POLICY DILEMMA'S IN INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL COOPERATION

Dr Dragan KlaicPermanent Fellow, Felix Meritis (Amsterdam)

(www.draganklaic.eu)

International Coordination, The Danish Arts Agency

Haslev, 2 September 2008

© D. Klaic 2008

International cultural cooperation

Cold war context Strong role of national governments Growth of autonomous cultural organizations Promotion, exchange, or cooperation? Post-Cold war realities: globalization, digital

revolution, cultural industry, migration, EU role Governmental outlook/ aspirations of the cultural

field (arts, heritage, cult. industry).

Core business?

Enhance own political influence and prestige abroad through cultural presentations?

Pitch abroad those cultural forms that in due time might bring economic benefits?

Place domestic cultural production in an international context in order to enhance its professional development and excellence?

Share own domestic excellence as assistance, solidarity support, development help?

What geographic focus?

Nordic neighbors? EU member states? Non-EU Europe? The Muslim word? BRIC countries? Something else? Diasporic centers? Everything a little bit? Shift in time, adjust per form?

Appropriate strategies Secure Danish contribution to top international

manifestations, biennials, festivals Place Danish cultural products in the top cultural

organizations abroad Create visible manifestation packages of Danish

culture abroad Enable Danish culture professionals to interact with

the cutting edge peers abroad Provoke curiosity of foreign presenters and

programmers for Danish cultural products through generous hospitality in DK

Growing complexity of international cultural cooperation Manifesting sympathy Lending expertise Exchange Tours/ Presenting (KIT) Packages (series, weeks, months) Training (Holstebro lab) Commissioning (Andersen year) Co-productions (Odin, Hotel Pro Forma)

Research, reflection, debate (Metropolis)

Key factors of growth

Autonomous cultural organizations of international orientation

Individual artistic nomadism Vibrant international networks Communication technology/ access to info Enhanced mobility of people and cultural

products Cities and regions as ambitious players Festivalization of the daily life (EFRP)

Current trends

• From incidental to continuous

• From presenting to (co-)producing

• From bilateral to multilateral

• From networks to consortia,

• Explosive growth of YouTube and social networks, but also:

• Ambitions exceed resources available

• Internationalization fatigue

• Backlash: cultural nationalism

• EU institutional crisis

Strategic issues

• Sustainability, autonomy, continuity

• Values & ethics: fairness & equality, learning & intercultural competence

• National culture and the cultural dimension of the European integration

• European and global culture

• Dialectics of global & local

• Cultural values vs. promotional pressures and economic interests

Dysfunctionalities

Futility of branding exercises Private/public partnership, limits of sponsorship Wasteful visibility (the Year of ...) Obsolete national culture promotion systems EUNIC Cultural attachees (diplomats, entrepreneurs,

intermediaries?) vs. artists and culture experts Integrated domestic support systems for R+D,

mobility & cooperation: accessible, responsive Evaluation methodology

Transnational perspective

UNESCO Convention on Cultural Diversity (2006) EU Year of Intercultural Dialogue (2008) EC Communication on culture (May 2007) and OMC;

QMV; budget & program prospects after 2013 The role of the Council of Europe Integrated European mobility system Houses of European cultures abroad European visitors program

Tools

• labforculture.org• culturalpolicies.net• on-the-move.org• cultureactioneurope.org (exEFAH)• eaf-aef.org (EFRP)• European documentation, research,

training infrastructure• © D. Klaic 2008