Message from the St.Gallen government on the Culture Act
The government of the Canton of St. Gallen has adopted the dispatches on a Cultural Heritage Act and a Cultural Promotion Act for the attention of the Cantonal Council. The dispatches form a new legal basis for promoting culture and preserving cultural heritage in accordance with the cantonal constitution.
Thanks to the new cultural promotion strategy, the Cantonal Council is to be involved in the direction of cultural policy on a more regular basis and as part of an overall review. In addition, regional cooperation between the municipalities and with the canton in the cultural promotion platforms (Südkultur, Rheintaler Kulturstiftung, Kultur Toggenburg, Thurkultur and ZürichseeLinth) will be supported by law. The municipalities will also be legally responsible for the promotion of cultural activities and monuments of local importance, although the extent of their promotional activities will remain their responsibility.
In the consultation carried out in summer 2016, the vast majority of the 55 participants (political parties, municipalities, church and cultural institutions, etc.) judged both draft laws to be necessary, up-to-date and sensible. In terms of cultural promotion, the current practice is codified and thus legitimized for the benefit of cultural institutions and creative artists.
The government will forward the cultural legislation to the Cantonal Council in the February 2017 session. Parliamentary deliberations are planned for the April and June 2017 sessions.
