International News in November 2009
Show all of 2009
Afinan la personalidad jurídica del Conaculta
Darle personalidad jurídica, evitar la duplicidad de funciones, equipar la infraestructura cultural, concretar proyectos internacionales, digitalizar la riqueza cultural y conservar y proteger el patrimonio cultural y artístico de México, son algunos de los retos que se ha impuesto Consuelo Sáizar al frente del Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes (Conaculta), institución a la que llegó hace 8 meses. more >
Conaculta’s Legal Status is Refined
This article outlines the challenges set by Consuelo Sáizar for the Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes (Conaculta), an institution she has been chairing for over eight months more >
Financiación de las artes multidisciplinarias – Informe de la FICAAC
La Federación Internacional de Consejos de Artes y Agencias Culturales (FICAAC) publicó recientemente su informe D’Art No. 38 sobre los enfoques existentes de financiación de las artes multidisciplinarias. more >
Multidisciplinary Arts Funding – IFACCA Report
Lab for Culture article on IFACCA's 38th D’Art report about the existent approaches to funding multidisciplinary arts. more >
Charter for Innovation, Creativity and Access to Knowledge
We invite all citizens to make this Charter theirs, share it and put it into practice. We invite all governments, multinationals and institutions urgently to listen to it, understand it and enforce it. more >
President Barroso unveils his new team
José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, today announced the portfolios responsibilities for the next Commission. Amongst the team, Androulla Vassiliou has been nominated Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth of the European Commission, replacing Maros Sefcovic. more >
The ARTerial Network connects African artists
With its motto 'act locally, impact globally' the ARTerial Network connects more than one hundred artists and cultural organisations in Africa together. The exchange of information and lobbying are needed to strengthen the African art sector. What has the network done for art organisations on the African continent? Five views from five countries: Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Egypt. "The power lies in the collective voice." more >
Archive of NEA Cultural Workforce Forum now available for viewing
If you visit this site, you’ll be able to watch the entire webcast of last week’s Cultural Workforce Forum at the National Endowment for the Arts, complete with the slides of the presenters. more >
Compensation planned for return of relics
In a bid to encourage overseas collectors to return to China its ancient relics, the country plans to offer "reasonable compensation" in exchange for the antiques, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) has said. more >
Digital Economy Bill: Join the debate
The Government’s Digital Economy Bill has just received its first reading in the House of Lords, but already it’s causing consternation among industry figures and consumers alike. The purpose of the Bill is to “strengthen the nation’s communications infrastructures”, equipping the UK to “compete and lead in the global digital economy”. more >
Edinburgh fringe fees frozen for second year
Edinburgh Festival Fringe has frozen its participation fees at 2008 levels, despite warnings from the city council that arts organisations across the city face a 4% cut in funding in 2010. Previously, fees had been rising at about 4% annually. more >
Tamara Rojo's leap of faith. She is one of the Royal Ballet's finest dancers. Now Spain wants her back.
Spain is exceptional among developed countries in having no national ballet. The Spanish government suggested it would fund a ballet company if Rojo came home to run it. However, Rojo has attached one absolute condition to her acceptance of the government's offer: Spain must change its system of arts funding. more >
Australia invests $1.6 million for regional arts
Arts Minister Peter Garrett today announced funding of more than $1.6 million under the Regional Arts Fund for arts and cultural activities throughout regional Australia. more >
Mexican writer, José Emilio Pacheco, wins the 2009 Premio Cervantes
Mexican writer, José Emilio Pacheco, has been named as the winner of the Spanish top literary prize, the Premio Cervantes for 2009. The award, given by the Spanish Ministry for Culture, is worth 125,000 € more >
Minister of Culture and Information unveils plan
Last week, Marie Laurence Jocelyn Lassegue met with the press corps to unveil a series of initiatives, to improve transparency in goverment. She also said that the government plans to open some cultural centers in Champs de Mars, having purchased Rex Theatre and the old Triumph Theatre. more >
One hundred days and counting
Indonesia's Minister of Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik, has revealed 11 key program for his department during the first 100 days of his second term as a cabinet minister. more >
Saving the paintings as the floods rise in the gallery
‘SOME AMAZING saves” have resulted from the emergency conservation work continuing at UCC’s Glucksman Gallery in Cork, where director Fiona Kearney has marshalled a team to rescue items damaged in the flood waters. more >
UNESCO World Forum on Culture a success
The UNESCO World Forum on Culture and Cultural Industries was a huge success. The UNESCO Director-General, Mr. Matsuura, opened the World Forum on Culture and Cultural Industries with forward thinking comments about how globalization can also work in the favor of cultural enterprises. more >
Vancouver's 2010 Olympic Legacy is beginning already
The Olympic legacy is being felt even before the 2010 Winter Olympics have begun. Cuts in the Arts and the closure of popular tourist attractions shows how tight money is. The funding the British Columbia Arts Council receives from the Provincial Government is being slashed by 82%. more >
War book “Da” wins Iran’s most lucrative literary award
The War narrative “Da” won the top prize from the Jalal Al-e Ahmad Literary Awards, which is Iran’s most prestigious and lucrative literary award. The top winner receives 110 Bahar Azadi gold coins worth over $270,000. more >
Caribbean Coalition for Cultural Diversity formed
A Caribbean Coalition for Cultural Diversity has been established to advocate cultural positions of the region relating to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. more >
Arts Council England invests £200k in comms despite savage staff cuts
Arts Council England shortlists agencies for lucrative PR campaign in wake of staff cuts. more >
Cultural council to set up offices in China
Taiwan's new culture minister Emile Chih-jen Sheng on Thursday said that his council is considering setting up offices in China. more >
Hey Mr Garrett! Time to get off our arts and do nothing
Australia needs a national cultural policy like a fish needs a bicycle. more >
Moroccan Parliament debates arts budget increase
Access to the arts should be a "basic right" for all Moroccans, not a luxury, according to Morocco's minister of culture, Bensalem Himmich. more >
A Survey Shows Pain of Recession for Artists
A major new survey of American artists and how they are weathering the economic downturn has found that slightly more than half experienced a drop in income from 2008 to 2009, a blow to an already struggling group, two thirds of whose members reported that they earned less than $40,000 last year. more >
Iranian director wins Freedom to Create prize
The Freedom to Create Prize has been awarded to the Iranian film director who created the 2001 film Kandahar. more >
Art for whose sake?
Now that cuts are very much on the agenda the Irish arts scene is finally attempting to fight its corner – with rather less success than the trade unions, it has to be said, but it’s not public uninterest that has sealed the fate of culture funding, its the arts’ shilling for government that has done the damage. more >
Exitoso Congreso del CIOFF en La Habana
Como una reunión constructiva y exitosa calificó el tailandés Udomsak Sakmunwong, presidente del Consejo Internacional de Organizaciones para Festivales Folclóricos y Artes Tradicionales (CIOFF), la realización en La Habana del 39 Congreso de ese organismo. more >
New partnership to support Scottish museums announced
Museums Galleries Scotland and The Collections Trust are delighted to announce a new partnership which celebrates a shared vision for Scotland’s museums and galleries. more >
Rocco Landesman: How Art Can Help Save the Economy
The chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts on the importance of having an author as president. more >
Successful CIOFF Congress at La Habana
Udomsak Sakmunwong (Thailand), President of the International Council of Folkloric Festival and Traditional Arts Organizations (CIOFF), described the 39th Edition of this Congress as constructive and successful. more >
A Moveable FEAST
A new movement is spreading across the nation that combines grassroots arts funding with sustainable agriculture. It's called "FEAST," or "Funding Emerging Art with Sustainable Tactics." more >
Azerbaijan creates database of cultural legacy entities
The Ministry of Culture & Tourism of Azerbaijan has singed a decree on creation of database of non-material cultural legacy entities of Azerbaijan. The Ministry reports that the decree aims to support, storing and recognizability of cultural legacy of Azerbaijan. The database will consist of special portfolio to cover achievements of masters of arts and folklore, NGOs and private organizations in the area,” the MCT reports. more >
B.C. Arts Council can't write cheques to arts groups
Has the B.C. Liberal government diluted arm’s-length funding of culture by taking away the B.C. Arts Council’s ability to write the cheques to arts organizations? Under the Arts Council Act, the B.C. Arts Council must “allocate the money appropriated annually for the Council by the Legislature”. more >
B.C. should restore arts funding, committee says
The British Columbia government should reverse its controversial cuts to arts funding in its next budget, says the province's all-party finance committee. more >
Carthage Theatre Days holds conference on "What Future for Theater in the World?"
Within the framework of the 14th edition of the Carthage Theatre Days (JTC) an international conference was held on Monday under the theme "what future for the theatre in the world?". In his opening address, Mr. Abderraouf El Basti, Minister of Culture and Heritage Preservation stressed the importance of Theatre in Tunisia. more >
China sets up animation, performing arts, cultural communication giants
China established a state-owned cartoon conglomerate, a performing arts group and a big cultural communication company Thursday. more >
China's state-owned cultural institutions reshuffled
The launch ceremony of three state-owned cultural group companies—China Oriental Entertainment Group Company Ltd., China Culture and Media Group Company Ltd. and China Anime Group Company Ltd. was unveiled Thursday, chinanews.cn reported. more >
Creative artistes move to secure their interest
Creative artistes in the country have initiated steps that will help secure their investments in the creative industry at all levels. more >
Creative minds say arts fight not only for funds, but relevancy
More than 250 people attended s Saturday forum on "The Arts and the Economic Crisis," attracting an audience of artists, nonprofit leaders, students and teachers from the tristate region and beyond. Common themes emerged from the sessions, but the biggest issue speakers returned to again and again was not economics; it was a question of relevance. more >
Culture consumption has declined
Forty-four per cent of Romanians spent nothing on cultural activities in first half of 2009, a study made public by the Ministry of Culture shows. The study reveals consumption of culture has dropped alarmingly this year. more >
Dominican Republic names new Culture Commissioner in US
Dominican Carlos Humberto Sánchez Morel was sworn in as the new Culture Commissioner in a ceremony held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Culture in New York. more >
German official: Europe needs plan to handle 'orphan works' texts
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief culture adviser welcomed Monday the removal of German books from search giant Google's project to create a world online library, and said Europe must solve the "orphan works" dilemma on its own. Google has included the content of 10 million books in its search engine, including many "orphan" books which are still covered by copyright law although the authors are dead and their heirs practically unfindable. more >
Greek film awards axed
Greek industryites who pulled their pics from the Thessaloniki Film Festival in a dispute over the country's outdated film funding laws have forced the cancellation of next Monday's Greek State Film Awards. more >
Helping NI bands costs almost £1m
Almost £1m has been spent on funding bands in Northern Ireland over the last four years. The money was awarded for instruments, equipment and tuition. The figure was released by the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, in response to a question from North Antrim Sinn Fein MLA Daithi McKay. more >
How to contribute to our cultural policy
What Happens when the Federal Government puts a call out to the public to make suggestions about a cultural policy? more >
Live on the Web: Forum on how to measure artists' economic impact
In the arts, composers, writers, painters, sculptors and performers grab all the glory, but they also serve who sit and wonk. And we, the people, are invited to watch 'em in action Friday as the National Endowment for the Arts presents a live webcast of its daylong Cultural Workforce Forum. more >
Minister of Culture, Joan Manuel Treserras, shares the view that Felix Millet should be in prison.
Tresserras said he was not surprised by the amount stolen in the case Millet -31.6 million euros, according to various audits. In any case, the minister stressed that the embezzlement that has occurred in Palau is an exceptional case. more >
Official concerned about training of cultural actors
Provincial director of Culture in southern Huíla province, Maria Marcelina Gomes has expressed worry about the lack of vocational training of staff in domains of choreography, scenic arts and music, leading to the poor quality of the final product. more >
Orange signs agreement with French cinema organisations
Orange cinema series guarantees a minimum investment of €80mn over three years in French and European cinema. more >
Traditional dance, music and theatre highlighted
Traditional dance, music, and theatre were the main attractions at the ceremony of prize giving to the winners of the 2009 edition of the National Culture and Arts Award, held Tuesday in Luanda. more >
UBS circus backing wins award from U.K. Arts & Business Charity
UBS AG, Switzerland’s biggest bank by assets, won a U.K. philanthropy award for backing a circus training center in London. more >
Union Ministry of Culture introduces visiting fellows in art, culture & heritage scheme
The Ministry of Culture introduces, with the approval of the Prime Minister in his capacity as the Culture Minister, a scheme named as the “Visiting Fellows in Art, Culture & Heritage” scheme. This Scheme is being introduced to invigorate and revitalize the various institutions under the Ministry of Culture which have vast ‘treasures’ in the form of manuscripts, documents, artifacts, antiquities and paintings. more >
Contemporary art institute splits critics
The recent opening of a State-run contemporary art institute has divided those in the art world. While many have welcomed the long-awaited governmental recognition of the genre, others are concerned that formal acceptance will see an end to creativity and freedom of expression. more >
Expedite Bill on cultural leaders
President Yoweri Museveni told cultural leaders on Wednesday that a Bill that will regulate relations between them and the central government has been approved by cabinet. more >
Heritage minister says arts groups shouldn't rely on one source for funding
Arts groups need to diversify their sources of funding to ensure they remain financially viable, said Heritage Minister James Moore . more >
Heritage minister says arts groups shouldn't rely on one source for funding
Arts groups need to diversify their sources of funding to ensure they remain financially viable, Heritage Minister James Moore said Friday. more >
Language no barrier to literary prize
A Swiss-German author for whom English is a second language has made it to the shortlist of Scotland's most prestigious literary award. more >
Medieval Armenian church in Georgia collapses
A major section of a 14th century Armenian church in Tbilisi collapsed Wednesday evening, after years of neglect by the authorities to repair the historic structure, reported the Georgian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church on Thursday. more >
Private sector patron of the arts?
The Jazz Fest, the Cirque du soleil, and other big name events get the big name recognition - as well as the sponsorships and funding that often go along with it. But what about smaller events and people like authors and dancers who often get left out in the cold? more >
S.D. receives little arts funding
NEA grant allocation shocks local leaders. San Diego is California's second-largest city in population, but not when it comes to bringing home arts funding. The much-smaller cities of Monterey, Oakland and Santa Clarita squeezed out more federal stimulus dollars for the arts than San Diego. more >
Should we be funding opera?
The incoming Opera Australia artistic director has slammed Australia's orchestras and opera companies as "conservative and predictable". Terracini's admissions actually fall well short of the mark and remind us that Australia is long overdue for a serious discussion about cultural priorities. more >
Venezuela Int’l Book Fair spreads access to culture
The fifth annual Venezuela International Book Fair opened in the capital city on November 13. Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez was the featured speaker at the fair’s opening ceremony. more >
Everyone a winner with an arts lottery
While there has been an enlightened belief among many well-heeled corporations and individuals that the arts deserve to be supported, the growth of the art prize has occurred in direct contrast to the paucity of Federal Government assistance. more >
Obama adds star power to arts panel
The committee's 25 members -- an eclectic list that, besides performing artists, includes business executives, educators, arts organization trustees, lawyers and political supporters -- were sworn in Nov. 3 in Washington, D.C. more >
Sweden finances more culture in schools
Every year the Swedish Government spends 55 million SEK (approximately 175 SEK per pupil) on cultural initiatives at school. more >
Steps taken to develop culture
State Minister for Cultural Affairs Advocate Promod Mankin, MP, said Bangladesh has a glorious cultural heritage and the present government took various steps to develop its culture and patronise organisations to expand cultural activities in the country. more >
39th Congress of the International Council of Organizations of Folklore and Traditional Art
The 39th Congress of the Consejo Internacional de Organizaciones de Festivales de Folklore y de Artes Tradicionales (CIOFF) (International Council of Organizations of Folklore and Traditional Arts will be hosted in Havana, Cuba, from November 8th to 15th, 2009. more >
Cuts to arts budgets would lower Britain's earning power
In a speech this week to the Labour campaign group Progress, the Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw warned about the threat to the arts should the Conservatives come to power: the independence of the creative sector would be swept away, polemical plays denied funding, the BBC emasculated, and Rupert Murdoch allowed to establish a British Fox News. more >
More security for art councils
Following the increasing security threat to public buildings, the Punjab Arts Council (PAC) will purchase security equipment and deploy additional security guards at nine art councils across the province, the council’s board of governors said in a meeting on Saturday. more >
Arts Council outlines decision process
Arts Council England has published the criteria it uses to make decisions about which organisations to fund regularly for the first time. more >
ArtStarts in Schools showcase sidelined
The dismal economic climate continues to rain down on local arts groups. ArtStarts in Schools has announced it’s cancelling next year’s spring showcase as a result of uncertainty regarding provincial arts funding. more >
Better conditions for creative industries soon
The Ministry of Culture and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Ghana Association of Phonographic Industries (GAPI) and the Business Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund have taken concrete initiatives that promised better conditions for players in the creative industries soon. more >
Chinese agencies fight for control of Web game
Chinese regulators are fighting over the right to oversee "World of Warcraft," a popular online game, in a bizarre battle that has thrust bureaucratic rivalry for control of the Internet into the open. more >
City of Culture 2010
There was little interest in the European City of Culture scheme when Greek Minister of Culture, Melina Mercouri, introduced it in 1985, but over the years it has proved a catalyst for real cultural uplift. Whirling dervishes will be doing their speedy thing as Istanbul begins a year-long programme of events embracing its unique status as the city where Europe and Asia meet. more >
Creative Scotland reveals business model
Creative Scotland 09 has unveiled its eagerly anticipated business model, setting out the structure and operational design of the new cultural development body, which is due to be formed in the first half of next year. more >
CS meets UK Culture and Tourism Minister
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Henry Tang, met with the UK Minister for Culture and Tourism, Margaret Hodge today (November 4, UK Time). They discussed strengthening arts and cultural links between Hong Kong and the UK and shared experiences on the promotion of art and culture. more >
Culture Ministry pursues cineastes’ recent concern
Deputy Culture Minister for Cinematic Affairs Javad Shamaqdari is pursuing the recent statement released by cineastes warning against the marginalization of Iran’s independent cinema. more >
Film agency for Wales announces new board appointments
Peter Edwards, the Chairman of the Film Agency for Wales, has announced a new Board of Directors for this pan Wales organisation. more >
Fortuyn to Van Gogh: Minister of Culture?
A journalist has revealed that murdered Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn asked filmmaker and journalist Theo van Gogh whether he would accept the post of Minister of Culture. more >
Georgia's culture ministry declines to list a mosque in Azerbaijani-populated village as cultural and historical monument
Georgian Ministry of Culture refused to include a mosque in Fakhrali village populated by Azerbaijanis in the list of cultural and historical monuments, resident of Fakhrali village Adil Nabiyev said. more >
Iran's leading holocaust denier named Deputy Minister
Mohammad Ali Ramin, who is said to have shaped the views of Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad on the Holocaust, has been appointed deputy culture minister for media affairs. Ahmadinejad has called the Holocaust a "myth." more >
Major cabinet reshuffle in Guinea Bissau
President Bacai Sanha of Guinea Bissau on Thursday reshuffled his cabinet, slashing the number of ministers from 21 to 16, according to a PANA report Friday. However, the number of secretaries of State was increased from 10 to 12. The new list of ministers includes Artur Silva, Minister of Culture, Education, Science, Youth and Sports. more >
National Archives is under-resourced - historian
Historian Dr Melissa Ifill says important archival materials are no longer being presented to the National Archives due to a lack of confidence in the institution’s ability to preserve records, and that a lack of funding and adequate staffing has affected the res-toration work of the archives. more >
National Cultural Canons as a Cultural Policy Response to Globalisation?
Discussions on identity, the nation-state and cultural policy as well as questions addressing globalisation and nationalism are often presented as closely interrelated. more >
Obama enlists Hollywood names for arts committee
A year after President Barack Obama's election, the White House is enlisting "Sex and the City" star Sarah Jessica Parker, Forest Whitaker and others from Hollywood and beyond to help push the president's arts initiatives. more >
Toronto unveils billboard tax for art
The City of Toronto has released a draft bylaw regulating outdoor advertising and introducing a new tax on billboards for art. The bylaw will be voted on at the PGM Committee on Nov. 4th at 1:30pm. Aiming to beautify and increase freedom of expression in public spaces, Beautifulcity.ca has advocated for this city building idea since 2002. more >
Upton welcomes report on economic value of the arts
Labour Party Spokesperson on Arts, Sport and Tourism Mary Upton TD has welcomed the publication of a report commissioned by the Arts Council which has highlighted the economic value of the Arts to the economy. more >
White House removes controversial painting
The White House generated discussion and debate last month when it released the list of works it borrowed from public collections to hang in its residential space. more >
World's oldest submerged town, 5,000 years old
Archeologists say the world's oldest submerged town, located off the southern Laconia coast of Greece, dates back to 5,000 years ago. Final Neolithic ceramics found during the five-year study project showed that the city of Pavlopetri was at least 1,200 years earlier than previously thought. more >
Zahi Hawass: Vice Minister of Cultur
The President of Egypt has appointed Dr Zahi Hawass to be the Vice Minister of Culture for Egypt. Hawass comments: I saw how happy people were when I got the Louvre to return the tomb paintings of Tetiky, and when I asked for the return of the Nefertiti bust from Berlin. I hope these people continue to support my work to preserve Egypt’s history. more >
Why isn't comedy funded by the Arts Council?
Standup comedy can be as inspirational – and expensive – as any other art form, yet it attracts almost no public money. Things need to change. more >
He produces controversy
Veteran Broadway theater producer Rocco Landesman, off to a rocky start in his new gig as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), demonstrated at a meeting of arts funders in Brooklyn two weeks ago that he had no plans to change his act. more >
Advance Australia online
Australians have an opportunity to shape the nation's official cultural policy. more >
The international who's who in cultural policy, planning and research >