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Conference Dispatches
Cultural Policy Reporting from Vienna
Written by Elizabeth MacKinnon.
The opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Canadian Heritage. |
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July 15, 2006
At the closing session of the ICCPR, and not for the first time, Aaron Wildavsky’s “Speaking Truth To Power” was referred to in relation to the challenges of knowledge mobilization in the field of cultural policy. It is interesting to note that this political scientist also undertook a significant amount of work on the concept of “risk”… The discussion that followed on responsibilities and competencies for knowledge transfer between academics, consultants, activists, advocates, analysts and decision-makers was one of the most interesting and lively of the entire conference. Participants made distinctions between “relevant” & “useful” research, debated the existence of complete objectivity, and underlined the importance of knowing one’s audience. An award was given to this year’s Cultural Policy Research Award winner, designed to develop young scholars. This year’s recipient demonstrated his gratitude by playing a piece of his own composition on the piano, displaying the love of arts and culture that so often draws people into the field in the first place. Feedback on the entire conference ranged from frustration at the breadth of the scope to an appreciation of the diversity of the participants and a plea for even greater inclusivity in future years. It also included a recognition of just how much the conference (and perhaps the field of cultural policy research itself) has grown over the past eight years. It was widely acknowledged that the 2006 conference organizers, Educult, had much to be proud of. The next day, the die-hards among us took a guided trip to Linz, the European Capital of Culture for 2009, confirming Austria’s reputation as a “land of artists”! Now for the reading and analysis of papers, and the development of the new networks created over the past week in the beautiful city of Vienna. This should keep us busy at least until the next string of conferences… (Social Theory, Politics & the Arts is scheduled for October, 2007 in New York City, the 5th International Conference on Cultural Policy Research will occur in 2008). July 14, 2006 At an international conference with around 400 delegates representing over 40 countries, divided into 12 different thematic areas, it seems that nothing can be taken as a given as we work our way through 170 odd paper presentations. Some sessions are reviews of cultural policy fundamentals, whereas others cover territories so vast that there is little common ground. Despite various differences and challenges, some interesting reflections on nationalism & internationalism surfaced over the course of the day: So, while the diversity of perspectives on offer was at times overwhelming, the conference certainly provided a unique opportunity to glean some insights into the multi-faceted and multi-disciplinary world of cultural policy research. Sort of like the dinner we indulged in at the international food fair in front of Vienna City Hall, where tasty treats were consumed to the sounds of Mozart, once the difficult choices were made about which stalls to visit! As readers might have noticed, cultural policy research is hungry work… July 13, 2006 If the role of policy research is to question assumptions as much as it is to unearth evidence to support existing or intended policy directions, then it is little wonder that those of us who work in the field feel a bit torn at times. Add to this the difficulty of arriving at any common definitions and we're left with plenty of provocative questions and relatively few answers. In discussions with my colleague and other delegates, it seems like one of the major questions weaving through these presentations is how to locate the appropriate policy position between "instrumentalism" and "intrinsic value" or, looked at another way, the balance between proof and understanding when it comes to matters of arts and culture. It seems as if policy-makers and researchers frequently find themselves on different sides of the fence, depending of course along what lines the fence is built (and, in an international context, which country you are from!). As for the "policy researchers", well, it seems that perhaps fence-sitting is an understandable position to take! It was interesting to note the relatively minor roles diversity and new technologies are playing at these conferences, when, from a Canadian perspective, they are possibly two of the biggest factors influencing cultural policy today. This is not to say they are wholly absent from the presentations, more that they have not permeated a number of the sessions. However, there were a few reassuring moments as we worked our way through the labyrinthine paths of thought and inquiry. We were reminded that debates on the value of culture have a long tradition and history behind them, and, in some senses, our continued struggle to make sense of them is not a recent clouding of the universe, just more of a prolonged exploration. Another somehow reassuring statement is that a high degree of cultural participation seems to correlate with a high degree of offer - even though we're not sure whether the causality flows from the supply side or public demand. In another affirming act and to really bring theory into practice, we're off to the Burgtheater to see Rosas...and maybe eat some more viennoiseries too... July 12, 2006 On our day in-between conferences, my colleague and I venture out into the heat of the city to visit Canada's embassy in Vienna. We were very pleased to meet our colleagues and discuss some of the successes and challenges of building Canada's image in Vienna. Two particularly interesting cases are the ongoing Canadian participation at the Impulstanz contemporary dance festival and the Wien Festival and the recent award to Vancouver artist Ken Lum whose installation will be permanently featured in a newly renovated Vienna subway station. It is exciting to think of a Canadian artistic presence in a city so well known for its art and culture. The afternoon was spent in the cooler air of the Leopold Museum in the wonderful Museums Quarter where we registered for the next conference, the ICCPR. A whole book of conference papers awaits... more news to follow tomorrow. July 11, 2006 The third and final day of the Social Theory, Politics and the Arts (STP&A;) kicks off with a round of papers examining the role of external factors on cultural policy: domestic politics, industrial policies and international treaties, encouraging us to think beyond the usual confines of discipline. Placing culture within a wider context, the first session leads naturally into the next, covering the increasingly important issue of international cultural diplomacy. The afternoon gets livelier as critiques of current models grow. The cultural field, caught between overstated instrumental arguments on the one hand and insistence on special yet hard to define intrinsic values on the other, is left too often in a murkiness of high abstraction and sloppy thinking. This provocative call for clarity and rigour energizes the room but is quickly lost in more theoretical musings. Like the subject of culture itself, cultural policy conferences seem to draw energy from diversity and conflict of ideas, but keeping hold of the thread of a conversation in the multiplicity of views is a constant challenge. Once again, the organization and sharing information becomes a key theme for the close of the conference. We are introduced to another new website, LabforCulture.org a partnership by the European Cultural Foundation. We are all invited to the next STP&A; conference, to take place in New York City in 2007. In the evening we explore the city a little more, discovering the beautiful St. Stephen's cathedral and enjoying the sights and shops of Vienna. Music is celebrated everywhere in the city, particularly this year. July 10, 2006 The second day of the conference began early and finished late, but the strong Viennese coffee helped sustain us through the day. After all, this is the city where the Kaffeehaus is a veritable institution, so at least good coffee is a sure thing. We started with a number of presentations on Austrian cultural policy, underlining yet again the various assumptions (which are themselves culturally derived) that accompany discussions of national cultural policies. The spectre of unintended consequences of the most well-intentioned policies looms large as countries re-envision themselves in a rapidly changing international environment. Talk of de-regulation, re-regulation, privatization and convergence is framed in the context of the European Union, changes to the traditional model of the welfare state, and questions of the role of democracy in political decision-making. This is the first year that the 32 year-old Social Theory, Politics and the Arts (STP&A;) conference is being held outside of North America, and one can see significant differences within and between European and American points of view. However, the desire to share and learn from each other is strong, and we are introduced to the new cultural portal culture.info and told of the work on the upcoming World Cultures Yearbook. In the afternoon we hear about reforms at the National Endowment of the Arts, the Australia Council and the Arts Council England, each one notable for how they came about inasmuch as the actual changes. Discussions of the balance between the arm's-length principle, funding needs and public accountability dominate the afternoon. At the end of the day, we are treated to a presentation by the WWTF - Vienna Science and Technology Fund a science and technology foundation with specific support programs for research and development in the cultural industries. A few of the projects include a book/website/showcase for Austrian design (pureaustriandesign.com), interactive mobile museum guides, and virtual reality models of cultural tourism landmarks. The night ended with Wiener Schnitzel in the Nachtmarkt, a tourist zone replete with every kind of restaurant imaginable - yet another example of sharing and exchange among cultures. July 9, 2006 Guten Tag.... Notes from the Social Theory, Politics & the Arts conference July 9, 2006, Vienna, Austria. Vienna! Land of cake, coffee, waltzes & palaces....my colleague and I commit once again to our new pastry & caffeine diet. We are in the Museums Quarter walking through a square with plenty of casual seating, children's play areas, bars and cafés surrounded by the best and biggest museums, theatres and galleries bringing to life the idea of a cultural commons that attracts all kinds to participate, relax and enjoy. The conference itself is in the visual arts academy - it is musty, dark and humid, but the first STP&A; to take place outside of North America is not to be dampened by the heavy atmosphere. The first concurrent session I attend is on the topic of Economics & Employment in the Cultural Sector, with the familiar observations that no matter where you are from, artists are overworked and underpaid, more in love with making meaning than with making money. New technologies are in some cases promoting a new entrepreneurialism in the cultural sector, enabling artists and cultural workers to reach beyond the traditional confines of the cultural sector. As usual, more questions than answers abound. The next plenary brings up issues of national cultural policies - models, paradigms and expressions. We're looking at shifting from "monoculture" to "multi-cultures" and the realities presented by societies made up of citizens with multiple identities, where change is not a result of a flash of insight or slow accretion but a long process of struggle and debate. In this context another speaker underlines the importance of historical perspective in understanding cultural policy development - the chain of monarchies, conquerers & colonial powers, revolution & evolution. The push/pull of "top-down" & "bottom-up". The tension between the tidiness of theory and the messiness of reality. Views and perspectives from Norway, Nepal, Nigeria, UK, Austria, Germany, & the USA reflect the inescapableness of one's own cultural constructs...the struggle to find a language that is universal enough to not have to explain itself... Following these hot and heady talks, the networking session flows easily into the evening. As darkness falls, a number of people wander off to watch the World Cup Finals on giant screens in the square (another cultural commons in action!). |
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