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$Unique_ID{bob00161}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Denmark
Legislation and the Arts}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{W. Weincke}
$Affiliation{Press and Cultural Relations}
$Subject{film
films
theatre
act
danish
theatres
government
music
kr
production}
$Date{1988}
$Log{}
Title: Denmark
Book: Fact Sheets on Denmark
Author: W. Weincke
Affiliation: Press and Cultural Relations
Date: 1988
Legislation and the Arts
In Denmark state support for the arts - for the production and
performance of art - is based on several pieces of legislation: The National
Endowment for the Arts Act, The Theatres Act, The Cinematograph Act, and The
Music Act.
The earliest legislation dates from immediately after establishment in
1961 of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. The latest is the Music Act, the
original version of which was passed in 1976. Areas still lacking legislative
backing are the publication and dissemination of visual art and support for
the publication and dissemination of literature.
It is perhaps a characteristic peculiar to Danish art-subsidy schemes
that they are so heavily dependent on legislation. By gearing the arts to
legislation, one achieves a - usually broad - parliamentary base in support of
the proposed subsidy arrangements as well as the comforting assurance that the
necessary funds will in fact be made available.
The observer might well suspect that an obligation to formalise all
subsidy schemes in a series of rigid statutes would result in an inflexible
system of subsidies. There are undoubtedly numerous examples of how the
legislative set-up in this area has indeed been unyielding and unwieldy but,
largely speaking, it has in practice proved possible to counteract tendencies
of this nature by wording legislation in general terms and laying down a broad
framework of support.
National Endowment for the Arts
The first National Endowment for the Arts (Statens Kunstfond) Act was
passed in 1964. The present Act, No. 163, dates from 12 April 1978.
The Endowment was set up to further the interests of Danish creative art.
The Endowment can lend its support to visual art, literary art, creative
music, arts and crafts, artistic design, architecture and other forms of
creative art of a similar nature to these which are unable to obtain state
support by other legislative means.
A total of D.kr. 11m was made available for these purposes in fiscal
1982. For fiscal 1983 the Endowment's funds have been raised to kr. 15.5m.
Administration of Endowment funds has been placed in the hands of two
grants committees for visual art, one for literary art, one for music, one for
arts and crafts, and one for architecture.
Since its establishment in 1964, the National Endowment for the Arts has
commissioned art for hundreds of buildings throughout Denmark. As the
Endowment is able to accommodate only a small percentage of the applications
it receives, priority is given to institutions visited daily by many people.
Care is also taken to spread artistic projects over a wide geographical area;
the Endowment has in particular channelled funds into parts of Denmark which
formerly had little in the way of art. The aim of the legislation setting up
the Endowment was to give as many people as possible the opportunity to enjoy
art which had formerly been the privilege of the few. Decorative friezes,
reliefs, etc., in schools, hospitals, public institutions, town squares and
so on have placed art firmly in the day-to-day lives of all Danes. Herlev
Hospital, west of Copenhagen, is one of the largest hospitals in the country,
and Artist Paul Gernes has not only decorated the foyer (photos) but has also
decided the colour scheme for all doors, walls, etc. - bringing a human,
almost lighthearted atmosphere to what could otherwise have been an extremely
formal institution. Gernes has done a number of artistic commissions for the
National Endowment.
Financial support by central and local authorities has enabled the
established theatres to widen their repertoires. It has also made it possible to
set up many new types of theatres - permanent and touring - and introduction of
subscription and cut-rate schemes has attracted a wider audience, which is made
aware of theatre at an early age through the medium of children's drama
companies. But none of this activity poses any threat to the status of the Royal
Theatre as the nation's drama leader. Ever since its inauguration on December
18, 1748, it has been a state establishment with its own act of parliament and
government finance (D.kr. 128m in 1982). In return, it is under the obligation
to perform the finest classical and modern works in its three forms of art: the
play, ballet and opera. Despite the rigidity of its set ways, the Royal Theatre
has nevertheless succeeded in attracting a number of rebels, drawn by the scope
of its artistic potential, e.g. Klaus Hoffmeyer, whose first version of Per Olov
Enquist's Fra regnormenes liv (From the lives of the worms) from September 1981
continues to pack in audiences to such a degree that the Theatre is obliged to
ration tickets. In the play Hans Christian Andersen (Jorgen Reenberg) meets
Johanne Luise Heiberg (Ghita Norby): two geniuses born of the proletariat, whose
artistic mastery brought them to the pinnacle of success in Denmark, he as a
writer, she as an actress - but both on the terms of the Victorian era.
Each committee comprises three members, expert in their respective
artistic fields. They are appointed by the Minister for Cultural Affairs for a
single three-year term of office, i.e. reappointment is not permitted. The
committees administer the funds allotted to their respective fields in
accordance with the general guidelines stipulated by the terms of the Act or
the remarks accompanying the Bill. The Minister has no powers to amend any
decision by a grants committe.
The Endowment is headed by an executive, comprising the chairmen of the
six grants committees. Its activities are scrutinised by a board of
representatives, whose members are nominated by the political parties, local
authorities, and various organisations representing the arts.
In each field of art the relevant committee awards three-year endowments,
non-recurring grants, and travel grants; funds are also invested in works of
art, which are deposited in public and private institutions throughout
Denmark. Moreover, production awards are made in respect of books and musical
compositions which have failed to generate revenue in keeping with their
quality. The grants committee on music also applies some of its funds to
commission new compositions, recordings and performances of musical works.
One of the committees dealing with visual art administers the funds set
aside for decoration of government buildings and property as well as grants
available for decoration of local-authority buildings or other buildings and
property to which the public or large numbers of people have access.
The following sums were applied by the Endowment in fiscal 1982:
Visual art:
Grants to artists ............. 1,536,000 kr.
Purchases .................... 796,000 kr.
Decoration of public buildings 3,691,000 kr.
Music ........................ 1,023,000 kr.
Literature ................... 1,704,000 kr.
Arts, crafts, etc. ............ 569,000 kr.
Architecture ................. 227,000 kr.
Other, incl. restoration ...... 454,000 kr.
Theatres
Except for Denmark's national theatre, the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen,
all subsidies for drama and theatrical activity are regulated by The Theatres
Act, No. 241 of 4 June 1970, as s*ubsequently amended, cf. Executive Order No.
514 of 21 October 1976 and Act No. 211 of 23 May 1979.
The Royal Theatre (Det kongelige Teater) is run as a government
institution. As Denmark's national theatre, it is required to stage a varied
programme of the finest dramatic works in drama, opera and ballet by both
traditional and modern Danish writers an