Navigation
- Home
- Philosophy
- Europe
- International
- Peace efforts
- Poets
- Artists beyond Images
- Culture
- Newsletter
- Links
- Imprint
BACKGROUND TO WALES IN CATALUNYA FESTIVAL. The Rationale for a Festival - an Arts Council of Wales perspective by Yvette Vaughan Jones
In 1990, the Arts Council of Wales (then the Welsh Arts Council) produced a series of strategy documents as part of the National Arts and Media Strategy, amongst these was the International Arts Strategy: Wales in a Wider World. The document was received positively by the Council, practitioners and other interested bodies and signalled a new strategic direction for the Arts Council of Wales which has brought with it in 1994-95 additional funding from the Welsh office to aid its implementation.
To summarise the document, it argues that an international perspective to the Arts in Wales is important because:
- the arts are, by their nature universal and by broadening perception international
understanding is increased
- the work of the cultural sector of Wales, and the quality of life of the general public is enriched as a result of exposure to and involvement in the arts, crafts and media of other countries and cultures
- the arts community and general public of other countries are similarly enriched by exposure
to and involvement in the arts, crafts and media of Wales
- the export of cultural activities and artefacts to countries throughout the world plays a major role in enhancing the positive image of Wales
- Wales cultural identity, as expressed through its contemporary arts and artists needs to be exposed to wider critical debate.
It further identifies the interests of the Arts Council of Wales as being:
- in increasing the quality and quantity of arts events coming into Wales - particularly by paying attention to the context and long-term effects
- to assist artists and companies to tour outside of Wales for their own artistic enhancement, to develop markets for their work and to set up connections and collaborations which can be cost-efficient by combining resources and can unlock new sources of funding
- to receive, interpret and disseminate information which can facilitate exchange
- to become actively involved in policy making in the international cultural fora and to alert the arts constituency to changes which might affect them
- to engage with other agencies in focused inter-regional exchanges in order that a coherent impact can be made to the benefit of all involved
It is the last point that concerns this meeting, and it arose, after consultation, from the specific needs of a small culture (Wales) working within and in close proximity to a larger and more internationally dominant culture (UK through the medium of English). Without an active strategy Wales artists performing and exhibiting abroad are in danger of either being considered as English/British, or of curiosity value only. A festival has the effect that the whole amounts to more than the sum of its parts, it is the synergy of exciting events that produces a resonance which has a long-term benefit to all involved.
While the strategy identified some criteria for prioritising regions with which to pursue links, it was not intended to be prescriptive. Equally the strategy did not mark the beginning of international links with Wales arts and artists and it acknowledges the very many and varied initiatives that have gone on and should continue outside of any inter-regional strategy.
Recent - Collaboration between British Council and Arts Council of Wales
Shortly after the ink was dry on the International Arts Strategy, an invitation was received from the British Council in Germany, and the Ministry of Families, Women, Further Education and Culture in Baden Wurttemberg to collaborate on a Wales Arts Week in Stuttgart to tie in with the International Garden Festival there. The event was judged to be a success; there were 30 arts programmed, there was critical acclaim in Germany, the Wales Potter's Garden won an award from the International Garden Festival and further engagements and collaborations followed as a result of the festival;
- two dance companies and two drama companies touring in 1995 and 1996;
- a developing relationships between Schloss Solitude, Chapter and the Cardiff Institute
- Pioneers and Art Station maintained links with their host organisation;
- increased and sustained markets for ceramists through contacts and sales made during the Festival;
- a youth orchestra exchange;
- Stuttgart Symphony Orchestra to St David's Hall;
- the National Museum involved in collaborations and exchange.
The return delegation from Baden Wurttemberg in January further enhanced relationships with personal contacts being made between curators, galleries and BBC Wales and a commitment made by the Ministry of Baden Wurttemberg to ear-mark funding for exchange with Wales.
In financial terms the Festival gave a significant return on a small investment from the Wales arts agencies. Of greater significance, however, is the potential for these events to enhance trade, tourism, diplomacy, industrial relations as well as strengthening education and cultural links in the broadest sense. The invitation to participate in the Festival exposed Wales' limited ability to respond to a multi-faceted initiative. This meeting is an attempt to rectify the position and to ensure coherent planning is possible in the future.
Membership of the steering group
The promotion of Wales arts and artists abroad is of direct and indirect interest of a number of agencies. For some, for example the Arts Council of Wales and the British Council it forms part of their core objectives and as such is a matter of constant debate and collaboration. The contemporary arts as defined by the Arts Council of Wales represents only a part of the broad contemporary culture of Wales. This festival, if it is to portray the richness of culture and a coherent context needs to include the broadcast media, film, heritage and language issues amongst which the contemporary arts can take an appropriate place. Equally, for the festival to have a far-reaching influence it should as far as possible look for connections, collaborations and co-productions to guard against the notion of Wales jetting in and jetting out of the region leaving little more than a memory of the festival behind. For other agencies the image of Wales' arts abroad is of importance, but of peripheral interest. There is a danger that opportunities are missed and a damaging incoherent image may be presented if efforts are not made to co-ordinate those interests which may be on the margins, and bring them to the centre for discussion. It is worth outlining those overlapping interests for the purposes of this meeting.
The image of Wales abroad as represented by its artists is one of a distinctive individual culture, of a dynamic, self-confident and risk-taking people, a place of innovations as well as tradition and a place of richness and diversity. These attributes, are of interest to potential investors both in terms of the people values needed for industry, self motivation, commitment and flexibility, as well as providing an interesting environment in which to relocate. All agencies involved in trade, industry, inward investment, export, business relationships and collaborations can benefit from the promotion of this image.
The Wales Tourist Board document Tourism 2000 talks about emerging forms of tourism and "Most important amongst these are cultural tourism...Particular trends which are much more likely to appeal to the overseas market", and in its analysis of the relationship of the arts to tourism quotes John Myerscough's "The Economic Importance of the Arts' statistics of 1986 which shows that the overseas tourist contributes 41% of the total tourist spending on arts-related tourism as opposed to 13% by the domestic tourists", endorsing Sir William Rees Mogg's statement that "the arts are to British tourism what the sun is to Spain". Since the strategy of the Wales Tourist Board is "to improve Wales' market share of the overseas visitors that come to Britain from key markets", and that the overseas market has a higher than usual interest in the arts and culture, then an event such as the Wales Catalunya festival could be significant in helping the Wales Tourist Board achieve its objectives.
The legacy of a successful arts festival is of continued co-operation and exchange. Networks of individuals and institutions are created which continue to bear fruit. It is the purpose of this meeting to explore the potential of co-operation and to ascertain the strength of commitment from the individual agencies.
« Identité Européenne (Pour Dialogiques) by Baptiste Marrey | THE EUROPE OF CULTURES by the Government of the Flemish Community in Belgium »