Bernese Oberland cultural landscape in transition
The Bernese Department of Education has sent lists of the 17 jointly funded cultural institutions in the Bernese Oberland out for consultation. They are to be financed by the canton, the municipalities and the administrative districts from 2017.
From 2017, cultural institutions of regional importance in the canton of Bern will be jointly financed by the local municipality, the canton and all municipalities in the respective region. In the Bernese Oberland, this new financing model is to be organized according to the four existing administrative districts of Interlaken-Oberhasli (Oberland-Ost regional conference), Thun, Frutigen-Niedersimmental and Obersimmental-Saanen.
The following institutions are proposed for joint financing in the four administrative districts:
- Oberland East region: Kunsthaus Interlaken, Interlaken Classics, Meiringen Music Festival, Brienz Woodcarving Foundation (with woodcarving symposium)
- Thun region: Thun Museum Castle, Thun Art Museum, Thun City Library, Thun Art Society, Thun Castle Concerts, Museum in Oberhofen Castle
- Frutigen-Niedersimmental region: Spiez Library, Spiez Castle Museum, Swiss Chamber Music Festival Adelboden, Agensteinhaus Erlenbach
- Obersimmental-Saanen region: Menuhin Festival Gstaad, Sommets Musicaux Gstaad, Jazz Tage Lenk
The list of these institutions must be approved by the Government Council following the consultation. A service agreement is then negotiated with each institution, which must be approved by the institution and the future financing partners. These three partners are the respective local municipality, the Oberland-Ost regional conference or the municipal associations yet to be formed for the other three regions, as well as the Canton of Bern.
From January 1, 2017, the Canton of Bern will contribute 40% of the operating costs of these institutions. The remaining 60% will be shared by the local municipalities and all municipalities in the respective region according to a distribution formula to be negotiated.
