Related policy documents

The European Union has compiled more reports on the mobility of artists - have a look here

In 2015, the UNESCO has published a monitoring document on the implementation of the 1980 recommendation concerning the status of the artist. Find it here - and read on On the Move why this document is important.

 

Policy

Policy

The TransArtists desk initiates, collects, follows, and distributes research into the artist-in-residence phenomenon. This page lists reports and policy papers from international policymaking bodies.

Artist-in-residence programs have been part of the cultural policy discourse globally in the past years. Residencies are understood by policy-makers as a way to support the development of new talents, to engage with local cultural actors and to facilitate the diversity of cultural expressions. In many cases, residencies fall under the notion of cultural mobility as they involve often an international dimension, but residencies can also be understood in terms of local development, regional cultural infrastructure, and fall therefore into national cultural policies.

Here is a first overview of some key documents to keep in mind. Note that arguments made in these policy documents can be useful for funding applications - for instance the Policy Handbook for the European Commission lists benefit factors of residency programs for all actors involved, being artist, host, local community, or local/national policy makers.


D’Art No.45: International Perspectives on Artist Residencies (IFACCA, 2013)

In October 2012, the International Federation of Art Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA) conducted a survey of its members to understand more about global trends in government support for artist residencies. The report considers: Government Support for Artist Residencies, Objectives and Outcomes of Residencies, Mapping of Residencies, Funding Opportunities for Residencies, Evaluation of Residencies, Future Actions.

Download the D'Art report: International Perspectivse on Artist Residencies (2013) for free on IFACCA's website.

 


Policy Handbook on Artists' Residencies (European Commission, 2014)

The "Policy Handbook on Artists' Residencies" is the final output of the Open Method of Coordination working group on Artists' Residencies on "EAC on Europa". This OMC group had been convened under the Work Plan for Culture 2011-2014 Priority Area C "Skills & Mobility". The OMC working group was co-chaired by Maria Tuerlings, founder of TransArtists, and Yvette Vaughan Jones, executive director of Visiting Arts.

Among the conclusions, the OMC Working Group identified the following critical success factors for artists’ residencies:

  • the importance of setting clear objectives and understanding what each partner wishes to achieve through the residency;
  • communicating those objectives and being clear about needs, conditions and expectations for the residency;
  • allocating sufficient time for planning, research and negotiation;
  • allocating sufficient time for practical issues, such as obtaining visas (in the case of international artists) and other regulatory issues;
  • allocating sufficient time for fundraising if necessary;
  • researching and understanding the culture of the artist, the organisation, and the city/region/ country concerned, both in terms of its overarching culture and its institutional culture;
  • being sensitive and listening to the other partners involved. Building trust and understanding;
  • creating an operational plan to include ancillary activities, networking and profile raising;
  • putting in place a communications strategy, both for the individual artist and the organisation.

The report can be accessed through the Mobility of Artists' page on DG EAC's website, or directly here as a pdf. At the bottom of the page on the Mobility of Artists', under "Find out More", there is an Executive Summary of the OMC report in English, German and French as well.


Re-Shaping Cultural Policies (UNESCO, 2015)

The rise of Internet giants, the explosion of social networks, the digital revolution - all profoundly changing the methods of production and dissemination of cultural goods such as music, film and books. Since the adoption of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, the world’s cultural landscape has changed considerably. Presented at UNESCO on 16 December, the Report Re|Shaping Cultural Policies explores these changes and the policy impact of the Convention.

The Report also underlines that the Convention is increasingly used in major free trade agreements to give recognition to the specificity of cultural goods and services. But much progress remains to be achieved in other areas, particularly to encourage the role of women in certain cultural professions, to facilitate the mobility of artists from developing countries, and incorporating culture in sustainable development strategies. The Report, produced with the financial support of the Swedish government within the framework of the project “Enhancing Fundamental Freedoms through the Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions”, was compiled based on reports provided by 71 signatory countries and supplemented by various studies. It examines the impact of the Convention in the light of its four objectives: support sustainable cultural governance systems; achieve a balanced exchange of cultural goods and services and increase mobility; include culture within sustainable development frameworks; and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms.

"Despite the growth of residencies worldwide, the chances for artists to access them remain unfair and imbalanced. Visa problems seriously hinder, limit or even block mobility opportunities for artists. Limited, disappearing or non-existing availability and access to funding opportunities are also a huge issue" (p. 111)

The quote above is from the founder and former programme director of TransArtists, Maria Tuerlings, she has contributed to the report with a message in the same way as Gilberto Gil, Farida Shahee (former UN special rapporteur in field of cultural rights)d, Park Geun-hye (president of republic of Korea) and many others (see list of all contributors on p.12).

Here you can find the executive report (24 pages) or the complete report (238 pages).

unesco.org