Since 2000, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Danish Ministry of Culture have through a collaboration agreement been working to promote Denmark’s international cultural exchange.
The purpose of the collaboration agreement is to improve:
- the qualitative development of Danish art and culture, for example, through encounters with the artists, the audiences, and the cultural life of other countries
- familiarity with Danish art and culture in other countries
- the familiarity of Danish artists and cultural institutions with the art and culture of other countries
- familiarity with Denmark, with Denmark as a cultural nation and society, and with prominent Danish political issues
- Denmark’s efforts at public diplomacy.
International Coordination is an independent team at the Danish Arts Agency. It acts as the operating staff to carry out the Danish Arts Agency’s duties in connection with the collaboration agreement and as coordinator of Denmark’s overall cultural exchange with other countries.
The Danish Arts Agency’s International Coordination carries out the following tasks for the two ministries:
- to help formulate long-term strategies for international cultural collaboration,
- to plan and implement a rolling three-year action plan for international cultural collaboration,
- to coordinate and act as operational staff for international exchange projects, and
- to work closely with other players in the field of international cultural collaboration.
In addition to its general duties with respect to international cultural collaboration, the Danish Arts Agency’s International Coordination also has the following tasks:
- to act as the Danish Ministry of Culture’s operational staff in international matters.
- to participate in committees, boards, councils, etc., in the international arena.
- to coordinate operational tasks in the international arena.
- to participate in the formulation of position papers in the international arena.
- to participate in negotiations, meetings, etc., as a follow up on political decisions in the international arena.
- to negotiate cultural agreements and programmes as authorized by the Danish Ministry of Culture and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- to follow up on and administer cultural agreements entered into.
- to inform Danish diplomatic missions abroad of new measures in the area of culture.
- to respond to general inquiries from abroad with respect to cultural questions in collaboration with Danish diplomatic missions abroad.
- to distribute and administer available sums allocated to Danish diplomatic missions abroad for cultural activities.
- to coordinate cultural activities in connection with outgoing state visits.
- to provide ministerial assistance in connection with visits of foreign ministers, ambassadors, etc.
- to provide an overview of Danish cultural events abroad at the Danish Arts Agency’s homepage danisharts.info
- to distribute films to Danish diplomatic missions and cultural institutes abroad. To handle matters relating to film in general and contact with the Danish Film Institute. To coordinate Danish participation in EU film festivals.
- to maintain networks with prominent cultural figures abroad, including visitation programs for foreign curators, festival managers, cultural editors, etc.
- to disseminate information to Danish media respecting Danish cultural exchange abroad. To disseminate information to relevant foreign media on major cultural events with Danish participation in collaboration with local institutions, diplomatic missions and cultural institutes.
Network
In their collaboration on international cultural exchange through the Danish Arts Agency, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Danish Ministry of Culture aim at strengthening the collaborative network among all Danish institutions etc. working with international cultural exchange.
Moreover, the intent is to forge a significant coordination among cultural exchange activities initiated by the Danish Arts Council and to coordinate with the cultural activities initiated by other state institutions as a part of cultural exchange with other countries.
Therefore, the Danish Arts Agency’s International Coordination works closely with:
In addition, the Danish Arts Agency’s International Coordination, along with numerous Danish cultural and art institutions, artists’ associations and regional organisations, is also engaged in international cultural exchange and in the presentation of Danish culture abroad. Most importantly, artists, curators and cultural institutions from all branches of art are to cultivate contacts and networks abroad, resulting in performances and exhibitions, as well as invitations to foreign artists to visit Denmark.
Outside Denmark’s borders, the network consists of Danish diplomatic missions and 10 Danish cultural institutes in Europe and China, as well as Danish research institutes in Rome, Athens and Damascus and Danish university lecturers abroad.
Find Danish diplomatic missions, cultural institutes and Danish lecturers abroad
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