1999 - Round Tables

Topic 2. Actors in culture

Summary of comments

Separate from the cultural traditions of each country, in recent years new players have been participating in the promotion and dissemination of culture. Apart from the traditional role of governments as regulators, an impetus has been given to the rise of new players, awakening the interest of civil society and creating favourable conditions for their work. Cooperation between the public and private sectors has also been promoted through cultural policies, new channels of communication, national and international meetings and participation in joint cultural projects.

As part of the appearance of new players on the cultural scene, there is talk of a plurality in cultural policies, which also expresses cultural diversity.

(Rafael Tovar, Mexico)

The Stockholm Action Plan calls for access and participation in cultural life as a fundamental right of each individual and each society. One of the Stockholm objectives was the creation of a network of administrators of cultural institutions. To comply with this mandate, Canada will host the World Summit of Cultural Institutions in December 2000.

One example in Canada of the consensus achieved between the government and civil society for the protection and promotion of the cultural heritage has been the issue of the French language and support for French-speaking communities.

(Sheila Copps, Canada)

In Senegal, the government has the main responsibility for protecting heritage. Central governments have been transferring this responsibility to rural communities, municipalities and regions. Although society faces great difficulties in sponsoring investments in culture, particularly in heritage, communities are becoming better organized to finance cultural activities through donations. These new players are having a significant impact on the understanding and spread of culture.

(Abdoulaye Elimane Kane, Senegal)

The United States system has a highly decentralized system of cultural support. The national government shares this responsibility with 50 state art councils and six regional art organizations. However, state governments, private foundations and individuals do not always share the same views. One of the government's challenges is to establish alliances with private initiatives and build closer ties with foundations, in order to support culture through funding, awards and programs that help to bring culture closer to the community.

(William Ivey, United States)

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The government is fully committed to cultural diversity. In South Africa private financing for cultural projects is very recent. However, ever since the Arts Council was established, work is being done with local governments, society and the provinces on cultural projects, particularly in the area of the intangible heritage.

(Ben S. Ngubane, South Africa)

It is not sufficient to acknowledge that new players exist. If we are to achieve a policy consensus and interaction, the first thing we need are interlocutors with decision-making powers, particularly over budgets, who can discuss issues among themselves. One of the main problems in progress toward multiculturalism is that these interlocutors do not yet exist.

In cultural policy, we have focused on active cultural players, but we have forgotten the public, the consumers. Other interlocutors include the cultural industries. In Colombia's case there is no fruitful dialogue between cultural industries and cultural policy-makers. The challenge is to combine the interest of both in order to reach a consensus.

The importance of this International Network on Cultural Policy is that it is a forum for dialogue and it will make sense in the extent to which we are capable of creating networks that generate common cultural projects and allow for exchanges of ideas.

(Juan Luis Mejía, Colombia)

True cultural players cannot exist if there is no effective democratization of culture, if there is no clear understanding of the obligations incumbent on each. It is therefore important to redefine the meaning of a public cultural service.

There are two risks: cultural exclusion as the result of poverty and the lack of access to new communications technologies.

There are new forms of expression that are characteristic of new players, including youth. This type of expression is marginal, not for youths, but for traditional cultural institutions. Young people should be viewed as cultural players and not merely as consumers.

(Catherine Trautmann, France)

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Contrary to the experiences of other countries where cultural policies are driven by national governments, in Switzerland, cultural activities come from the "bottom up". For the first time this year, culture will be placed within our constitution. Our national government might work to bring together new immigrant populations. It is important to establish structured ties for financing culture, put a stop to amateurism in cultural work, and support the development of cultural administrators.

Participation by youth is of utmost importance and could be a theme of the Lucerne meeting in 2001.

(David Streiff, Switzerland)

Cultural activities that are driven by the communities themselves tend to be more lasting. Some progress has been made in this regard to date, but more needs to be done.

(Antonio Rudder, Barbados)

Partnership with civil society is an important element in our development and promotion of cultural policies. The Stockholm action plan encourages greater dialogue with non-governmental organizations.

(SWEDEN)

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Synthesis

The ministers recognized that civil society is playing a larger role in cultural life. In some countries, effective cooperation has been achieved with private institutions, foundations, communities, local governments, etc. David Streiff of Switzerland underlined the importance of youth as new cultural players.

To broaden this participation, ministers agreed on the need to redouble their efforts to democratize access to cultural goods and services. The representative from Quebec, Agnés Maltais, stated that there should be broader consultations with society to learn about its priorities and interests and to design policies that lead to the collective shouldering of responsibility.

Along the same lines, Minister Catherine Trautmann of France noted that true cultural players cannot exist unless there is an effective democratization of culture and a clear understanding of the obligations of each of the players.

Like Minister Trautmann, Alan Howarth of Great Britain noted that artistic education and the broader opportunities offered by new information technologies play a major role in this task. Antonio Rudder, representative of Barbados, also mentioned the stress that his country has placed on public education relating to intellectual property rights.

The Minister of Culture from the Ivory Coast, Zaourou Bernard Zadi, noted that in addition to the above, it is important to create a small team of professionals to safeguard intellectual property rights. The round table concluded that it is important to redefine the nature of public cultural services and to support the development of cultural administrators.

Last, Minister Juan Luis Mejía of Colombia underlined that it is not enough to simply recognize that new players exist. He added that to achieve a policy consensus and interaction it is necessary to have interlocutors who are given decision-making powers, particularly over budgets. The ministers agreed that the challenge is to take joint action and to establish a fruitful association based on shared interests and ideas.

Again, the international network on cultural policy is in a unique position to work in parallel with civil society through its non-governmental parallel process.

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