IFACCA’s European Chapter meets in Oslo

IFACCA,
18 September 2015, International

 

 

 

 

 


Image: European Regional Chapter meeting in Oslo, September 2015
Credit: Arts Council Norway

 

IFACCA’s European Chapter, representing national member organisations from 16 European countries, met in Oslo, Norway, on 9-11 September 2015, hosted by Arts Council Norway.  

 

The members were welcomed by Vibeke Antoinette Mohr, Acting Director General, Arts Council Norway, who co-chaired the meeting with IFACCA board member, Staffan Forssell, Director General, Statens Kulturråd–Swedish Arts Council. 

 

Participants had the opportunity to discuss issues related to Freedom of Expression; Public Art that Provokes; Children and Youth Engagement in the Arts; Evaluation and Measurement and the Value of the Arts; and the Decentralisation of the arts. The members also heard an update on the implementation of the Creative Europe programme through a skype connection with Karel Bartek, Head of Policy, Directorate-General for Education and Culture (DG EAC).

 

In the course of the discussions, IFACCA members identified some commonalities in the range of policy themes that they face:

  • Responding to new governments, new plans and new policies (as well as rebalancing budgetry issues)
  • Freedom of artistic expression and protecting rights of artists (e.g. Sweden’s ICORN program providing Cities of Refuge)
  • Decentralisation and Regionalisation
  • Value of the arts to society: making the case, evidence and arguments
  • Connecting with other government departments: building intersections and partnerships
  • Status of the artist: fair wages and living conditions
  • Creative industries, entrepreneurship, copyright and IP
  • International strategies: cultural cooperation and two-way flows of artists
  • Education and young people as artists and consumers
  • Grant systems, accountability, information policy and advocacy

 

IFACCA members also enjoyed a cultural programme with a memorable walk and screening of the Lucid Dream Show (part of the Ultima festival) and a visit to the National Gallery of Art.

 

Prior to the IFACCA meeting, a number of IFACCA members including Orlaith McBride, Director Arts Council Ireland; Janet Archer, CEO Creative Scotland; Minna Sirnö, Director, Director Arts Promotion Centre Finland; and Murielle Perritaz, Head of Programmes Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council; took part in a public forum (within the programme of the Ultima festival) on 9 September which discussed national cultural policies. The forum opened with a keynote speech by Sarah Gardner, Executive Director, IFACCA, on International issues in cultural policy.

 

The next European Chapter meeting will take place during the World Summit on Arts and Culture to be held in Malta, 18-21 October 2015; and the 2017 meeting will be hosted by the City of Arhus which will be the European Capital of Culture that year.

 

For further information on the European Chapter, and its recent activities, please visit our website: http://www.ifacca.org/membership/regional_chapters/

 

http://www.ifacca.org/membership/regional_chapters/