Description
The project addresses the challenges faced by cultural institutions in Bulgaria related to inefficient and non-transparent public funding and thus difficult sustainability. The project aims at attempting to reform the policy of public funding for cultural institutions and thus create a more favorable environment for them. First, extensive research of European, Norwegian and Bulgarian public funding practices and models will be carried out and the findings will be presented in 5 reports. Second, a series of awareness raising seminars and meetings will be held in 5 cities. Third, a White Paper on reform of the public funding policy for independent cultural projects will be drafted and presented at 2 international conferences. Finally, a large-scale advocacy campaign will be carried out involving the media, local and central policy-makers and experts. The project will benefit all cultural organizations in Bulgaria and the target groups of policy-makers, civil servants and the media.
Summary of project results
Festivals have been underestimated and are beyond the scope of any sustainable financial support by the state institutions. The funding for cultural projects, festivals in particular, has been allocated in an uneven and non-transparent manner. The project aimed at presenting festivals as an important cultural, social and economic factor for the development of cities and regions as well as providing a clear and accurate review of the good practices in Norway and how they can be adapted to the Bulgarian context. The goal was achieved and at the end of the project a special programme for festivals was adopted by the National Culture Fund (NCF) which is a transparent scheme for long-term funding of festivals providing the opportunity for festivals to develop their potential. The main project outcomes were the White Paper with recommendations for the reform of cultural policies related to festivals in particular as well as a number of analytical reports about the whole festival sector. The Bulgarian Festival Association (BFA) has an informal partnership under the project with the Norwegian Festival Association. The Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway was actively involved with the project goals and activities and supported the White Paper and its application before the Bulgarian authorities. The reports drafted in Norway included contribution from festival organizers, analysts and the Deputy President of the Arts Council of Norway (an organization that was very important for the project, the counterpart of the Ministry of Culture in Bulgaria, allocating funding for culture). Future projects with the Norwegian partners are currently discussed. For more information, please visit:
http://bfa.bg/page-19.html
Summary of bilateral results