The upcoming IFACCA´s 4^th world summit - Johannesburg, South Africa, 22-25 September-, discusses a handful of key issues concerning public support for the arts and creativity today. Even being too late or too far to consider attending, it is well worth reading through the programme themes and acknowledging the insightful background material.

The International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA) together with the National Arts Council of South Africa are hosting this event dedicated to the meeting of cultures and how we can create meaning through the arts. Recognised speakers from all over the world will be discussing along with the expected 300 delegates from more than 60 countries.

If you want to get to know more in detail bios and work records of many of the experts participating, check ConnectCP, the international who’s who of cultural policy planning and research, a web tool initiated by IFACCA as well.

The summit intends to explore the role played by the arts in avoiding conflicts and providing safe bridges to understanding the other, in a world increasingly menaced and divided by cultural differences. The recent xenophobic violence episodes in South African townships, precisely in the country where the summit takes place, can sadly illustrate this threat. Yet, unfortunately there are many other examples worldwide, demonstrating that cultural identities can be used as dangerous weapons to tear apart instead of uniting.

The discussion paper, Intercultural dialogue through the arts and culture?, prepared by Danielle Cliche and Andreas Wiesand, both from ERICArts, highlights that cultural operators throughout the world, despite their different views on what intercultural dialogue is, believe that intercultural activities involving the arts should be given priority on the local level. Thus the report urges all stakeholders to work together to foster this dialogue at the level closest to people. National and international support and funding schemes are recognised as crucial in order to provide convenient frameworks for programmes and projects to arise. Yet, how to link these apparently distant levels of governance? This and many other questions will be at stake in the discussions (for more information on this paper, see also today’s Labforculture blog).

In parallel, IFACCA has also commissioned Christopher Madden to review a report on The Independence of Government Arts Funding, a quite central issue on arts policy. From decision making rules to appointments processes, this analysis questions the influence governments have over arts funding. Here may lay some interesting clues to understand how communities and grassroots organisations might have a word to say in what the definition of art and cultural policy is concerned.

Finally, I would suggest you to try out the blog of the delegate Mike van Graan. He has been writing on a series of issues related to the themes of the summit with relevance for arts policy professionals around the world. His last post is just on arts advocacy. Do not hesitate to contribute to the discussion by adding your comments.

Even not travelling to Johannesburg, virtual mobility tools allow us to grasp what will be going on over there! Keep also an eye on the summit website for the latest discussions and papers.