“Culture International” focus by the Regional Government of Styria
- acceleration of Styria’s internationalisation as a cultural location
- creation of a sustainable network encompassing artists, cultural institutions and experts at the regional, national, and international levels and promotion of cross-border artistic collaborations
In 2013, the Cultural Department of the Styrian Regional Government defined “Culture International” as a core area of its activities, bundling existing initiatives and developing new ones. Support schemes include residencies, scholarships and networking events for Styrian artists abroad (Studio scholarships abroad since 2012, Film scholarships abroad since 2013, Brussels Artist-in-Europe scholarships since 2014, and ART Styria cultural networking and showcase events since 2014), calls for cross-border art and culture projects, residency scholarships for international artists, an advice centre for culture-related funding within the EU, and the establishment of the Thematic Coordination Point on Culture of the Alps-Adriatic Alliance. Selected projects:
Cross-border art and culture projects: Since 2014, an annual call supports cross-border art and culture projects that aim to explore sustainable two-way relationships within the common cultural area of Southeast Europe. Each call adopts a specific annual theme. In 2016, the call was dedicated to the theme of “migration”.
Styria-Artists-in-Residence Scholarships (St.A.i.R): Each year, 20 international scholarships support artists who come to live and work in Graz in cooperation with local cultural initiatives. A permanent link with the independent art scene creates a lasting network between international and Styrian artists.
Alps-Adriatic Alliance – coordinating art and cultural themes: When it was founded in 2013, Styria assumed responsibility for coordinating themes in the areas of art and culture. The objective is to establish and develop a cultural network in the Alps-Adriatic region for contemporary art and culture on all levels of cooperation, between public, private and non-governmental institutions. This includes support for both the development and realisation of projects as well as the “Thematic Coordination Point on Culture”, a communication platform and service centre for artists and cultural associations who seek to become active at the international level.
- acceptance of the new bundle of activities among the target audience (number of applications)
- an increase in the participation of Styrian artists and cultural experts in international art and culture projects (number of realized projects as well as participation at international events)
- stimulation and support of lasting contacts and networks among the stakeholders (follow-up collaborations/projects)
- an increase in (transnational) visibility of art’s potential in exploring societal issues and contributing to public discourse
Funding: approx. EUR 500,000 per year