Open AccessThe local cultural sector : Reinvigorating its public functions and foundations
Author(s) -
Anita Kangas
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
nordisk tidsskrift for informationsvidenskab og kulturformidling
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2245-2931
pISSN - 2245-294X
DOI - 10.7146/ntik.v5i2.25861
Subject(s) - public sector , cultural policy , democratization , politics , public administration , political science , salience (neuroscience) , enlightenment , local government , the arts , sociology , political economy , democracy , law , psychology , philosophy , theology , cognitive psychology
In the Nordic tradition, public cultural policy has been endowed with an enlightening and welfarepolitical aim. Nordic cultural policies are based on an overall socio-political objective of furthering the empowerment of the individual, universal enlightenment ("Bildung") and the continued democratisation of society (Nielsen 2003). Locally, an important actor is a municipal cultural sector that is one specialized sector in a municipality's administration. Cultural and art institutions (such as libraries, museums, theatres) are working under the cultural sector administration, although they might sometimes have their own separate administration. According to Gray (2002, pp. 82-83) the arts as a coherent policy sector within local government is weak because of low political salience and a fragmented field of activity, with many actors having a role to play in the provision of services and development of arts policies.