'. more >
New NEH Chairman Takes Aim at the Cultural Wars
Jim Leach has roots as a Republican from the heartland. more >
Report shatters myths about cultural activities
People of color are far more likely to participate in some cultural activity during the course of a year than are white people. Ditto families with children over childless couples. more >
U.K.-Based Businesses Slash Spending on Arts, Survey Reports
Businesses in the U.K. are cutting spending on the arts, and aren’t planning to increase it until 2011, according to a survey by the London-based nonprofit organization Arts & Business. more >
Creative industry as revenue generator, by AIG Frank Imuokhuede
Nigeria's creative industry has yet not been fully tapped to yield its best for the nation's economy. One man who feels keenly is AIG Frank Imuokhuede, a former editor of Nigeria Magazine and Director of Culture at the Ministry of Culture. more >
Unesco Elections: Controversial Egyptian Farouk Hosni set to win
It came as a surprise to no one. The controversial Egyptian Minister of Culture jumped into the lead after votes, for both the first and second rounds of elections for a new Director General of Unesco, were counted. With 22 votes on Thursday and 23 on Friday, Farouk Hosni led eight other candidates including former Austrian foreign secretary and European Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldneras and Bulgaria’s Irina Bokova Gueorguierva. more >
Artists’ tax-free status in Ireland could end
Since 1969, being a writer, musician, or visual artist in Ireland has carried a distinct advantage: exemption from paying income tax on earnings. But if the country’s Commission on Taxation has its way, that special treatment will end. more >
Arts groups, artists face second year of state budget cuts
Faced with declining tax revenues, many states are slashing their arts funding for a second consecutive year, dealing a serious blow to arts groups and individual artists, the Associated Press reports. more >
China to begin reviewing all song lyrics for ‘inappropriate’ content
Song lyrics found to be vulgar, violent, or in otherwise poor taste are now facing removal from Chinese Web sites, the Chinese Ministry of Culture has announced. more >
China to reveal details of stimulus plan for culture sector
China's Ministry of Culture (MoC) is likely to release its detailed stimulus measures to accelerate the development of commercial cultural activities in the next week, said Liu Yushu, head of the Department of Cultural Industries with the ministry. more >
Former Culture Minister dies at 77
Kim Sung-jin, who served as minister of culture and communication between 1975 and 1980 under former President Park Chung-hee, died of an illness, Thursday. He was 77. more >
If you like the arts, then pay for them yourself
Many citizens are more concerned that the state provide health care when they need it, guard their security and see that their children have schools to go to. They have less concern for what goes on or is displayed in temples of the arts. more >
10 more sites in Pakistan may be included in World Heritage List
Ten more ancient sites in Pakistan are likely to be included in UNESCO's World Heritage List, local newspaper DAWN reported Monday. more >
Americans for the Arts responds to inaccurate Washington Times editorial
A Blog posted by Bob Lynch, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts aims to point out "inaccuracies and fabrications" in a Washington Times editorial titled “Inartful Politics” that was originally posted on its The Water Cooler blog and was preceded by a number of other blog posts by the writer that were equally unfounded. more >
Blog: It's time to applaud the Arts Council
Bashing the organisation is easy, but it has come a long way. I'm optimistic about its plans for a panel of theatre assessors. Andrew Haydon comments on the Arts Council recruitment of a panel of 150 theatregoers. more >
Doha to host slew of art events in ’10
Doha will be hosting 70 events in the first three months of 2010 as the city takes its seat as the Arab Capital of Culture next year, an official said. more >
How much is enough?
It’s time for the arts to put its own figure on the value of the arts and to make a more robust, coherent case for their continued funding, argues Stuart McLaughlin, of Business2Arts more >
Kim Cattrall takes shot at B.C. arts funding cuts
Kim Cattrall — the Courtenay-raised actor who played sexy Samantha on the HBO series and subsequent film Sex and the City — certainly sent a message to the B.C. government during her acceptance speech at the Canadian Walk of Fame gala in Toronto this past weekend. more >
National Library’s heritage building in Kolkata to be used for cultural activities
The National Library, Kolkata, the largest library in India, and an institution of National Importance has shifted most of its collections from the heritage building Belvedere to the newly constructed Bhasa Bhavan located at the same complex. more >
Arts summit to build bridges
The World Summit on Arts and Culture is expected to "have a catalytic impact on the arts and culture sector in South Africa and across the African continent". more >
Statement from Americans for the Arts in regards to inaccuracies published by The Washington Times
On September 10 and 11, 2009, The Washington Times posted a series of unfounded blog posts and an inaccurate editorial on its website. Americans for the Arts urges the editors of The Washington Times to reconsider their mistake and ask them to also print this clarification in its entirety when the editorial is published. more >
Musicians mourn loss of diversity fund
The elimination of the Canadian Musical Diversity fund will marginalize artists working in jazz, folk, traditional and contemporary classical music that do not have a large commercial following, musicians say. more >
Texas senator warns Obama against 'politicization of the NEA'
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) issued an open letter Wednesday asking President Obama to "take the necessary steps to ensure that the NEA and the American arts community it supports remain independent from political manipulation by the White House." more >
Blog: Is this really peer review? Arts Council seeks theatre assessors
The Arts Council is recruiting 150 theatregoers to help them make funding decisions. But can we rely on their reports? more >
Cultural Policy Research Award winner announced at ENCATC international conference in Barcelona
An international jury will announce the winner of the Cultural Policy Research Award 2009 (CPRA) on 22 October at the ENCATC International Conference in Barcelona. more >
Tax free era for Irish artists may end
For decades Irish-based writers, musicians and visual artists have been exempt from paying income tax on their earnings under the Republic's tax laws. more >
Tourism and culture should have different ministries
The Association of Indonesia Tourist Guides (HPI) suggested President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono separate tourism and culture in different ministries in his next five-year cabinet. more >
Cumbre Mundial de las Artes y la Cultura, en Sudáfrica
Del 22 al 25 de septiembre, participantes de todo el mundo se reunirán para explorar, debatir y compartir experiencias y buenas prácticas sobre el tema central de esta cuarta Cumbre Mundial de las Artes y la Cultura: Encuentro de culturas: la creación de sentido a través de las artes. more >
Antisemita o proisraelí, etiquetas que carga el candidato egipcio a la UNESCO
El ministro de Cultura egipcio, Faruk Hosni, defiende su controvertida candidatura para dirigir la UNESCO, combatiendo acusaciones de antisemitismo en el extranjero y en su país ataques que lo tachan de muy conciliador hacia Israel. more >
Boletín Gestión Cultural Nº 19: Observatorios Culturales
Los observatorios nacen en una sociedad en que la información y el conocimiento se erigen como los principales motores del desarrollo político, social, cultural y económico de un país; y adquieren un papel esencial en la toma de decisiones en el diseño y evaluación de las políticas. more >
Conferencia Mundial sobre Conflictos Culturales en Johannesburgo
Museum Africa, en Johannesburgo, es la sede donde la FICAAC (Federación Internacional de Consejos de Artes y Agencias Culturales) organiza la Cuarta Cumbre Mundial de las Artes y la Cultura, del 22 al 25 de septiembre de 2009. Las ediciones anteriores se llevaron a cabo en Canadá, Singapur y Gran Bretaña. more >
Creando sentidos a través de las artes / 4 Cumbre Mundial de las Artes y la Cultura (Sudáfrica)
El tema del 4 Cumbre Mundial de las Artes y la Cultura (Sudáfrica, 22 Septiembre 2009) es “Encuentro de Culturas: Creando sentidos a través de las artes“. more >
Cultural Administration Bulletin Nº 19: Cultural Observatories
Observatories arise in a society that considers information and knowledge as the main driving forces of a country’s political, social, cultural and economic development; and they acquire an essential role in decision-making related to policy design and evaluation. more >
Small record labels concerned over federal funding change
The federal government’s elimination of the Canadian Musical Diversity element of its Canada Music Fund has owners of small, non-mainstream record labels wondering if their days are numbered. more >
Tokelau leader says new flag is symbol of developing national identity
Tokelau’s Ulu or leader, Foua Toloa, says the development of a flag and national symbol are all part of supporting a national identity. more >
Unesco: le candidat égyptien à la direction générale dans les feux de la controverse
Le ministre de la Culture égyptien, Farouk Hosni, défend sa candidature controversée à la tête de l'Unesco en bataillant contre les accusations d'antisémitisme qui pèsent sur sa campagne à l'étranger, et les attaques, à domicile, le jugeant trop conciliant envers Israël. more >
World Conference on Cultural Conflicts in Johannesburg
Museum Afrika in Johannesburg is the venue where the IFACCA (International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies) is organising its fourth world conference on art and culture from 22 to 25 September 2009. Previous editions were held in Canada, Singapore and Great Britain. more >
An Egyptian for Unesco
An “affaire” is brewing as the French return from the beaches that may even relegate the Bruni-Allen talk. It concerns the Egyptian culture minister, his candidacy to head the Paris-based United Nations cultural agency Unesco, and his past talk of burning Israeli books. more >
Culture Ministry has always been accused of liberalism and censorship
Former culture minister Mohammad-Hossein Saffar Harandi warned the new minister Mohammad Hosseini against the two accusations of liberalism and censorship the culture minister encounters. more >
Agreement between the Algerian Ministry of Culture and the INRAP with the support of the World Heritage Centre
The agreement, unprecedented in Algeria, allowed archaeological diagnostic works before construction began of the Algiers subway station, Place des Martyrs. more >
Conference on ‘children and young people in the new culture and media landscape’
The Swedish presidency organised a public conference on ways to promote children and young people access to the new culture and media and, as a consequence, the emergence of a ‘creative generation’. Webcasts of the plenary discussions, keynote speeches and reports of the working groups are available. more >
Countries meeting on Kankurang Masquerade
The National Council for Arts and Culture with their Senegalese counterparts together with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, held a joint steering committee meeting between the Gambia and Senegal on the UNESCO Sponsored Kankurang Project. more >
Curtain rises on culture links between China and Spain
Spain hopes to sign a framework agreement next year with China to promote the movie industry and the arts in the two countries, said Spanish Culture Minister Angeles Gonzalez Sinde. more >
European Commission says O.K. to dirty movies for British kids
To the horror of British parents—and, one expects, to the delight of many pubescent young Brits—the U.K. law prohibiting the sale of violent or pornographic videos to children has been effectively rendered inoperative by a bureaucratic snafu. more >
Government of Canada supports Aboriginal Arts training
Over the next three years, the En'owkin Centre will receive a total of $720,000 for its National Aboriginal Professional Arts Training Program. more >
Hosseini to helm Iranian Culture Ministry
Mohammad Hosseini was appointed the 8th Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance after the approval by Iran’s Majlis on Thursday September 3. more >
How music can restore a nation’s pride
A festival in Bucharest shows how classical music can leap over the barriers of language and history. more >
How will Mitterrand handle artists’ resale rights dispute?
The dispute between Christie’s and French art market players over the thorny issue of “droit de suite” is one of the first challenges facing France’s new minister for culture, Frédéric Mitterrand. more >
Interstices - new website www.interstices-conseil.fr
Interstices has just launched a website that lists experiences and good practices on the management of cultural diversity and interculturality. more >
Lab planned to restore damaged art works
The Ministry of Culture is establishing a Rs33 million laboratory for restoration of damaged artworks. more >
Ministry of Culture demands pro-lifers pay back money used for march
Brazil’s Ministry of Culture is demanding that pro-lifers who were involved in the Third National March for Life this past Sunday in Brasilia pay back the public funding they were given for the event. more >
Mohammed bin Rashid meets Emirati intellectuals, artists
Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, received at his Za'abeel Palace here last night a number of Emirati intellectuals, artists, poets, comedians, who paid him a courtesy call on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan. more >
New Lanark World Heritage Site...in 3D!
A team from Historic Scotland and Glasgow School of Art is creating detailed 3D virtual models of Scotland's five World Heritage sites, as well as five International Heritage Sites — known as the Scottish 10. more >
Publishers angry over increased paperwork against pirated books
Law-abiding publishers have to go through the ordeal of preparing and obtaining 13 documents and certificates in order to obtain tax stamps from the authorities while pirated book publishers continue to operate unhindered. more >
The Eiffel Tower welcomes Turkey
The question of Turkey's accession to the EU has not been decided. However, that of Turkey in France is off to a good start: until March 31, 2010, no fewer than 400 cultural events are programmed, under the aegis of the Foreign Ministry and the French and Turkish Ministries of Culture. more >
Top culture official hails Berlin challenge to Google
Germany's top culture official, who has fought the Google Books settlement, voiced satisfaction Wednesday that Berlin had filed a court challenge in New York to the book digitization project. more >
China sets new rules for music sold online
China's government ordered a cleanup of the country's online music market that will require music sites to seek approval from censors for all foreign songs they distribute on the Internet. more >
Curtain falls on arts funding
Alberta's culture minister says arts and non-profit groups funded through gaming and government grants can expect up to a 20 per cent cut in money. more >
Hackney Council “vandalizes” Banksy mural
The council removed an eight-year-old mural from the side of an apartment building, claiming that they did not differentiate between street art and graffiti. more >
Minister or Legislator? That's the question
Group of Ministers, including Minister for Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik (elected to represent the Demokrat Party for Bali), must decide by September 10, 2009 if they want to be legislators or try their luck at remaining in the Presidential Cabinet. more >
A new act to empower the National Art Council
The Ministry of Cultural Affairs and National Heritages has taken measures to amend the current act on Art Council and established a more empowered new body. more >
Arts Council England announces new national leadership team
Arts Council England today announced the members of its new Executive Board – the streamlined national leadership team that will lead the re-structured organisation from April 2010. more >
Positive reactions to new French minister for culture
The appointment this summer of Frédéric Mitterrand—TV showman, film producer, writer, gay activist and nephew of the last socialist president, François Mitterrand—as the new minister for culture has been greeted with enthusiasm by French cultural groups. more >
The international who's who in cultural policy, planning and research >