Cyberkaris is the monthly electronic newsletter of the Interarts Foundation for all those interested in news and happenings in the field of international cultural policies and cultural cooperation. Interarts authorizes freedom of reproduction and dissemination of this information, always when the provided source appears.

REINVENTING DIVERSITY

Having to consider, take into account, deal with or include “diversity” has become one of the new commonalities of contemporary public policies; also in the case of public cultural policies. Although it might seem as a more or less easy play on words, one has to admit that behind the term “diversity” very “diverse” realities and situations indeed coexist. All those diversities which are a result of the survival of ancestral or native cultures, of large scale migration processes, of the existence of nations without state or of the need to define a set of cultural exceptions to counter Anglo-Saxon cultural hegemony end in realities with little or no clear tie.
On the other hand, it is necessary to acknowledge that the institutional intervention models that have been mostly used to deal with this issue have largely failed. The ''melting pot'', understood as the process through which different cultures meld thus producing a new conglomerate hypothetically different from its constituent parts; or the ''corporate multiculturalism '' which advocates for a segregate coexistence of differentiated communities in a one territory; or the “French republicanism” based on the fuelling of existing differences into a one shared lay identity … have all clearly showed their inability to face the radically new situations which stem from the economic globalization processes, from the creation of new dynamic identities and from large scale population mobility. In the coming years it will be necessary to invest large amounts of energies in order to enable the coexistence of such heterodox views in a one principle of respect and recognition of all existing cultures (multiculturalism), of dialogue and interaction among human groups which carry these cultures (interculturalism) and in, what was defined by someone, as the “right to indifference” of those citizens that, regardless of their origins, either do not wish to be identified with any given culture or would rather settle for a specific identity (transculturalism). It is in this sense that the need to reinvent diversity emerges as one of the foremost tasks for a new program for political action in culture.
Eduard Miralles, President of the Board of the Interarts Foundation

FOMECC Meeting in Medellín

The week on “Management and reality of the Cultural Industries” took place from the 2nd to the 5th of November in Medellín, Colombia; which has been the city where the oldest project of FOMECC (Programme for the Promotion of Creative and Cultural Industries) has been carried out over the past four years. The project was initiated by Interarts with the support from the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development (AECID) and the cooperation with local partners in different parts of the world. It should be noted that the local partner in Medellín is the Faculty of Arts at the University of Antioquia, the organizer of the event. One of the objectives of the week was to gather all those that are responsible for FOMECC projects that are currently underway –Colombia, Senegal, Honduras and Peru- as well as Interarts’ members; to share experiences and reflect upon the practice of cultural entrepreneurship within different contexts. For more information see http://empresasculturales.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=97:videogetionyrealidad&catid=18:noticias

Participation in the Annual Conference of the European Association of Conservatoires

Within the framework of the PRACTICS project on artistic mobility in Europe, Interarts participated in the Annual Conference of the European Association of Conservatoires (Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Músique et Musikhochschulen) that was held at the Fryderyk Chopin University, Warsaw (Poland) from the 4th to the 6th of November. In this context, an interactive section took place on the 6th regarding academic and professional mobility in Europe. During the session, Richard Polacek, expert of the PRACTICS project and Jordi Baltà, project coordinator of Interarts, presented PRACTICS and the opportunities that serve as PRACTICS Infopoints in Spain. Likewise, the session addressed on discussing how to train art graduates and conservatoires for international mobility, what are the benefits of mobility for cultural institutions and how cultural professionals can pass on to students their knowledge that derives from artistic mobility. For more information on the conference, visit http://www.aecinfo.org/content.aspx?id=2265 and on the PRACTICS project, visit http://www.interarts.net/en/practics.php

Speech at the ESC Dijon

On the 9th and the 10th of November, the Director of Interarts Mercedes Giovinazzo travelled to Paris to participate in the module “Managing organizations & projects within the cultural sector” of the Specialised Master in the Management of Cultural Enterprises at the ESC Dijon. The meeting was conducted along with the students from the academic year 2010-2011, of which Giovinazzo served as patroness. Precisely with the aforementioned academic year, this postgraduate course reaches its twentieth anniversary. More information on the Master program see http://www.mastereculture.eu

PRACTICS Partner Meeting in Amsterdam

The fourth partner meeting of the PRACTICS project on artistic mobility in Europe was held on the 11th and 12th of November in Amsterdam (The Netherlands). The organizations participating in the project –Wales Arts International, SICA, Het Kunstenloket and Interarts, along with coordinators Finnish Theatre Information Centre (TINFO) and Fondazione Fitzcarraldo, as well as other European cultural agencies and networks-, gathered to discuss the development of the project, share experiences and good practices of individual PRACTICS Infopoints; as well as discussing the activities for 2011, which will be the last year in the implementation of the project. During the meeting, Fondazione Fitzcarraldo presented the “Mapping in Italy”, an exhaustive document on the information and opportunities as regards artistic and cultural mobility in Italy. For more information, visit http://www.interarts.net/en/practics.php

Participation in the Conference of the EUNIC Network in Madrid

Within the framework of the Belgian Presidency of the European Union, the network EUNIC (European Union National Institutes for Culture), a conference was organized on the 14th and 15th of November in Madrid regarding the cultural autonomy of European Union regions from the point of view of artists and cultural agents. The activities included a conference, workshops involving the presentation of good practices and a final roundtable. Interarts was commissioned to carry out technical assistance throughout the preparation process, as well as drafting the document. Moreover, Eduard Miralles and Mercedes Giovinazzo, respectively the president and director of Interarts participated in the conference, which also involved the collaboration of the British Council, the Polish institute of Culture, the Representation of the Flemish Community and Region, the Hungarian Embassy and the Goethe Institute among others. For more information see http://www.eunic-espana.eu/

Cultural Factors for the Prevention of HIV among Indigenous Women in Ecuador: 2nd phase

The 2nd phase of this project, which seeks to reduce HIV and sexually-transmitted diseases among indigenous women in Ecuador with a cultural focus, started some weeks ago. The project is developed by Interarts and Family Care International/Ecuador with the support from the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development (AECID), and seeks to contribute to provide indigenous communities with information tools on Sexual and Reproductive Health that are adapted to specific cultures. In the 2nd phase, in addition to the impact identified in the 1st phase, the project will work on a new facet: the capacity building of professionals in the field of cooperation, development, gender and culture in Spain, in order to include a cultural perspective in their own development cooperation initiatives. For more information see http://www.interarts.net/en/encurso.php?pag=1&p=311

Special Board Meeting of Interarts

On the 24th of November a meeting of the Board of the Interarts Foundation was held at the headquarters of the Centre for Cultural Studies and Resources (CERC) in Barcelona. The first part of the session consisted of the presentation to the Board of the activities carried out by Interarts staff. Other items in the agenda included the presentation of the financial report of 2010, including the forecast for the last period of the year; as well as the presentation of the indicative budget for 2011. Interarts would like to thank CERC for providing facilities that made it possible to hold the meeting.

Over 280 participants at the VII EuroAmerican Campus for Cultural Cooperation

On December 3rd in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Paulino Rivero, president of the Government of the Canary Island, closed this edition of the EuroAmerican Campus. With over de 280 participants from Latin America, Europe and Africa, this event has promoted the exchange of experiences focusing on cooperation processes that foster local development and identity. During the closing session, Eduard Miralles, president of Interarts, presented the conclusions of the event in which he underlined that “the local level is not the stage for local problems, it is rather the laboratory for adequate solutions to big ones”. The Campus is a cultural meeting point organized by Interarts, the OEI and AECID; this edition was organized in partnership with the Government of the Canary Islands. It also benefited from the support of the Ministry of Culture of Spain and the collaboration of the Culture Committee of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the Network of Iberoamerican Cities for Culture (Interlocal), the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, the Municipality of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the Caja Insular de Ahorros de Canarias and the Gabinete Literario. In the next days further information on the VII Campus will be available at http://www.interarts.net/en/encurso.php?pag=1&p=347

46 new elements added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO

On the 16th of November, UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage examined and inscribed 46 of the 47 candidates presented to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. 11 countries had applied in order to introduce their distinctive cultural elements to the list. Among the new inscriptions are the Aalst Carnival of Belgium, acupuncture and moxibustion of traditional Chinese medicine, Marimba music and traditional chants from Colombia’s South Pacific, and the elaborated gingerbread craft from Croatia. From Spain are Flamenco, The chant of the Sybil in Mallorca and the “castells”, human towers of Catalonia. Also on the list is the Mediterranean diet, a shared candidate with Greece, Italy and Morocco. For more information see http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/forty_six_new_elements_added_to_representative_list_of_the_intangible_cultural_heritage/

Program “Europe for Citizens”: public consultation

While the current “Europe for Citizens” program 2007-2013 develops with good results, the European Commission is already preparing the next programme 2014-2020. Within this framework a public consultation has been launched with the objective to obtain views of individuals and interested organizations, potential beneficiaries of the programme; in terms of general objectives, implementation mechanisms, financial issues and matters. The current programme is aimed at the active participation of citizens in cultural, political and environmental activities, etc. For its part, the programme under preparation is expected to focus on the promotion of civil participation. Those interested in providing their views can access the following website before the 5th of January, 2011. http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch

Improbable Connections: calls for proposal for social responsibility and innovation

The new community ''Improbable Connections'' (Bilbao, Spain) of collaborative and co-creative research initiatives aimed at innovation and social responsibility, has launched a call for proposals for organizations that are interested in activating processes in the fields of social responsibility and innovation. It is aimed at the research centres, companies, technological centres, governmental bodies, foundations, etc. that would like to participate in an exchange with artists and social scientists and to reconsider the ''why'' and ''what for'' of their activities. Applicants should send an email to info@conexionesimprobables. For more information see http://conexionesimprobables.wordpress.com/

European Commission: public consultation on the European Capitals of Culture

In order to know the opinion of citizens regarding the future of European Capitals of Culture, the European Commission has launched an on-line public consultation. The consultation is open to individual citizens, public and private bodies, local/regional authorities, ministries and relevant stakeholders both inside and outside the EU and in the European institutions and associations The results, once analyzed, will be made public through the website during the first semester of 2011. Alongside this public consultation, the Commission organizes a meeting with key stakeholders that will take place in Brussels next March. The consultation is open until the 12th of January, 2011. For more information see http://ec.europa.eu/culture/our-programmes-and-actions/doc2966_en.htm

''Creative Regions'' Summer School

The second ''Creative Regions'' Summer School will take place in Canterbury from July 3rd - 8th, 2011; organized by the School of Arts at the University of Kent, the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of Birmingham and the Cardiff School of Management at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff. The programme is designed for postgraduate students, practitioners and policy makers and aims to introduce them to the current academic knowledge and research in the field of creativity and economic and local and regional economic development. In order to guarantee the quality of interaction and learning, the program is limited to 20 participants. More information see http://nuke.creative-regions.org.uk/

International Award in Cultural Management Studies

The company Ros Roca Group and FiraTàrrega have launched the International Ramon Roca Boncompte Award in Cultural Management Studies with the objective of contributing to the dissemination of research in the field of cultural management in Europe. The award is worth €6.000 and is open to non-published works in Catalan, Spanish or English. Relevant themes include, among others, local impacts of culture, cooperation, cultural policies, sponsorship and patronage, etc. The manuscripts can be sent to the organization until April 1st, 2011. To see the complete regulations please visit http://www.firatarrega.cat/sites/firatarrega.cat/files/Bases%20PREMI%20RRB_2011.pdf

''Convivencia Pyrenees-Mediterranean'': Free Cultural Consultancy

Supported by the European Union programme for the strengthening of cross-border cooperation in 2008-2013, the project ''Convivencia Pyrenees-Mediterranean'' project (CPM) offers an online consultancy service to cultural agents in Aragón, Catalonia, Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées. This tool provides information, assessment and support for the cultural sector. The purpose of this initiative is to promote cooperation, exchange and mobility among the four areas. To access this free service, register at the following website http://www.convivencia.pro/portada/portada.html

Call for proposals launched for cultural cooperation projects with Mexico

The European Union is committed to strengthening cultural relations with emerging partners of the EU, which share a community of views with Europe on important political and cultural governance issues, such as cultural diversity, particularly in the light of the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the same issue. In line with this commitment, the EU has launched a call for proposals of cultural cooperation with Mexico’s cultural organisations and involving cultural activities carried out in Mexico. The deadline for the submission of applications will be the 3rd of May, 2011. For more information see http://ec.europa.eu/culture/news/news3005_en.htm

A Study for ''A Strategy for Culture in the Mediterranean Region''

Fanny Bouquerel and Basma El Husseiny have conducted a report commissioned by the European Commission, with the title “Towards a Strategy for Culture in the Mediterranean Region”, which aims to serve as a basis for developing this strategy. The report includes a mapping of needs and opportunities in the cultural sector of North Africa and the Middle East. The report can be accessed through the following link http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/neighbourhood/regional-cooperation/enpi-south/documents/strategy_culture_final_report_en.pdf

Mobility in the Performing and Visual Arts: national monographs in 10 EU member states

The ''On the Move'' online portal on mobility has recently informed of the publication of the first results of the research project “Artists Moving & Learning”, an initiative supported by the European Commission, led by European Network of Cultural Administration Training Centres (ENCATC), and coordinated by Mediana SPRL. The conclusions of the artists interviews have led to ten reports, each dedicated to one of 10 member states participating in the study: Belgium, France, Hungary, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom. For more information and to read the report see http://www.on-the-move.org/EN/index.lasso?page=http%3a%2f%2fwww.on-the-move.org%2fEN%2fnews_detail.lasso%3fshow_me_news%3d3312

Cultunet: new portal for cultural professionals

The Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI) and Área de Trabajo, the publisher of the journal g+c, have launched a new portal that brings together the main online tools available to professionals in the cultural field, with the objective to contribute to the development and professionalization of the sector. Just by registering, users are able to access all the services for free; such as a social network for cultural professionals, a platform of job vacancies of the sector, a space for creating cultural blogs, an open forum, a search engine of cultural projects, a specialized newsletter on cultural calls for proposals, etc. The website of the new portal is http://www.cultunet.com

Artists against climate change

In the face of climate change, artists all over Europe, whether individual or as a group, are initiating projects that contribute to changing the situation, stabilising the climate and guaranteeing a sustainable future. Lidia Varbanova, in collaboration with prominent artists, experts and professionals, has carried out a research project for sharing information and knowledge, which includes a mapping of these projects, as well as interviews of personalities of the sector. The objective is to raise awareness on climate change among the European artistic communities and the general public. To view the outcome of the research, visit http://www.labforculture.org/en/home/contents/climate-change-artists-respond

Pública 11: meeting of public cultural management professionals (Madrid, January 27-28, 2011)

The Fundación Contemporánea and the Círculo de Bellas Artes coordinate the first “Pública 11” in Madrid, a meeting of cultural management professionals that aims to become an annual meeting point for the cultural sector, a platform for sharing experiences, discussions and collaborations among professionals. The event, which begins with an eminently practical orientation, with more than 30 programmed activities, with the support from the Ministry of Culture, the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development (AECID) and the Community of Madrid. More information and registration see http://www.fundacioncontemporanea.com/

First Conference of Culture

17 December Madrid. See Cyberkaris 96, November 2010.

Cyberkaris

Cyberkaris is the monthly electronic newsletter of the Interarts Foundation for all those interested in news and happenings in the field of international cultural policies and cultural cooperation. The Interarts Foundation, International Observatory of Urban and Regional Cultural Policies, promotes since 1995 research in culture and territorial development, cooperation between networks and artistic, cultural and heritage projects, the definition and fostering of Cultural Rights and offers advice to projects and entrepreneurs from the cultural sector and the creative industries. Interarts is an agency working in ''partnership'' with organisations in Catalonia and Spain as well as with the main world agents for international cultural cooperation, among which are those belonging to the system of the United Nations, the European Union, the Council of Europe and intergovernmental agencies between Europe and Latin America, Asia and Africa. Interarts is presently managing programmes related to the ecological, axiological and deonthological aspects of cultural development as well as others that foster the new role of civil society in the cultural sector.

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