How can the cultural sector survive the financial crisis?

How can the cultural sector survive the financial crisis?

January 2009

Helmut K. Anheier (Ph.D. Yale University, 1986) is Professor of Sociology at Heidelberg University and the academic Director of the Heidelberg Centre for Social Investment. He is also Professor and Director of the Center for Civil Society and the Center for Globalization and Policy Research at UCLA's School of Public Affairs. Anheier's work covers the civil society, the nonprofit sector, philanthropy, organisational studies, policy analysis and comparative methodology. In 2008, he published Cultures and Globalization: The Cultural Economy.

It is clear to everyone who follows daily reports about the cancellation of cultural events and the closure of opera houses and theatres, or learns about economic troubles at one cultural institution or another, that the global financial crisis is already having a significant impact on philanthropic giving and non-profit organisations. [1]

It is also clear that the crisis’ impact is going to get deeper and wider for some time to come. It is less clear how long the fallout will last; and it is especially unclear what the crisis ultimately means for policy-makers, leaders and managers in the cultural sector. This article examines how the arts and culture sector is responding to growing uncertainty in the global economy – and how the sector can weather the gathering storm.

http://www.labforculture.org/en/content/view/full/39830

“Cultural and creative industries”

In order to implement its three strategic objectives (promotion of cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue; promotion of culture as catalyst for creativity in the framework of the Lisbon Strategy; and promotion of culture as a vital element in EU external relations), the European Agenda for culture introduces new cooperation methods with various stakeholders:
a more structured system of cooperation between the Member States and the EU institutions ('open method of coordination']), a reinforced mainstreaming of culture in all EU programmes and policies through enhanced synergies between the departments of the European Commission, as well as a structured dialogue with the cultural sector.


Building on the successful achievements of the first European Culture Forum that took place in Lisbon in September 2007, and following an information session organised in Brussels on 19 February, a call for expressions of interest (the form) was published, with the view to giving cultural organisations of European dimension the opportunity to express their interest in participating in two new thematic civil society platforms on:

- access to culture and
- creative and cultural industries.

Using the criteria set up in the call, the Commission invited the following organisations (access to culture and potential of culture and creative industries) to a first constitutive meeting in Brussels in June 2008.


The composition of these two platforms is wide ranging giving thus a unique opportunity for organisations from the sector to work together on thematic issues of common interest.

These two newly established platforms complement the existing Rainbow Platform on intercultural dialogue, which was created ahead of the 2008 European Year on Intercultural Dialogue.

Together, the platforms are expected to produce policy recommendations to be discussed with the broader culture sector during a large-scale Cultural Forum in September/October 2009.

They will act as the channel for cultural stakeholders to provide concrete input and recommendations and - in this way - actively contribute to the implementation and further development of the European Agenda for culture.

To find out more about the platforms, listen to the speech delivered by Ms Quintin, Director-General of DG Education and Culture during the constitutive meeting of the platform on access.
http://ec.europa.eu/culture/our-policy-development/doc1199_en.htm

Platform of Cultural and Creative Industries

These platforms will give the culture civil society the opportunity to have a structured dialogue with the European Commission in two areas of focus, ‘Access to culture’ and ‘Cultural and creative industries’. EMO runs the secretariat with the support of Alliance Mondiale du Cinéma – Europe of the Cultural and creative industries area.

Early September and October will be the months of the two firsts working group meetings. A Plenary will be held in Brussels on the 11th of December, where all the different working groups will meet to discuss the proposals

The Recommendations will be targeted on a European, national and regional level; with new and innovative ideas showing a transversal approach. The Culture Forum in September 2009 will present these Recommendations.
Fonte: EMO