Cultural institutions must open up
The German Unesco Commission and the Bertelsmann Foundation have examined the role of the arts in living together in diversity. They suggest that cultural institutions should reflect the political and social challenges associated with migration, integration and diversity more specifically in their repertoire.
The study "Art in the Immigration Society" by Burcu Dogramaci and Barbara Haack will be published on the occasion of the Unesco World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development on May 21.
Christine M. Merkel, Head of the Culture Division of the German Unesco Commission, explains that cultural institutions need suitable structures and framework conditions to be able to adapt to the conditions of a migration society. Cultural institutions need long-term funding and planning security. Then it would be possible to perform other repertoires and to have more diverse ensembles. It's not just about art for migrants, but also about art by and with migrants.
The central recommendations of the study: It is worthwhile to further expand the existing intercultural offerings of publicly funded art and cultural institutions and to consolidate successful offerings; special resources to promote artistic competence and self-organization should reduce the access barriers for artists with a migration background; long-term funding structures are the basis for the implementation of innovative projects.
