Kulturentwécklungsplang 2018-2028 The first National Cultural Development Plan

Introduction

The first National Cultural Development Plan serves to guarantee freedom of expression and the necessary creative spaces, so that arts, culture and actors can continue to improve the quality of our lives.

Its development was initiated in January 2016 in a common approach and collaboration of several groups of actors: representatives of the arts and culture community, cultural institutions, foundations, associations and public establishments, as well as many agents and officials of the cultural services of the Ministry of Culture and of the cities or municipalities of the country. After two years of reflection, discussions, debates, exchanges, diagnoses and consultations, the plan has taken shape.

More concretely, and in order to meet its objective, the cultural development plan is based on an analysis of the pre-existing cultural framework and an understanding of its evolution. To this end, it is necessary to critically observe this framework by identifying its strengths and weaknesses. This research serves to create new perspectives, new designs, new paths for the implementation of a future cultural policy that sets clear, structured and sustainable objectives for the benefit of all.

A motion adopted in the Chamber of Deputies guarantees a debate on the implementation of the cultural development plan every two years and therefore its continuity and follow-up beyond the next elections in 2023.

The KEP - Kulturentwécklungsplang - is planned to be implemented from 2018 to 2028.

Definition(s)

Cultural policy provides the cultural framework for the free development of cultural activity. It does not express itself on the use of structures or on creations. It creates the space and connections for the development of cultural life.

The cultural development plan presents strategic recommendations for the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in terms of cultural policy. These recommendations are based on the diagnosis of the analyses and consultations with the cultural sector. The plan serves as a basis for policy decisions to effectively promote a rich and vibrant culture.

The plan aims to establish a cultural pact that promotes access to culture for all. This agreement is addressed to all municipalities and is a joint commitment by the state and the municipalities to ensure stable funding for cultural activities.

It should be noted that culture is not a static concept. It expands over time and regularly incorporates new practices and customs. It is often linked to the fields of art, education and literature. The right to culture is considered a human right. It is described in Article 27 of the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights". In Luxembourg, the Cultural Pact of 2008 says  that the keywords for a policy based on the idea of culture as a human right are: cultural integration, cohesion, interactivity and diversity.

The Kulturentwécklungsplang is a constantly evolving roadmap. 

Background

Everyone is part of culture, because we are in constant contact with it. The cultural sector, cultural institutions or cultural and creative industries play an important role in the development of culture. They are places of production, transmission, encounter and exchange for the various cultural fields (performing arts, visual arts, literature, audiovisual media, design, etc.). They create entertainment, educational tools and dialogue all at the same time. The social factor of culture is particularly important. It can foster a sense of security, self-confidence and belonging as well as promote understanding, openness and tolerance.

In Article 43 of the "constitutional revision" of the Chamber of Deputies, it is stated that the State guarantees access to culture and the right to cultural development. It also promotes the protection of cultural heritage. This means that the Chamber of Deputies undertakes to provide the government, through the annual vote on the state budget, with the financial means necessary for the promotion of culture.

In addition to the welfare factor, it should not be forgotten that culture is also part of the economic and tourist sector. It contributes to the development of tourism and fuels the economy. Nevertheless, the cultural budget is the subject of constant debate between policy makers and those responsible for the sector. The budget is a tool for providing information on the cultural governmental actions and their evolution. The performing arts (music, singing, dance, theatre, etc.) and heritage (architecture, archaeology and audiovisual, libraries, museums, etc.) dominate the cultural budget. Expenditure is mainly divided into three categories:

1. Subsidies (supporting a person or an activity without counterpart and obligation),
2. conventions (supporting a mission by a natural or legal person on the basis of an agreement which defines the object of the project, the financing and the obligations of the parties)
3. regulatory grants (governed by a law, a regulation or international agreements).

The media sector (audiovisual, cinema and press) is attached to the Ministry of State and the Ministry of the Economy supports the development of cultural and creative industries, notably through the creation of the Luxembourg Creative Industries Cluster.

Approach and objectives

The elaboration of the cultural development plan is based on exchange. The sectoral workshops aimed to offer cultural actors a platform for exchange and consultation, to identify the major issues of culture and cultural policy and to actively participate in defining the content of the cultural conference.

262 cultural workers participated in the 23 "Thursday workshops". They resulted in the post-conference review and then to a draft roadmap for the Kulturentwécklungsplang. Between this first review and the 2nd cultural conference in 2018, version 0.1 of the plan was written. In workshops at the Ministry of Culture, the plan was structured into 10 chapters and contains 62 recommendations, subdivided into actions and measures.

The cultural development plan is elaborated by a group of professionals politically independent from the government. Nevertheless, the political will of the governments to stick to the demands formulated after the participatory consultations is essential for its implementation. The Kulturentwécklungsplang is a kind of "framework contract". It contains a chapter dedicated to implementation, with eight preliminary recommendations for realising the different proposals.

The ten chapters of the action plan are: governance, creation, valorisation of cultural work and professionalisation, cultural heritage, culture in the regions, artistic and cultural education, cultural citizenship and accessibility, cultural and creative industries, research and innovation, Luxembourg's cultural action on an international level, restructuring of support to the cultural and artistic sector.

Following the 2nd cultural conference, version 0.1 of the Kulturentwécklunsplang has been adapted. A timetable and schedule for the recommendations, as well as an introductory chapter of conditional recommendations for the following proposals and a medium and long-term cultural strategy, were added. Recommendations have been cancelled, merged and reworded, and nine new guidelines have been added.

The recommendations

The aim of the development plan is to:

• structure the cultural landscape
• identify priority actions
• observe, evaluate and analyse the sector
• plan realistic actions and adapt governance to potential changes

All cultural actors are involved in the implementation of the plan and the evolving objectives in the short, medium and long term.

In the Kulturentwécklungsplang - eBook 1.0 Volume 1 of September 2018 - 62 recommendations are presented, ranging from the adoption of a law on the promotion of culture and the implementation of cultural development to reforming the law on patronage. These are preliminary, governance and creative recommendations.

Timeline

1976

• First analysis of the cultural sector in the report of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, in a chapter entitled "Situation de la culture au Luxembourg".

1991

• Talk show about the professionalisation of culture, organised by the association spektrum 87

1995

• First Ministry of Culture and Luxembourg becomes European Capital of Culture for the first time

1996

• The Culture(s) Forum platform is created

2007

• Luxembourg becomes European Capital of Culture for the second time
• Forum Culture(s) draws up the Manifesto for a Cultural Pact

2009

• Second document of the Forum Culture(s), the Cultural Pact

2014

• Nation Branding by the Promotion of the Brand Image of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs
• First reflections for a cultural development plan by Robert Garcia and Marc Limpach on the proposal of the Minister of Culture Maggy Nagel

2016-2018

• Meetings of the different cultural actors: sector meetings, Thursday workshops, open forums,...
• First cultural conference 2016 in the Grand Théâtre
• Post-conference review 2017 at the Mierscher Kulturhaus
• Second cultural conference 2018 Conservatoire de Luxembourg
•  Posting of the KEP on the website of the Ministry of Culture and on www.culture.lu, and presentation at the post-conference review 2018 at the Kinneksbond in Mamer
  

2017

• Implementation of the possibility to submit grant applications via the one-stop-shop.

2018-2020

• KEP workshops: thematic meetings and small group discussions with national and international guest specialists
• Resolution adopted in the Chamber of Deputies, providing for "the organisation of a debate on the implementation of a cultural development plan every two years

2021

• Sectoral conferences (Rock/Pop/Electro, theatre, classical music)

2022

• Esch-sur-Alzette becomes European Capital of Culture. This is the third time that the European Capital of Culture is in Luxembourg

Expected benefits

The Kulturentwécklungsplang wants to create "a new, dynamic, evolving and transversal cultural ecosystem that will allow artists, cultural actors and citizens to fully develop".

It wants to encourage, value, contribute, promote, preserve, strengthen, consider, link...:

• Culture and art as a means of emancipation;
• The social recognition of artists, their working conditions, the economic and social impact of the sector;
• The professionalization of all actors in the sector;
• The artistic and cultural influence at a local, regional, national and international level;
• The role and missions of cultural institutions, the balance of the cultural offer in the region, the cultural, social, economic and environmental well-being;
• The growing importance of digital culture and the central role of new technologies in the creation, production and access to content;
• Heritage and mediation around it;
• Artistic and cultural education;
• Cultural citizenship, accessibility and inclusion;
• Cultural diversity and dialogue;
• Cultural and creative industries, innovation and research;
• Investment and promotion strategy;
• Private sponsorship.