I International conference on cultural policies

Publication of the papers and communications presented at the I International Conference on Cultural Policies held in Bilbao on 14th and 15th November 2005

Title: I International Conference on Cultural Policies
Author/Organisation: Department of Culture of the Basque Government
Language: Basque, Spanish, French and English.
Number of Pages: 450
Date of Publication: December 2007
Available at: If you want to receive this publication in book format send us your postal address to the following e-mail:
kulturabehatokia@ej-gv.es
If you want to download it in digital format:
http://www.kultura.ejgv.euskadi.net/r46-6614/es/contenidos/informacion/conferencia_politica_culturale/es_10312/adjuntos/pol_culturales.pdf

In November 2005, a year after the Basque Council for Culture presented the Basque Plan for Culture, the I International Conference about Cultural Policies was held in Bilbao. It was a space for reflection, debate, meeting and participation which dealt with problems and experiences within the field of culture. The conference was conceived as an open window to external and internal affairs. It approached intellectuals, experts, politicians, managers around the key issues and the challenges that the cultural policies arise, both within the international field and the local field.

The document with the results of the Conference will now be published. It contains the opening and closing speeches of the Lehendakari (President of the Basque Government) and the Culture Counsellor of the Basque Government respectively, as well as the objectives, programme and papers and reflections that were presented.

The conference was structured on the following three core subjects: general, cultural policies and the practical reflection carried out during the seminars.

The first core subject dealt with issues of great depth such as the UNESCO’s Declaration on Cultural Diversity, by Armand Matterlart; the relationship between culture and communication, and therefore, the significance of the radio and TV as public services in the digital era, by Enrique Bustamante; and the new institutional models linked to cultural policies by Xavier Fina.

The second block of contents deals with cultural policies and offers a combined analysis between the local situation and other experiences. The papers presented were based on the space and situation of the Basque language and culture, by Angel Lertxundi; with contributions of Gurutz Larrañagaba and Ramón Zallo regarding the cultural policies within de CAPV (Autonomous Community of the Basque Country); and also, about  taxation in the service of culture, by Gemma Martinez and Olatz Imaz. Examples of cultural policies and management models of Catalonia, Québec and Aquitaine were also presented, as well as examples of local and territorial management.

Lastly, the voices of creators, producers, managers, researchers and politicians which contributed to the contents of the seminars are gathered. They have been structured in sectors; equipments and management practice in small and medium towns have also been included offering a wide range of views and practical experiences.

To conclude, the quality of the papers and the richness and variety of the experiences contained in this publication bring the opportunity for rethinking about the cultural action, therefore enabling its adaptation to the current key issues.