Welcome to your first instalment of ACORNS for 2020! Perhaps in the spirit of self-improvement – but more likely in the spirit of good practice – the headlines so far show a sector that remains committed to the demonstration and use of evidence to inform policy and decision making.

In 2019, the headlines revealed an international arts and culture community with sights fixed firmly on our physical and digital futures: from sustainable artist wages and creative and cultural industries and intellectual property and copyright; to the future of policy and public support, policy challenges of the digital age and the climate crisis and sustainable development.

This month the headlines reflect the growing global focus on the climate crisis and sustainable development. At the end of September, the United Nations held a series of summits to boost action on climate change and progress sustainable development, including the Climate Action Summit and Sustainable Development Goals Summit.

This month the headlines highlight policy challenges presented by the digital age; and how governments and intergovernmental organisations are responding to them.

As a federation of government institutions, how governments can adapt – and indeed are adapting – to the changing environments and contexts in which they work is an ongoing priority being tackled by our members (which our World Summit and Americas Cultural Summit both clearly demonstrated).

The future of policy and public support for arts and culture is at the fore of our thinking this month. At the end of June, delegates gathered in Buenos Aires for the Americas Cultural Summit 2019, hosted by the Secretary of Culture of the Nation of Argentina in partnership with IFACCA.