Re-imagining cultural space
The biggest struggles within the cultural sector are how to be funded (weather it is by public funding or
commercial exploitation) without losing artistic indecency, how to connect with the audience / function
within society and how to bridge the gap between (artist run) independent cultural spaces and cultural
institutions.
Stina Oscarson (Orionteatern) states: She is against corporate collaboration. In the contrary of the
commercial (entertainment) industry that offers products to perfect our lives, Art is a celebration of the
imperfect. Culture is connected to economic activity and political agendas. What businesses call
freedom of speech is actually nothing but advertising so art needs to go to the people.
Brigitta Englin (Riksteatern) states, as a member of the ’We Are More’ campaign, that culture is an
underestimated tool for social change. What is culture allowed to do?
Who decides what is good and bad culture? And to what arguments?
Cultural organizations need to question and deconstruct differences. We should accentuate differences
instead of trying to create a consensus. Which is the current European agenda? There must be a
responsibility for awareness of the other. Colonialism, globalization must be recognized.
Dragan Klaic states that one of the problems is integration. Due to diversity, migration and individualism
big venues need to be commercially exploited. (Berljot Jonsdotter says, “language and cultural
expression are creating borders.”) We need to think about typological and architectural heritage. A
central location asserts authority. A way of outreach is for big (profit) organizations to set up and attract
non-profit cultural organizations to create a buzz amongst society. Small is becoming beautiful and large
is no longer practical. Now there is competition from various forms of leisure. Conversion and clustering
equals hype which is driven by usage.
(examples of organizations with knowhow: TransEurope Halles, La Vilette Paris, MR Vienna, Raval
Barcelona, Cable Factory Helsinki, Sentral Istanbul, Carlsberg Copenhagen, Moscow Cohabitation (full
profit organization). These spaces are successful because cultural producers are in control and
collaborate. They fail when institutions seek control.
An important question is how to achieve integral programming? We should focus on local themes or
debates. Systematic thinking of programming (for example) based on theme, creates wholeness. This
theme should be followed through on every of activity. Input of various partners is needed to connect
various aspects of activity. It is a matter of access: we need to develop, broaden and re-engage our own
public, demystifying the cultural sector.
Examples of organizations working successfully within a common framework are Museum of World
Cultures Goteborg, Centre of contemporary culture Barcelona.
Key points to succes:
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Find your own dialect on a local and global level
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Stay alert and open for new cultural initiatives
Define an intercultural, interdisciplinary and intergenerational orientation
Establishment an ecological agenda (thinking of the space more as an inside and outside project)
Continuously develop, broaden and re-engage audience
Provide daylong access to the venue
Assure that commercial functions are secondary to non commercial ones.
Mobilize huge support out of the professional sector to generate audience
We are more and more costumers instead of citizens therefore it is important to strengthen the
connection between culture and citizenship / democracy by starting from local, neighborhood level
embracing diversity and developing to international / European level.
Cultural initiative must proceed to the same level, integrate in local society (which takes time) not
opposing ‘audience’, personal connections are necessary to achieve engagement.
Culture is linked to education and politics, so use the space to affirm public culture and present it as
democratic. We need to involve popular culture in fighting against certain challenges.
Who are the agents of change?
Too clever for their own good because they try to raise funding for new ideas of change by following
given guidelines of what they think fund givers want to hear.
Income focus is important with increasing venue costs. Is it the entertainment industry vs cultural
activity, or is it unnecessary to draw that line?
What does the audience want and how do they approach that? Where do we position art and culture in
a developing societal context? How to reach out to an audience in spite of ‘strange art’ you are trying to
engage?
Collaboration is key to reach abroad audience. Do we need to engage in social work and education in
order to connect with a broader audience / society? Institutions are too closed, how do we engage in
crowd funding/ match funding to create a more open structure?
Culture is not a product!
Political Vision
What is culture? There is no law about culture. It is not high on political agenda because a lack of
pressure. Culture is necessary for democracy thus it is frightening that democratic countries culture
budget is cut.
Why is it so difficult to communicate the importance of culture? The cultural budget in EU is 0.03%.
What are the advantages of a diverse cultural ecology? Do we need to open up more for international
relations?
With new technologies and the internet, marketing exercises are masquerading as public events. It is the
neighborhood versus the state. If it is at the state level, it will create a nationalist Frankenstein. UNESCA
said we need to reconsider whether it is money or culture that makes the world go round.
List of speakers, discussing artist run cultural spaces:
Andreas Rubbing (Candyland; Supermarket)
America Vero Zanala (actor and playwright): Sees the importance of community narratives. Holland has
many community theatres.
Maria Draghici & Irina Gadivita (laBomba, Bucharest): Social change through art. They work closely with
the community and engage different cultures in collaborative projects. The gypsy community has a voice
in their projects.
Lidia Makowska : “The city belongs to the city” She’s more of an intellectual concerned with the
theoretical aspect of cultural spaces and the content.
John Forsman (Aktor&Vanmer, Grothenburg):
Summary
Most people emphasize on under financing in the arts. Institutions at conference were interconnected
since many of them were based in Stockholm. The institutions had a lot in common as an outsider, but
are focused on innovation and getting recognition.
Patrik Lilegren (Cultural Strategy Unit) says that many countries with much less funding than the Nordic
organizations have become stronger because of it. Perhaps less financial luxury will make the sector
more pro-active. Real estate companies now realize that they will not succeed without cultural activity.
Even businesses that generate lots of money want functioning societies whether it is from
entertainment or culture.
Jacek Dominizack (Architect)
What can artists contribute to the space? Artists should consider how they affect both interior and
exterior architecture. There is a need for artists to become aware of how they influence the space in
which they perform. It is not only about the artists’ work, but about incorporating spatial elements into
the work. Urban identities are the focus now.
You have to be noticed/visible in the community. Although cultural projects have 0% political influence,
most Nordic initiatives are family oriented and that is where change begins. It is more about providing
entertainment to the communities instead of art/ tools for social change. As artists we also have to be
willing to change. If you’re not willing to change your perspective then your project will not flourish. But
then how can we ensure artistic integrity of perspective/vision? (Politics of presentation)
Sustainability: Perhaps it’s dangerous for us to think of policy or strategy. It should be more about
potential and change. There is no real need to last forever. Expectations for projects can be deficient.
You have to stay in constant communication with your context.
The cultural sector cannot speak with one voice, but should let itself be heard as a choir.