Support to the Cultural Sector in Developing Countries
The objective of this grant scheme is to stimulate a free and robust cultural sector in developing countries where cultural rights are protected, promoted and adhered to. Cultural rights are understood as the free access to diverse cultural expressions, freedom of artistic expressions, copyrights for creators of artistic expressions and safeguarding of cultural heritage.
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the foreign missions, is responsible for the grants – however, the grant beneficiaries are responsible for the implementation on the ground.
This strategy of this measure was subject to a reorientation following a new strategy in a White Paper presented to the Storting on Norway’s international cultural engagement (2013).
Project or travel grants are provided to various beneficiaries. Beneficiaries may be cultural institutions, private, voluntary or public organisations and institutions with clear links to the cultural sector; human rights organisations engaged in the cultural sector; individual artists working with issues that fall under the objective of the scheme; copy rights organizations or UNESCO and other multilateral organisations.
The successful promotion of free and diverse cultural expressions; enhanced skills, quality and professionalism in the cultural sector; organisational structures, including meeting places that will provide artists and other cultural professionals and practitioners with opportunities for development; protection and promotion of tangible and intangible cultural heritage; promotion of freedom of expression in general, and cultural rights in particular, in accordance with Articles 19 and 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; documentation on cultural rights and violations of these; an increase in the number of artists who have the opportunity to travel, and increase in market opportunities, and an increase in the number of states parties to the World Heritage Convention, and in the active follow up of these obligations.
Total annual allocation is USD 10 397 196 (NOK 89 million).