Action Plan

The following modernisation measures are being implemented on the basis of the Concept for International Cultural Policy:

• Restructuring of the existing cultural departments and cultural institutes to provide a total of 28 cultural centres under the new designation of "Austrian Cultural Forum"
• Creating training and work experience opportunities for young Austrians as volunteers and trainees at the Austrian Cultural Fora (for periods of 1-6 months)
• Enhancing operational cultural work by utilising the savings potential brought by reorganisation and consolidation of administrative structures in locations with several Austrian representations
• Strengthening the Directorate-General for International Cultural Policy at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs by adapting the internal business organisation to the structures of the new concept
• Medium-term increase in the operational cultural budget as a percentage of the entire Ministry of Foreign Affairs budget from the current level of approx. 1.8% (ATS 70 million) to 3% by improving the ratio of fixed costs (staffing and material costs) to project costs
• Concentration of human and financial resources on defined medium-term priority regions
• Establishment of "fixed-term co-operations on priority issues" to develop projects and new impulses for cultural co-operation: "Cultural Partner - Paris"
• Forging of conceptual and structural partnerships with the official international cultural institutions in the applicant countries (platform for Central European international cultural policy) and in the EU member states (co-operation within and without the EU area)
• Establishment of public-private partnerships for joint large-scale cultural programmes with partners from business and industry (pilot project: "Culture for Enlargement")
• Improvement of the opportunities available under budgetary law for co-operation between the diplomatic missions and private sponsors (decree on sponsorship)
• Increasing local initiative by providing greater scope of financial discretion for decentralised project decisions
• Supporting the conceptual and planning activities of bilateral diplomatic missions through provision of annual cultural budgets
• Increasing availability of training and further training in cultural management within the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Integration of external experts and individuals involved in cultural activities (e.g. curators) in longer-term projects to enhance thematic competence
• Further development of the Internet presence of the cultural representations abroad
• Preparation of a medium-term development concept for the Austria Libraries
• Reduction of public funding required for Austria Institute Ltd. through sale of state share-holdings (currently 100% public ownership). Dedicated use of proceeds for project-related international cultural work.
• Increased co-ordination with the Federal Provinces and Municipalities. Development of joint strategies and project plans
• Elaboration of a co-ordinated overall concept for international cultural policy to cover the fields of education, schools and universities, as well as research, libraries and museums (together with the Secretariat of State for the Arts and the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture)

Modernisation of structures, the shift in focus towards conceptual, project-oriented work, greater co-ordination with other public bodies in the fields of the arts, education and science and building upon cross-linkages with foreign partner organisations and business and industry can help to ensure that the thematic objectives of Austria's international cultural policy are met, despite the economy measures introduced by the government to achieve its budget goals. Our aim is to tell our own stories.

The aim of this Action Plan is to enable Austria's international cultural policy to operate in a focused manner based on efficient structures and greater orientation towards utilisation of modern technologies, with the aim of making Austria a strong competitor on the international cultural scene.