Cultural policy

Cultural policy refers to the actions, laws, and programs used by governments to regulate and support the arts. It includes activities related to creative sectors like painting, sculpture, music, and filmmaking. It also covers culture, which involves language, heritage, and diversity. These policies aim to improve how citizens access creative activities. They also help promote the many different ethnic and linguistic expressions found in a country.

Governments use several mechanisms to implement these policies. They may provide direct funding to artists and creative institutions. They also use indirect funding through the tax system. For example, some governments make donations to arts charities tax-deductible. Governments also create legal classifications and institutions. These include national galleries, museums, libraries, and opera houses. Some nations even establish specific ministries of culture to manage these tasks.

There are different levels where cultural policy can operate. It can happen at the nation-state level, where a whole country sets rules. It can also happen at sub-national levels, such as U.S. states or Canadian provinces. Regional and municipal levels are also common. For instance, a city government might create its own local arts center. Each level of government can decide how to best support its specific community.

Historically, the way art is supported has changed significantly. Before the twentieth century, the church and wealthy aristocrats provided patronage. In the nineteenth century, artists moved toward a private marketplace. The composer Beethoven, for example, charged admission for public concerts. During the twentieth century, governments began taking over patronage roles. They first established archives, museums, and libraries to protect heritage. The concept of cultural policy was formally developed at UNESCO in the 1960s.

In the past, many of these activities were called "arts policy." Arts policy mostly focused on aesthetic concerns like opera and painting. However, the shift to "cultural policy" has made the scope much broader. Since the 1970s and 1980s, many Western nations have moved away from supporting only elite art forms. They now support community activities like community theatre. They also support forms like blues or World music that were not part of the old Western canon.

Modern cultural policy often deals with two main goals: excellence and access. Supporting excellence means providing grants to the highest-achieving artists. For example, a government might offer a $100,000 prize for the best fiction authors. Broadening access means making art available to everyone. A music-in-the-schools program is a good example of this. However, these two goals often create trade-offs. If a government spends $12 million on only three top orchestras, it supports excellence but limits access. If it spends $1 million each on 12 different orchestras, it increases access but may lower the standard of excellence.

Cultural policy covers a massive and complex sector of society. It includes the preservation of historic sites and the management of zoos or botanical gardens. It also supports the visual arts, performing arts, and public humanities. This includes things like public broadcasting and poetry. Because culture is considered a "public good," governments believe everyone should benefit from it. This is often called the democratization of culture. The goal is to ensure that high culture is not just for wealthy people in big cities.

Today, there is a strong emphasis on representing diverse identities. Since the 1970s, policies often focus on supporting Indigenous peoples and marginalized communities. Governments try to ensure that film and TV production reflect a country's actual demographics. This includes ethnic and linguistic diversity. By doing this, cultural policy helps protect the unique heritage of all citizens. It turns the history and creativity of a people into a shared public treasure.