[spectre] Globalisation versus Artistic Diversity

[Eric Kluitenberg]

Dear Spectrites!

I am posting something not directly on-topic for media arts and media 
cultures, but nonetheless very important for the context in which we 
are all working - a working conference and three public debates at De 
Balie in Amsterdam about economic globalisation versus artistic and 
cultural diversity. The public debates next thursday, friday and 
saturday, all at 20.00 hrs can be followed live via the internet, so 
tune in if you are near an ADSL or cable modem....

Find the live stream at: http://www.balie.nl/live


best wishes,

Eric


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September 25/26/27, 2003 / 20.00 hrs / Conference & Public Debates
De Balie, Amsterdam



RECLAIMING CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Economic Globalisation versus Artistic Diversity Worldwide


While in Cancun and elsewhere in the so-called "Doha Round", in the 
context of the WTO-lead free trade negotiations, the liberalisation 
of cultural home markets is advocated, many countries are 
simultaneously mobilising resources to establish and implement a 
Convention on Cultural Diversity within the context of UNESCO. This 
raises many questions: Why is the on-going debate about economic 
globalisation of crucial importance for the arts and the cultural 
sector - also in countries like The Netherlands? Why is the debate on 
regulation, protection, and liberalisation of artistic production 
worldwide so important for development issues? Does the debate about 
the protection of local cultural home markets only serve the 
protection and preservation of local cultures, or does the debate 
also serve other economic or political interests?

In De Balie, centre for culture and politics in Amsterdam, a special 
three-day international working conference is convened, in which a 
majority of non-western specialists will take part to address these 
questions. The conference is combined with three public evening 
debates in the main hall of De Balie, starting at 20.00 hrs and also 
presented live via the internet.
( http://www.balie.nl/live )

The conference and the debates have a two-fold strategic goal. 
Internationally, the conference intends to give new impetus to the 
discussion about the creation and implementation of a convention to 
protect and enhance local artistic diversity. This Convention on 
Cultural Diversity can be seen as an analogue to the existing 
Convention on Bio-Diversity. At the national level the organisers 
wish to start the debate about the fragile position of the 
Netherlands cultural sector vis-a-vis the international context of 
free-trade negotiations, and the international pressure for opening 
up cultural home markets. The legitimacy of many of the current 
policy instruments, including the famous system of cultural subsidies 
and stimulation programs, are fundamentally questioned in these 
negotiations, yet critical debate about this is absolutely absent in 
The Netherlands.

The conference is organised at the instigation of Joost Smiers, at 
the occasion of the publication of his book "Arts under Pressure - 
Promoting Cultural Diversity in the Age of Globalization", which 
appeared recently with Zed Books in London.
http://www.hku.nl/pers/index.php?nieuws=56

PDF description for download here:
http://www.hku.nl/usa/centres/centres-en/cvo/papers_smiers/leaflet_arts_under_pressure.pdf



- - - - - - E V E N I N G  D E B A T E S - - - - - -


Debate I:
A CONVENTION ON CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Thursday September 25, 2003 - 20.00 hrs
De Balie - Grote Zaal

The primary goal of the first evening is to clarify why there is a 
problem in the relationship between economic globalisation and local 
artistic diversity. How to prevent the concentration of distribution 
channels (media, film, music, image distribution) in the hands of 
only a few multinational publishers conglomerates? Why should 
culture, be lifted out of the WTO to achieve this? To reinforce the 
current rather weak policy instruments (such as the "cultural 
exemption" in the GATS) the initiative has been taken to develop a 
Convention on Cultural Diversity. This international treaty is 
comparable to the existing Convention on Bio-Diversity. How would 
this new instrument actually work?
Speakers: Joost Smiers (introduction), Garry Neil (International 
Network on Cultural Diversity, Toronto), Mike van Graan (Advisor for 
cultural policy, Cape Town), Nina Obuljen (Culture Link, Zagreb).


Debate II:
REGULATING FOR CULTURAL DIVERSITY:
Reclaiming the Right to Protect
Friday September 26, 2003 - 20.00 hrs
De Balie - Grote Zaal

This debate will explore the kinds of regulation that are most suited 
to prevent cultural dominance, and enhance cultural diversity. Why is 
it necessary to impose limits on the free-trade ideology? Against the 
free-market fundamentalism a restrained form of regulation should be 
put in place, for those sectors that require protection and where the 
public interest outweighs the interests of the market - art and 
culture is such a domain. What kind of regulations could be 
considered? Is content regulation of cultural production desirable, 
or could it turn to easily, in an unstable political context, into an 
unwarranted instrument of censorship?


Debate III:
STRATEGIES FOR ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Saturday September 27, 2003 - 20.00 hrs
De Balie - Grote Zaal

During the closing debate we will discuss how possible measures to 
enhance artistic and cultural diversity worldwide, can be translated 
into actual policies. Reactions to the different positions presented 
by the conference participants will be asked from policy makers, 
representatives of the cultural sector, representatives of cultural 
industries, and politicians. One of the topics for debate will 
certainly be the resentment of free-trade-country Holland to protect 
local artistic diversity with sound regulation.

The evening debates will all be conducted in English and are chaired 
by Karel van Wolferen (University of Amsterdam).
Language: English

Organised in co-operation with HIVOS and the Onderzoeksgroep Kunst en 
Economie van de Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht.

The evening debates can be followed live via the internet at:
http://www.balie.nl/live



- - - - - C O N F E R E N C E  P A R T I C I P A N T S - - - - - -

- Jeebesch Bagchi, Sarai / Raqs Media (Delhi)
- Leonardo Brant (Cultural Research Institute Pensarte, Sao Paulo)
- Susan Burke (Consultant local and regional cultural industries, 
Trinidad and Tabago)
- Kuan-Hsing Chen (Prof. of Cultural Studies, National Tsing Hua Univ., Taiwan)
- Mariétou Diongue Diop (Director Books and Reading, National Library 
of Senegal)
- Gillian Doyle (Film and Media Studies, University of Stirling, Scotland)
- Sylvie Duran (Actress and director of Latin American cultural NGO, 
Costa Rica)
- Ben Goldsmith, (Researcher Australian Key Centre for Cultural and 
Media Policy)
- Nilanjana Gupta (Professor popular culture, Jadavpur University, Calcutta)
- Mike van Graan, (Writer and cultural administrator, Rondebosch, South Africa)
- Souheil Houissa (Researcher Institut Superieur de Documentation, 
University of Manouba, Tunisia)
- Bernardo Jaramillo (Economist in the field of the publishing 
industry, Bogota)
- Jane Kelsey (Prof.  International Economic Regulations, Un. of 
Auckland, New Zealand)
- Garry Neil (Coordinator International Network for Cultural 
Diversity, Toronto)
- John Nichols (Washington correspondent of The Nation (tbc))
- Nina Obuljen (Editor Culturelink, Zagreb - K.S. Park, Legal Advisor 
Korean Film Commission, Seoul)
- Caroline Pauwels (Prof. European Commu-nication Policy, Vrije 
Universiteit Brussel)
- Tatiana Razmustova (Russian Institute for Cultural Research, Moskou)
- Alinah Kelo Segobye (Botswana Cultural Council, senior lecturer Un. 
of Botswana)
- Rafael Segovia (Writer, professor, director Artual, Mexican 
Artists' Touring Agency )
- Joost Smiers  (Professor of political science of the arts, HKU, 
Utrecht School of the Arts)
- Yvon Thiec (Secretary General Eurocinema, Brussel (tbc))
- Inge van der Vlies (Professor in Administrative and Communication 
Law, Universiteit van Amsterdam)
- Roger Wallis (Chairman Swedish Society of Popular Music Composers, Stockholm)
- Gina Yu (President Korean Coalition for Cultural Diversity in the 
Moving Images, Seoul)

_________________

Ticket sales and reservation:
Ticket price debate: ¤E 7,50, with reduction: E 5,00
Opening hours kassa: during working days from 13.00-18.00 hrs or till 
the Start of the evening program.
In the weekend 1 1/2 hour before start of the program.
Reserve by phone: +31.(0)20 55 35 100 during opening hours and 45 
minutes before program start.

debalie / Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 10 / 1017 RR / Amsterdam
http://www.balie.nl