Report praises the benefits of culture

Date: 14/11/1996

By Mark Turner

THEATRE, music and art are more than just a celebration of humanity, they are important sources of employment and catalysts for regional development, according to a Commission report.

The report, due out next week, will suggest that because of this they should receive more support from the EU's structural funds.

“The diversity of cultural heritage in Europe is one of its most important assets. As yet, however, the full potential of this asset remains under-exploited,” insisted Regional Affairs Commissioner Monika Wulf-Mathies recently.

Although the structural funds are not specifically intended to promote culture, they already provide more money for cultural projects than any other source of EU finance.

Estimates suggest that approximately 400 million ecu of structural funds were spent on the 'cultural sector' between 1989-1993. These were granted via various indirect routes, such as infrastructural investment, the development of indigenous potential and the promotion of tourism.

But some officials argue that reducing culture to its value in the market-place is a dangerous approach, pointing out that the term 'culture' is extremely loose and thus open to wide interpretation. “We have to beware that the promotion of culture does not become the manufacture of plastic Davids,” quipped one commentator.

Defenders of the approach outlined in the report insist, however, that it is not an attempt to hijack culture but is instead an innovative way of responding to changing conditions.

The report will argue that growing leisure time and increased personal mobility are creating more demand for cultural activities, and that the shift away from traditional industries towards services is creating new openings.

Through an appreciation of what culture can do for an economy, its image as a drain on public finances will be dispelled.

“Culture gives us a huge potential for job creation” said a spokesman for Wulf-Mathies. “We have to see the wide implications of this sector.”

In addition to the boost cultural activities give to tourism and related industries, they can also spawn the creation of a wide range of small and medium-sized enterprises and enhance the image of a region.