ECA's comments to items on the agenda of the
UNESCO conference in Stockholm on Cultural Policies for
Development
A working group of the European
Council of Artists (ECA) - representing interdisciplinary
artists' associations in 23 European countries - met in
Helsingör, Denmark 6-7th of December to discuss the report
"Our Cultural Diversity" and to comment on the
prelimary agenda for the Intergovernmental Conference on Cultural
Policies for Development, Stockholm 30. March - 2. April 1998.
ECA has the following proposals:
Contents
1.1 A commitment to pluralism
We propose as expected outcomes
for Member States
- that they keep in mind that cultural pluralism must
respect the role of the individual.
- that they respect the artists' right to comment and
reflect on the society in whatever way he/she chooses.
- that they when developing education policy seek to
encourage pluralism with the assistance of the
professional creator.
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- that the organisation assists in the setting up of forums
at a national and international level to debate the
current contemporary ideas of pluralism and to encourage
critical analysis of all artists' life i.e. authors,
performers and visual artists. This in turn can lead to
mutual respect for ethnic minorities and give them the
space and freedom to tell their story.
- that the organisation, when commenting on contemporary
artist's life, insures that all art has equal critical
analysis. This insures that more attention will be paid
in a balanced way to the attitude towards tradition and
experimental art.
1.2 Cultural rights
We propose as expected outcomes
for Member States
- that they acknowledge the rights of cultural nations and
minority groups when state controlled. They should
respect and facilitate the education of sustaining the
unique culture of nations and minority groups worldwide,
investing in developing these cultures at a macro and
micro level.
- that they safeguard the diversity of all languages and
recognize this as a vital cultural asset.
- that they take into account the full implementation of
freedom of expression, giving professional artists the
freedom to produce or perform their work.
- that they give the contemporary artists access to media
and communication forms within the public spectrum,
ensuring equality of representation.
- that they plan and develop artists in residence schemes,
whereby artists are placed in educacional and cultural
institutions to further awareness, education and
understanding of the contemporary arts.
- that they facilitate the crossing of borders for artists
and their products in order to promote exchange and
education, also taking into account nations which are
divided by stateboarders.
- that they recognize artists to deliver a professional
service being properly remunerated and that artists'
rights should be fully implemented in all countries.
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that the organisation through extended consultations further
the development of a final declaration on cultural rights as an
instrumental document which will actively facilitate the basis of
all human rights' development.
1.3 Cultural heritage and
cultural creativity
We propose as expected outcomes
for Member States
- that they nurture individual artistic talent and secure
and invest in creative spaces for contemporary artists
across all artistic disciplines, recognizing that the
cultural heritage to a great extent is based on artistic
excellency and that the cultural heritage of future
generations only can be ensured through the artistic
creativity of today.
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- that the organisation opens a debate on professional vs
amateur arts, in order to secure the quality and
professionality of artistic work when broadening the
concepts of heritage and creativity.
- that the organisation should take into account that our
historical and present human, ethical and democratic
values are an essential part of our cultural heritage for
the future.
1.4 Culture for children and
young people
No special comments.
2.1 Improving research and
international co-operation for cultural policy
We propose as expected outcomes:
for Member States
- that they - increasing allocations for research related
to recast cultural policies - should consider culture in
the context of welfare research and health research.
There is a need to develop broad national researchplans
as part of a preparation of a work to add a needed
cultural dimension to the Agenda 21, decided by the Heads
of State in Rio 1992.
- that they in efforts to develop international
co-operation should engage foreign artists and experts
not only as leaders of cultural institutions and as
experts in cultural policy reviews, but also in national
investigations on improving national cultural policies.
- that they should support the number of well functioning
organisations, that are set up and developed across
national, political and ethnical boundaries initiated by
artists, as well as the new multinational centres that
have been established to enable writers, translators and
other groups of artists to meet, exchange ideas and work
together.
- that they facilitate free circulation of artists and the
works of arts - for example by diminishing present visa
obstacles.
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- that the organisation starts a work together with United
Nations to investigate the possibility of adding a
cultural dimension to the Agenda 21. Such a work aims at
creating, mobilising and communicating of the dimension
of culture as a tool for the betterment of the human
condition and future security, internationally,
nationally and locally.
- that the organisation works to abolish cultural sanction
practices in UN policy, since culture often is the first
victim of this kind of punishment.
2.2 Mobilising resources for
cultural activities
We propose as expected outcomes
for Member States
- that they should set up the goal that every year, at
least one percent of total public funds should be
allocated to artistic creation, expression and
dissemination.
2.3 The media in cultural policy
We propose as expected outcomes
for Member States
- that they enable the public broadcasting to grow at the
same rate as the media industry as a whole, whether this
be by license fee or public investment, in order to
secure editorial independence, pluralism and high
quality.
- that they in order to the secure the above mentioned
objective make use of professional artists in the medias.
- that they secure that public education for young people
equip them to navigate consciously through channels and
nets.
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- that the organisation - being aware of the mass-media
development has taken place with a minimum of public or
presentation - establish the necessary possibilities for
open discussions at which broadcasters can engage in
critical dialogue with members of the public.
- that the organisation supports international cooperation
and understanding for the need of education programme for
future generations enabling them to navigate consciously
through channels and nets.
2.4 Culture and the new media
technologies
We propose as expected outcomes
for Member States
- that they provide cultural life with necessary tools for
electronical communication, especially promoting
printing-on-demand, which makes it possible for artists
to communicate without commercial obstacles and political
or private censorship.
- that they include authors' and performers' rights in
global multimedia systems - so called electronic rights -
in national and international legislation.
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- that the organisation encourages the building of cultural
electronical networks between all parts of the world in
order to strengthen global communication and mutual
understanding.
- that the organisation encourages the international
community to pay the necessary respect to the electronic
rights for authors and performers and their
implementation on international level.
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