Culture and the European Union
European Union Support for the Arts
Budapest, 18 March, 2000
This one-day symposium had been initiated by the organisers of the Budapest Spring Festival, which is in its 20th jubilee year (17 March - 1 April, 2000). Besides the large number of artistic events, it has been a tradition to organise a conference for cultural managers and administrators during the festival on current issues. This year's meeting was dedicated to the principles and modalities of support for the arts in the European Union.
Time:10 am - 4 pm. Venue: Gerbeaud Café.
The invited speakers gave authentic information and views about the policies of the Union concerning the support to the arts, with special emphasis on the chances of artists in the pre-accession countries.
Speakers
Zoltan Rockenbauer (Minister of Culture)
Michael Lake (Ambassador of the European Union to Hungary)
Tim Hemmings (European Commission, Brussels)
Valérie Martino (Relais Culture Europe, Paris)
Mimma Guastoni (Kaleidoscope)
Rudolf Wolfensberger (founding president, PEARLE - Performing Arts Employers Associations League Europe)
Gavin Henderson (EFA-EU commission)
Jean-Francois Michael (Bureau Européen de la Musique)
Attila Zongor (Culture Contact Point, Hungary)
Péter Bíró (Siemens)
After the introductions of Mr Rockenbauer and Mr Lake, the invited speakers explored their views on the topic and answered questions from the audience. Mr Lake and Mr Hemmings provided an overview of the new Culture 2000 programme of the European Union, while This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. gave practical information on the implementation process of the programme in Hungary. The other speakers shared their experiences in cultural activities on a European scale. In the audience there were representatives of artistic unions, cultural organisations, agencies and companies in the country. In addition, due to the generousity of the Festival, our Observatory hosted five guests from other countries in the region: Olinka Vistica from Croatia, Ainiki Valjataga from Estonia, Dorota Ilczuk from Poland, Andras Demeter from Romania and Vesna Copic from Slovenia.
For more information on the Culture 2000 programme visit the site of the European Union, for further information on Hungarian related EU issues, visit the site of the European Union Information Centre or that of the EU Delegation to Hungary.
Participants from abroad attended the opening concert of the Budapest Spring Festival on 17 March and a Mozart Evening on the 18th.
Contact: Anikó Kis, Budapest Observatory or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Budapest Spring Festival
