2004-11-30
Initiative on cultural policies of local and regional authorities in Europe
For more than five years "Les rencontres Association des Villes et Régions de la Grande Europe pour la culture (Les rencontres Association of European Cities and Regions for Culture" , has been leading a large debate on the setting up of a cultural policy for the European cities and regions...
The network is based in Paris and composed of elected representatives in charge of cultural affairs throughout more than 24 European countries.
The network focuses on the following three areas: discovering innovative ways of dealing with European culture against the backdrop of globalization and multicultural societies, encouraging wide citizens´ participation in the cultural process and finding ways out of the maze of budgetary restrictions in cultural policy.
The network was founded in 1994 by the European Commission, the French Ministry of Culture and Foreign Affairs and the French-speaking Community of Belgium. It groups together more than 200 local and regional authorities from different European countries.
As a written result of the discussion process, Les rencontres presented to the press the Green Paper on the Cultural Policies of local and regional authorities in Europe in Brussels last week. The Green Paper highlights the essential role of local and regional authorities in the artistic and cultural life of the European Continent. It outlines the challenges for the cultural sector in the changing European context over the last 20 years and compiles in several action plans the orientations of a future cultural policy. The first part describes the place of local and regional authorities in the cultural sector in Europe. The second part deals with cultural policy in Europe. Then it discusses the different ways of implementation of a coherent and long-term-oriented cultural policy in the local government bodies. It concludes by tabling suggestions for the cultural policy concepts.
In the margins of the Brussels press conference last week, Arts Management Network asked Mrs. Angela Spizig (Alliance 90/The Greens), mayor of the city of Cologne, about her priorities for the network.
In her capacity as mayor of Cologne, Mrs. Spizig is responsible for culture, the media, e-government as well as for European and international cooperation. Among other Mrs. Spizig represents Cologne in the executive committee of the Global Cities Dialogue, in the executive committee of the European cultural policy network Les rencontres and in the women committee of the CEMR (Council of the municipalities and regions of Europe).
The city of Cologne has been a long-standing participant in EU-projects, and has been actively involved in numerous town-twinning activities. It is member of the cultural policy network les rencontres since the year 2000. Mrs. Spizig describes this network as a fruitful terrain of debates on practical cultural policy:
"For elected representatives in charge of cultural affairs this discussion forum is unique in Europe. 'Les rencontres' groups together elected members in charge of culture in local or regional governments throughout all different European regions, from smaller or larger cities. They get in contact, can exchange their ideas and in the best case they implement them together.
At meetings or conferences or even just by telephone we invent collaborative projects. We have a permanent exchange of views over 'Best-Practice'-models in cultural administration and artsmanagement. Often hearings with experts are organized. Annual meetings in one of the European cultural capitals focuses in particular a certain cultural sector and/or an artistic discipline. In each case the annual meeting adopts a cultural declaration. Information exchange and e-mail-chats with my colleagues from Sweden to Croatia points of view, making me curious to know new artists and new productions, especially from the Northern or the Eastern European regions.
'Les rencontres' offers to me an open-minded and enriching dialogue and culture is a catalysator for opening up towards others. Here we never think within the borders of the European Union. Europe as the cultural Europe goes beyond borders. In Europe´s past and for Europe´s future 'the other' and 'the far away' always fed and enriched Europe´s cultural identity. For me culture is the language, which alone guarantees peace. And this I experience in the multilateral and open dialogue with my colleagues in 'les rencontres' and this is a particularly beautiful experience."
Further information and Download of the Green Paper see: http://www.lesrencontres.org
Les Rencontres
8,Villa d´Alésia
F-75014 Paris
Tel. : +33 1 56 54 26 36
Fax : +33 1 45 38 70 13
info@lesrencontres.org
The network focuses on the following three areas: discovering innovative ways of dealing with European culture against the backdrop of globalization and multicultural societies, encouraging wide citizens´ participation in the cultural process and finding ways out of the maze of budgetary restrictions in cultural policy.
The network was founded in 1994 by the European Commission, the French Ministry of Culture and Foreign Affairs and the French-speaking Community of Belgium. It groups together more than 200 local and regional authorities from different European countries.
As a written result of the discussion process, Les rencontres presented to the press the Green Paper on the Cultural Policies of local and regional authorities in Europe in Brussels last week. The Green Paper highlights the essential role of local and regional authorities in the artistic and cultural life of the European Continent. It outlines the challenges for the cultural sector in the changing European context over the last 20 years and compiles in several action plans the orientations of a future cultural policy. The first part describes the place of local and regional authorities in the cultural sector in Europe. The second part deals with cultural policy in Europe. Then it discusses the different ways of implementation of a coherent and long-term-oriented cultural policy in the local government bodies. It concludes by tabling suggestions for the cultural policy concepts.
In the margins of the Brussels press conference last week, Arts Management Network asked Mrs. Angela Spizig (Alliance 90/The Greens), mayor of the city of Cologne, about her priorities for the network.
In her capacity as mayor of Cologne, Mrs. Spizig is responsible for culture, the media, e-government as well as for European and international cooperation. Among other Mrs. Spizig represents Cologne in the executive committee of the Global Cities Dialogue, in the executive committee of the European cultural policy network Les rencontres and in the women committee of the CEMR (Council of the municipalities and regions of Europe).
The city of Cologne has been a long-standing participant in EU-projects, and has been actively involved in numerous town-twinning activities. It is member of the cultural policy network les rencontres since the year 2000. Mrs. Spizig describes this network as a fruitful terrain of debates on practical cultural policy:
"For elected representatives in charge of cultural affairs this discussion forum is unique in Europe. 'Les rencontres' groups together elected members in charge of culture in local or regional governments throughout all different European regions, from smaller or larger cities. They get in contact, can exchange their ideas and in the best case they implement them together.
At meetings or conferences or even just by telephone we invent collaborative projects. We have a permanent exchange of views over 'Best-Practice'-models in cultural administration and artsmanagement. Often hearings with experts are organized. Annual meetings in one of the European cultural capitals focuses in particular a certain cultural sector and/or an artistic discipline. In each case the annual meeting adopts a cultural declaration. Information exchange and e-mail-chats with my colleagues from Sweden to Croatia points of view, making me curious to know new artists and new productions, especially from the Northern or the Eastern European regions.
'Les rencontres' offers to me an open-minded and enriching dialogue and culture is a catalysator for opening up towards others. Here we never think within the borders of the European Union. Europe as the cultural Europe goes beyond borders. In Europe´s past and for Europe´s future 'the other' and 'the far away' always fed and enriched Europe´s cultural identity. For me culture is the language, which alone guarantees peace. And this I experience in the multilateral and open dialogue with my colleagues in 'les rencontres' and this is a particularly beautiful experience."
Further information and Download of the Green Paper see: http://www.lesrencontres.org
Les Rencontres
8,Villa d´Alésia
F-75014 Paris
Tel. : +33 1 56 54 26 36
Fax : +33 1 45 38 70 13
info@lesrencontres.org
by Tanya Wittal-Düerkop, EU-Correspondent, Brussels
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