The International Culture Panel: Cooperation and Knowledge-sharing between public officials and cultural actors

Denmark’s cultural exchange with other countries comprises a plenitude of actors at national and local level, who are based both in and outside of Denmark. As mentioned in the Danish QPR of 2012, there are several challenges facing a small country on the global scene when it comes to international cultural exchange, e.g. to create conditions for individual artists and cultural institutions to be able to function in a globalised world where it is necessary to be able to build and maintain professional working networks with international partners. Especially as a small country, it is important to facilitate cross-sectional cooperation aiming at combining experiences and achieving synergies without losing the richness and diversity of international activities and relations with other countries. Since 2010 the key actors in the field of cultural exchange have been gathered in an International Culture Panel.

The Panel is a cross-ministerial collaboration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Business and Growth and the Ministry of Culture as well as the following institutions, who all in their own way and with different starting points are active in international cultural cooperation: The Danish Arts Foundation, The Danish Cultural Institute, Danish Architecture Center, Danish Design Centre, Danish Film Institute, Center for Culture and Development, Danish Agency for Palaces and Culture and VisitDenmark. The main purpose of the collaboration in the Panel is to increase Denmark’s cultural exchange with foreign countries and to strengthen the internationalisation of Danish cultural life. Herein lies an inherent focus on creating coherence and give the various international cultural initiatives a shared focus with a view to create increased visibility and impact of cultural exchange projects.