Together with the Centre for Strategy & Evaluation Services (CSES), the ERICarts Institute conducted a study for the European Commission on the "Contribution of Culture to Local and Regional Development as part of European Cohesion Policy". In an effort to involve as much practical experience from the field as possible, over 80 case studies were collected and edited by the Institute (in charge: Olivier Göbel), several of them also by ERICarts' partners Péter Inkei and János Szabó (BudObs).
Over 100 experts involved in culture-based projects, officials responsible for developing or applying cultural or Structural Fund policies or people with a particular interest in how cultural activities impact on the economy and society participated in the study by either
- Providing information on cultural projects that have received EU Structural Funding and were successful or innovative; or
- Attending a Seminar in Brussels on 11th November 2009. The Seminar examined trends and evidence from projects funded over both the 2000–06 and the current programming periods.
The study resulted in a number of conclusions and was led by Mike Coyne (CSES). At the ERICarts Institute, methodological and content input was coordinated by Andreas Wiesand.
In line with old Rhineland traditions, Executive Director Andreas Wiesand was forced to surrender his symbol of male dignity to ERICarts intern Sari Asikainen on Womens' Carnival day ("Weiberfastnacht"), 11 February 2010. Our picture includes Office Manager Olivier Göbel and Compendium Webmaster Jörg Torkler (in the back) who, having escaped the massacre, did not hide their malicious glees.
As usual, this strange ritual could also find different interpretations: maybe it was simply a rehearsal for the inauguration ceremony of the European Folk Cultures Survey, the ERICarts Institute is now conducting together with its new partner organisation Boekman Foundation, Amsterdam (Boekmanstichting)?
Danielle has been involved in most of the ERICarts activities since 1997 as a senior expert, research coordinator or project leader. This includes, but is not limited to a series of projects for the EU (e.g. "Pyramid or Pillars", "Culture Biz" or "Sharing Diversity"), the prominent Council of Europe/ERICarts Compendium information and monitoring system on "Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe", or the "Creative Europe" Report funded by the Network of European Foundations for Innovative Cooperation (NEF). In Spring and Summer 2009, her final task at the Institute has been the coordination of a global empirical survey on "Achieving Intercultural Dialogue through the Arts and Culture?" for IFACCA.
In November 2009, Danielle has taken up her new position at UNESCO, where she is now Chief of Section, Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Her vast experience and never ending dedication to the work of the ERICarts Institute will be deeply missed. On the other hand, ERICarts' Board of Governors and staff are proud of this perfect choice for an important position in the domain of international cultural cooperation.
The new study of the ERICarts Institute for the EU-Commission focuses on programmes and schemes supporting or influencing the mobility of cultural professionals in Europe. The project began in April 2008, the final report was submitted in October 2008. The study was coordinated by Andreas Wiesand and Danielle Cliche with the assistance of Olivier Goebel; it is based mainly on existing resources, on information gained from national correspondents in the 35 participating countries, and on the contributions of six key experts: Suzanne Capiau, Rod Fisher, Ilkka Heiskanen, Dorota Ilczuk, Ritva Mitchell and Dimitrije Vujadinovic. The study and additional material can be found on the website www.mobility-matters.eu - the Executive Summary in English, French and German can also be downloaded here.
"Sharing Diversity", the report of the ERICarts study on National Approaches to Intercultural Dialogue in Europe has now been released. Funded by the EU-DG Education and Culture, the study was undertaken with a team of European experts specializing in the fields of culture, education, youth and sports.
Gender Research Culture-Gates Creative Europe Cultural Policies in Europe Intercultural Dialogue
