<P><B><U>The Mandate</U></B></P>
<P>The Ministry of Culture is the governing body of Colombian cultural policies. Based on multiculturalism and decentralization, the Ministry generates spaces for reflection to unchain processes of cultural formation, creation and investigation. Likewise, it guards the preservation, promotion and diffusion of Colombian cultural heritage, contributing towards the construction of a culture of peace.</P>
<P>The Ministry of Culture promotes culture as a fundamental dimension of the country’s economic and social development, at both national and territorial levels. This objective is achieved by promoting processes of formation, investigation, creation, and artistic and cultural diffusion, respecting the country’s cultural expressions and manifestations within a framework of tolerance, coexistence and solidarity where the infinite diversity of Colombians is highlighted as a positive aspect of our cultural heritage and not a harmful justification for violence. </P>
<P>The Ministry serves professional arts, music, theatre, dance, visual arts, crafts, heritage, folk or traditional culture, museums and galleries, archives, archaeology, preservation and conservation of artifacts, training of artists and/or cultural workers, cultural industries, book publishing, magazine publishing, media arts, film, video and television, broadcasting and arts education.</P>
<P>In November 2001, the Ministry launched the National Plan of Culture 2001-2010. The main objective of this Plan is to encourage the participation of civilians and decentralize public cultural policy making. </P>
<P>The Ministry is now undertaking a project to create an Evaluation Committee in charge of Cultural Policies. The project seeks to develop, promote and disclose the results of investigations made on public cultural policies at both national and international levels. The objectives are:</P>
<UL>
<LI>to create a documentation center that organizes and serves as a source of consultation for first-hand information on cultural policies.
<LI>to elaborate investigations on the impact of cultural public policies.
<LI>to organize seminars, conferences and national and international meetings on cultural policies.
<LI>to promote training of officials in the elaboration of cultural policies. </LI></UL>
<P><B><U>The Ministry</U></B></P>
<P>The Ministry:</P>
<UL>
<LI>Provides financial support to arts/cultural organizations
<LI>Provides financial support to individuals in the arts/culture
<LI>Advises the national government on matters related to the arts/culture
<LI>Has responsibility for government legislation related to the arts/culture
<LI>Develops national arts/cultural policies
<LI>Implements national arts/cultural policies
<LI>Evaluates national arts/cultural policies
<LI>Conducts research in the arts/culture
<LI>Compiles and maintains the national cultural statistics and databases
<LI>Promotes public understanding and appreciation of the arts/culture
<LI>Has lead responsibility at the national level for coordinating international cultural relations and exchanges
<LI>Organizes and manages cultural activities or events
<LI>Manages cultural facilities or venues
<LI>Arranges tax benefits for contributions to the arts/culture
<LI>Awards prizes/honours in the arts/culture
<LI>Publishes books and/or magazines </LI></UL>
<P><B><U>The governing body</U></B></P>
<P>The Ministry of Culture has the following administrative structure:</P>
<P>Office of the Minister</P>
<P>Office of the Vice Minister</P>
<P>Office of the General Secretary</P>
<P>National Departments:</P>
<DIR>
<DIR>
<P>Heritage</P>
<P>Arts</P>
<P>Communications</P>
<P>Cinematography</P>
<P>Development and regional development</P>
<P>Museums</P>
<P>Childhood and Youth</P></DIR></DIR>
<P>Special Administrative units:</P>
<DIR>
<DIR>
<P>Colombian institute of Anthropology</P>
<P>National library</P>
<P>National museum</P></DIR></DIR>
<P>Offices:</P>
<DIR>
<DIR>
<P>Legal Office</P>
<P>Office of Planning</P>
<P>Office of Internal Control</P>
<P>Office of Systems</P>
<P>Office of International Relations</P>
<P>Press Office</P></DIR></DIR>
<P>Divisions:</P>
<DIR>
<DIR>
<P>Administrative Division</P>
<P>Finance Division</P>
<P>Division of Human Resources</P></DIR></DIR>
<P><B><U>The Staff</U></B></P>
<P>The Ministry employs 355 staff, all of whom are public servants. Staff are of various occupations as required by the Ministry, including: advisors, specialised professionals, department heads, university professionals, museum specialists, restoreres, creative artists, systems analysts, technicians, administrative assistants, executive secretaries, operatives and drivers.</P>
<P>The President of the Republic names his/her cabinet of secretaries, including the current Minster of Culture.</P>
<P>Staff with direct program responsibilities (ie those who manage programs of support to organizations and/or individuals) "come from the field"; that is, they have usually had experience working directly in the arts or culture sector. The organization does not have regional offices.</P>
<P><B><U>Budget and Revenue Sources</U></B></P>
<P>The Ministry was set up with an initial endowment from the government. The Ministry also has special institutional arrangements by which it receives resources from other ministries or public entities.</P>
<P>In 2001/02 the Ministry’s budget was 14,910 million Pesos (approximately 71 million US dollars). The bulk of this (90 percent) was from national government, 7.5 percent was from private sector contributions, and 2.5 percent was from other governments. The Ministry’s funding from government has decreased over the last five years. The Ministry is expected to raise revenue from non-government sources and is actively engaged in doing so. The multiple projects generated by the Ministry of Culture are managed by each of its departments. The departments seek their own resources to finance such projects. This is achieved with funds from banks and foreign foundations in Latin American and global contexts. </P>
<P>Due to the internal crisis caused by the phenomenon of generalized violence presently affecting all governmental sectors, the national economy has not achieved international stability. In this process, the Ministry is trying to position culture as a central element of development; therefore, the Ministry of Culture is presently facing this challenge despite the serious reduction in its budget.</P>
<P><B><U>Programs of Financial Support for the Arts/Cultural Community</U></B></P>
<P>The Ministry provides financial support to organizations, to individuals, for professional activities and to lower levels of government. Its financial support programs are organized by discipline/sector (eg. dance, writing, visual arts etc.), by function (eg. preservation, creation, audience development, etc.) and by geographical region. Funds can be used for:</P>
<UL>
<LI>Creation
<LI>Research and development
<LI>Production, presentation and exhibition
<LI>Publication
<LI>Conservation and preservation
<LI>Capital expenses </LI></UL>
<P>The Ministry cannot finance operational costs of cultural organizations. Likewise, such funds cannot be employed in the payment of public services or payrolls. Also, they cannot be used for non-professional activities or projects with limited coverage. The Ministry of Culture usually convenes public and national bids, ensuring a national and regional impact of resources. </P>
<P><B><U>Assessment of Applications for Financial Support</U></B></P>
<P>As described above, the Ministry convenes public bids for financial assistance. Bid applications are evaluated by the directors of the different programs of the Ministry. Each project is assessed by a group of jurors and internal committees that belong to the Ministry. </P>
<P><B><U>Greatest Current Challenge</U></B></P>
<P>The Ministry’s greatest challenge is to ensure the accomplishment of the objectives proposed in the National Plan of Culture 2001-2010 and consolidate public cultural policies. </P>
<P><B><U>Greatest Current Strength</U></B></P>
<P>The Ministry of Culture is the result of teamwork and is fully supported by the Central Government; therefore, its programs are distributed at a national level assuring full disclosure and access to the different cultures in the country.</P><FONT color=#008080></FONT>
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