It was an unprecedented opportunity to talk about the role of culture internationally, to ask questions, share experiences and find solutions.
Thirty-seven nations were represented at the first Edinburgh International Culture Summit, which was a collaboration between the Scottish and UK governments, the Edinburgh International Festival and the British Council.
The programme promised to look at the potential for culture to facilitate international dialogue, the role of cultural diplomacy, sustaining private and public support, and the need to preserve skills and use technology.
It didn’t quite manage to do all this – although there were some closed sessions, so maybe these issues were hammered out there – but there were some interesting speakers.
On the first day, the theatre director Haris Pasovic described why he had organised the city’s first film festival during the Siege of Sarajevo.
Another theatre director, Amir Nizar Zuabi from Palestine, described how, along with colleagues, he had taken the decision to keep productions going despite the occupation. Both had been overwhelmed by the public response and the thirst for culture in desperate times.
This idea that in adverse times culture is needed more rather than less was a thread that ran through the conference, as was the need to convince funders of the necessity of investing in culture.
The germs of the discussion were there, but every time it looked as if it was about to flower, it was cut short either through lack of time or in one case because the official photograph had to be taken.
This culture summit might become a regular event, which would be no bad thing as long as genuine dialogue and debate is allowed.
For me, the main lesson was that culture is not just a nice extra, something that should be funded after all the basics are in place, but that it is fundamental to life and is the thing that sees us through the tough times.
Summit calls for greater understanding of culture, news p4
Sharon Heal, editor, Museums Journal
sharon@museumsassociation.org
www.twitter.com/sharonheal
Thirty-seven nations were represented at the first Edinburgh International Culture Summit, which was a collaboration between the Scottish and UK governments, the Edinburgh International Festival and the British Council.
The programme promised to look at the potential for culture to facilitate international dialogue, the role of cultural diplomacy, sustaining private and public support, and the need to preserve skills and use technology.
It didn’t quite manage to do all this – although there were some closed sessions, so maybe these issues were hammered out there – but there were some interesting speakers.
On the first day, the theatre director Haris Pasovic described why he had organised the city’s first film festival during the Siege of Sarajevo.
Another theatre director, Amir Nizar Zuabi from Palestine, described how, along with colleagues, he had taken the decision to keep productions going despite the occupation. Both had been overwhelmed by the public response and the thirst for culture in desperate times.
This idea that in adverse times culture is needed more rather than less was a thread that ran through the conference, as was the need to convince funders of the necessity of investing in culture.
The germs of the discussion were there, but every time it looked as if it was about to flower, it was cut short either through lack of time or in one case because the official photograph had to be taken.
This culture summit might become a regular event, which would be no bad thing as long as genuine dialogue and debate is allowed.
For me, the main lesson was that culture is not just a nice extra, something that should be funded after all the basics are in place, but that it is fundamental to life and is the thing that sees us through the tough times.
Summit calls for greater understanding of culture, news p4
Sharon Heal, editor, Museums Journal
sharon@museumsassociation.org
www.twitter.com/sharonheal