Report of a Thematic Study Using Transnational Comparisons to Analyse and Identify Cultural Polices and Programmes That Contr
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Report of a thematic study using transnational comparisons to analyse and identify cultural polices and programmes that contribute to preventing and reducing poverty and social exclusion A report undertaken for the European Commission by: The Centre for Public Policy, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Professor Roberta Woods, Lynn Dobbs, Christopher Gordon, Craig Moore, Glen Simpson 2004 1 Contents Title Page Executive summary 3 Part 1 Section 1 The Scope of the Research 8 Section 2 Addressing Culture in Social Inclusion Policy at European levels 12 Section 3 European Cultural Policy 16 Section 4 Using European funding streams to promote culture and inclusion 21 Section 5 Discussion - theme 1 43 Section 6 Discussion - theme 2 46 Section 7 Discussion - theme 3 51 Section 8 Discussion - theme 4 53 Section 9 Recommendations 57 Part 2 Country profiles Section 10 - Case Study Denmark 60 Section 11 - Case Study Germany 83 Section 12 - Case Study Spain 96 Section 13 - Case Study France 120 Section 14 - Case Study Sweden 127 Section 15 - Case Study Finland 142 Section 16 - Case Study Italy 153 Section 17 - Case Study United Kingdom 164 Section 18 - New Member States 178 Appendices Appendix 1 A review of relevant academic literature 191 Appendix 2 EU data 199 Appendix 3 Report from the additional culture seminar 212 Bibliography 224 2 Executive Summary 1. Project Focus The brief for this project set out key tasks for the project team as follows: 1. Identifying the ways in which poor access to and participation in cultural activities can deepen and intensify poverty and social exclusion and the groups most likely to be affected and why. 2. Identifying the different barriers that prevent those at risk of poverty and social exclusion accessing cultural services and opportunities and expressing their own cultural identity. 3. Documenting the contribution that increased access to and participation in cultural activities can make to combating poverty and social exclusion and increasing social inclusion. 4. Analysing and drawing conclusions as to the different mix of cultural policies and programmes which are necessary to increase equality of access and remove barriers to participation in cultural activities. 2. Project Methodology The project research team carried out a review of policy and academic literature in Europe relating to culture and social inclusion. The literature search was supplemented by a visit to eight case study countries (Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom). The visits enabled the project team to collect relevant documentation, to interview staff in central government ministries and at the regional and local tiers of government. The project team also visited specific localities and met with local people and project workers in each country to gather examples of projects that demonstrated best practice in terms of employing culture to reduce or prevent social exclusion. A review of relevant European funding programmes was undertaken and an analysis of current monitoring mechanisms was also carried out. 3. The Scope of the research The scope of our research for the European Commission is potentially massive, and the topic itself difficult. Furthermore the joint Social Policy and Cultural Policy research team were aware from the very outset of the mismatch between expectations, professional practice and available relevant data in the two professional spheres. It was also apparent that both at the national and local levels, the concept of social exclusion tends to be related primarily to employment and related socio-economic factors. Nevertheless, there are clear signs of growing awareness of the broader possibilities in a number of countries and the development of policies that promote a positive role for culture in social 3 inclusion and neighbourhood renewal by improving the ‘performance’ of communities. 4. Main Project Findings 4.1 The concept of social exclusion adopted by the project team and backed by relevant academic literature makes it clear that the experience of poverty and exclusion is multi-dimensional and includes lack of access to goods and services as well as more economic measures of exclusion. The fact that a multi-dimensional understanding of exclusion is accepted was reflected in the widespread recognition at local level in Member States that inclusion in cultural activities was often an important stepping stone in preventing or addressing social exclusion. The focus of projects varied from those providing language classes for immigrants to using drama or dance in schools to celebrate different cultures or projects specifically aimed at encouraging employment in the creative industries. This could include drama workshops, training in digital media, the creation of rap music centres and local history groups for older people. All countries were of course extending access to the Internet with libraries playing a key role. The project team discovered a huge range of initiatives in existence. These were often unknown outside the geographical area in which they were operating and there were few opportunities for the sharing of good practice or for evaluations of broadly similar projects to be compared. This sometimes reflected a lack of drive at central government levels to actively promote engagement in cultural activities as an important tool for addressing social exclusion. 4.2 Much of the focus particularly of the National Action Plans (incl) is on specific groups and specific institutions. Most countries identified the following groups as being at particular risk of exclusion – disabled people, refugees and immigrants, long-term unemployed, lone parent families, homeless people, young unemployed, disadvantaged elderly, disadvantaged families. Some countries extended the list to include -people who are mentally ill, victims of domestic violence, families where there is alcohol misuse, drug misusers, prostitutes and people lacking social and cultural skills. NAPs did not mention groups at particular risk of cultural exclusion. The case study research undertaken for this project would suggest that the groups most seen as at risk if cultural exclusion are those who are financially and socially disadvantaged, young people, disabled people, immigrants and refugees. 4.3 The common lack of systematic connection or coherent policy between Ministries at national levels has been noted in the course of this research. Since ‘culture’ - despite its importance in national identity and the growing recognition of its role as an economic driver – frequently has a relatively low political priority. The policies of the ministries of Culture still tend to start out from the twin agendas of cultural (and heritage) institutions and their attendant financial problems. This means that the human and social capital dimensions 4 are often missing or underrepresented in policy and priorities, particularly at the national level. 4.4 In a number of the countries visited there were no cohesive programmes at National level aimed at linking social inclusion with culture. However, all countries were able to point to specific projects at local level that brought the two agendas together 4.5 Limited funding and short-term targets and initiatives were perceived to act as barriers to mainstream consideration of the role culture can play tackling social exclusion. Where limited or reducing funding for public services was taking place, priorities for social inclusion programmes concentrated on whether current social welfare systems could be made sustainable. Maintaining funding of health, social services and pensions was often a priority sometimes alongside measures to reduce the take-up of benefits. 4.6 Most ‘high level’ cultural policies are primarily directed at existing institutions such as protecting heritage, art galleries, the performing arts, libraries, museums and the general population rather than being targeted at particular sections, although the tradition in the Nordic countries has on the whole been more inclusive with regard to social provision and participation. 4.7 Crude monitoring programmes that concentrate on visitor or user numbers may only disguise the lack of access to cultural services and activities by those who are particularly disadvantaged. This may also have the effect of misdirecting funds from projects that seek to work with excluded groups to support the achievement of national participation targets. 4.8 Lack of awareness of the positive role culture can play in addressing social exclusion seems to be more of a national than a local problem. However local actors may be reliant upon resources from the Centre in order to ensure progress and sustainability. The funding of particular initiatives may also rely on formal time-limited protocols which may not be renewed, or simply be overtaken by other immediate priorities before they can be consolidated (e.g. drama work with young offenders in Italy). 4.9 Finance is often an important barrier and where a charge is incurred, for example in museums or at sports clubs, socially excluded people may not be able to access those services. 4.10 More emphasis needs to be placed on embracing cultural diversities. The underlying approach of countries within the EU varies enormously. The project team noted that in some countries a great deal of emphasis is placed on providing language tuition for immigrants, refugees or asylum seekers to facilitate integration into the host country. Whilst this is necessary to help counteract