Previous research

The Nordic Cultural Institute is conducting interdisciplinary research on cultural affairs, cultural development and cultural policy on Nordic, European and international. Researcher from the humanities and social sciences in the Nordic countries are engaged to the different projects conducted by the institute. The institute is free of any commercial, political or organisational interest. The institute is placed in Copenhagen.

Nordic Cultural Institute has in the last 15 years been responsible for compilation of several comparative studies - among others:

• Det indre marked og kulturen (The Internal Market and Cultural Policy) 1989, The Danish Ministry of Culture.
• Kultur og teknologi (Culture and Technology) 1990, The Danish Council of Technology.
• Kulturens spændetrøje (The Strait-jacket of Culture) 1992, The Nordic Councils of Ministers, NordREFO.
• Kulturens brug eller misbrug? (Use or Misuse of Culture?) 1993, The Nordic Council of Ministers, NordREFO.
• Kunstens vilkår - om de kulturpolitiske tendenser i Danmark og Europa (The Position of Art - Generel Trends in Cultural Policy in Europe) 1994, The Danish Research Council.
• Den kulturpolitiske redegørelse - Kulturens Politik i 17 bind Kulturens Politik (Politics of Culture in Denmark) 1993-1996, The Danish Ministry of Culture.
  Politics of Culture in Denmark, is the most comprehensive work available on Danish cultural policy. The reports (17 volumes) describe, analyse and evaluate the results achieved in the various branches of culture. A brief presentation of the results in the different areas and the overall conclusion has been published in English, German, French, Spanish and Danish in Politics of Culture in Denmark - presentation, Danish Ministry of Culture: www.kum.dk/publ/kultpol.
• Spillet om ophavsretten (The International Play of Copyright) 1996, The Danish Ministry of Culture.
• Nordisk kulturpolitik under forandring (Nordic Cultural Policy in Transition) 1998-2003, Nordic Cultural Fund and the Cultural Ministries and Arts Councils of the Nordic countries. Extensive description follows below.

Nordic Cultural Policy in Transition 1997-2003

Nordic Cultural Institute has since 1997 conducted the most comprehensive project ever done on the cultural public policy in the Nordic Countries. The research project was entitled Nordic Cultural Policy in Transition. It was implemented with funding from the Nordic Cultural Fund, The Danish Ministry of Culture, the Arts Council of Finland, the Norwegian Ministry of Cultural and Church Affairs and the Swedish National Council for Cultural Affairs.

The research project encompasses public cultural policies in the five Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden; the autonomous territories, the Faeroe Islands, Greenland and the Åland, the Saami regions as well as the Nordic cultural cooperation under the auspices of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

The project was designed to describe, analyse and evaluate cultural policies on a comparative basis, with an emphasis on the period after the Second World War. The chief questions to be addressed were: What were the historical preconditions that helped shape public cultural policy? What were the overriding objectives that formed the basis of cultural policy? What measures have been used? What have been the most relevant experiences? What differences and similarities have proved to be significant? What challenges does cultural policy face at the start of a new century?

The project was carried out in the period between 1997-2003 with Cultural Sociologist Peter Duelund, from the University of Copenhagen, as research director. Sixty researchers from the Nordic countries and beyond have been involved with the project. 5 books have been published with the main results of the project.

The books are the first collection of documentation regarding cultural policy in Norden, described and analysed in relation to cultural policy in the rest of Europe. The books describe the current cultural policy's historical preconditions, the overriding objectives, measures and experiences, and the comparative similarities and differences between the countries.

In conclusion, we point to a range of dilemmas and challenges that cultural policy in Norden is facing at the start of the 21st century: Are the cultural policy's art- and culture concepts relevant? What will happen to cultural policy's national orientation in the globalised future? Does art lose its intrinsic value when art and culture are legitimised by economic and political goals. How can public cultural policy help to insure artists' freedom and cultural democracy in the new global order?

The books are the most comprehensive to date regarding description and analysis of cultural policy in Norden. They are an indispensable tool for anyone who wishes to concern themselves with art, culture and cultural policy and influence future cultural development.

The books are appropriate for teaching at universities, higher learning institutions, high schools, colleges and public information organisations. They are directed towards authorities, cultural administration, cultural institutions, organisations and information associations, who wish to have a well-documented framework with which to form future cultural policy. They are an important information tool, which every library should procure.

Read more about the books by downloading our brochure (PDF, 229kb) with comprehensive descriptions, or visit the current publications page.

See also current research and current publications.