EU Development Cooperation - Thematic Programmes
Under the EU Development Cooperation Instrument, there have been two thematic programmes relevant to the Convention during the reporting period. These are
- Investing in People programme: 2007-2013
- Non-State Actors and Local Authorities programme 2014-20
These thematic programmes are intended to complement geographic programmes (specific to individual countries/regions).
The Investing In People programme included a general objective to promote access to local culture and the protection and promotion of cultural diversity. Specific objectives on culture were Supporting culture as a vector of democracy and economic growth (2012); Governance of Culture (2010); Strengthening capacities in the cultural sector (2010). The programme was implemented through 4 calls for proposals (during the reporting period) and two contracts with UNESCO (to support the EU-UNESCO Expert Facility in the context of the Convention and for heritage recovery in Cuba). Other aims included
- increased awareness of the role of culture in promoting democratisation, reconciliation and conflict resolution
- capacities built to develop relevant strategies and actions; increased cooperation among stakeholders
- cultural content developed and disseminated
- channels for cultural exchanges established or developed including minorities and disadvantaged
- outreach of cultural expressions; diversity
- level of participation of civil society in cultural governance processes enhanced
- entrepreneurship in cultural sector encouraged
- public/private investment increased
- capacity and representativeness of professional associations and networks reinforced
- artists and cultural workers’ situation improved eg. through increase in income and jobs
- skills and competences in creating, producing, marketing and managing cultural goods and services enhanced
- circulation and access to market facilitated
- contribution of cultural sector to growth increased and better evidenced.
Non-State Actors and Local Authorities programme main aims: to strengthen civil society organisations and local authorities in pa
i) In 2012 the Investing In People programme supported culture as a vector of democratisation and economic growth. A call for proposals was launched to
- promote diversity, intercultural dialogue and human rights, in the context of democratisation, reconciliation and conflict resolution; or
- to strengthen capacity for the development of dynamic cultural sector contributing to economic growth and sustainable development (33 projects signed).
ii) In 2010, the EU financed the EU-UNESCO expert facility on Governance and Culture, in the framework of the 2005 UNESCO Convention (€1,5 M) to support the governance of the cultural sector, through effective cultural policies and an enabling institutional regulatory, economic and professional environment (end of project implementation 2015).
A call for proposals was launched in 2010 to strengthen capacities in the cultural sector (including private and public organisations) to enhance their own governance and role in national governance of sector. 20 contracts were signed, implementation period until 14/15.
Under the Investing in People programme relevant projects funded included a project encouraging cultural expressions which promote diversity and intercultural dialogue in Sri Lanka, aiming at building channels between the North and the South while facilitating artistic collaborations between cultural actors across borders, generating new content (like Film, Theatre and Creative Writing) that explore themes celebrating diversity and transcending narrow definitions of ethno-religious and gender identities, and supporting artists and cultural activists to develop their own capacities.
Another example is "La Casa Tomada: culture among all to build New Worlds", a space for cultural exchange and promotion of youth initiatives of the Metropolitan Area of San Salvador to encourage the development of creative and artistic abilities. The project has enabled awareness and training and strengthened the community of young entrepreneurs and the development of a Laboratory of Innovation and New Technologies.
The EU-UNESCO Expert Facility already mentioned, was expected to create an enabling environment in targeted countries through the set-up of a pool of high level specialists on public policy domains relevant to strengthening improved culture governance in developing countries. The Facility was open to countries which were beneficiaries of the thematic EU Human and Social Development programme and which had ratified the 2005 Convention. Technical assistance missions were implemented on request from thirteen countries: Vietnam, Seychelles, Burkina Faso, Congo DR, Barbados, Argentina, Cambodia, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Haiti, and Niger. At national level, multi-disciplinary teams were capacitated and operational policies were designed, elaborated and implemented (eg. Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Niger and Vietnam).
The Non-State Actors and Local Authorities programme may finance projects proposed by cultural operators or on cultu
Investing in People 2007-2013: €50 million.
Non-State Actors / Local Authorities: €723 M for the whole programme, of which culture projects forms a part
Investing in People - Evaluations done at project level but not for the full programme.
Evaluation of the EU-UNESCO Expert Facility is ongoing.
Non-State Actors – Local Authorities programme - not specifically for projects supporting culture