Accomplishing cultural policy in Europe : connections and illustrations

Abstract

This chapter develops the concept of “accomplishing” cultural policy and discusses it as an anchor-point for the chapters appearing in this volume. The accomplishing approach marks an interest in understanding the total reach of cultural policy from its formulation, to its facilitation of and impact on the creation of cultural offerings, to how these meet audiences, to evaluation. The conceptualisation also sees accomplishing as an ongoing process, with origins at different governmental levels, taking place across different artistic fields in non-linear manners. It is thus not reducible to a policy cycle or single project. This chapter outlines how the selections in the volume focusing on different dimensions or phases of this wider, ongoing process in a variety of artistic and cultural genres illustrate the nuances and variations in how accomplishing cultural policy across Europe takes place. Simultaneously the studies also highlight similarities and differences across contexts in governance procedures, how financing is used and its impact, and various forms and relationships of responsiveness, such as artist’s and cultural creators’ responsiveness to policy signals, policy-makers responsiveness to trends and social groups, and artists and cultural creators’ responsiveness to audiences and participants.