The Stage

Edinburgh to host major culture summit in 2012

Published Monday 19 December 2011 at 16:34 by Thom Dibdin

An international cultural summit is to be held during next August’s Edinburgh International Festival, to which all ministers for culture from the countries attending the 2012 Olympics have been invited.

Under the banner of “Culture as an International Dialogue”, the two-day event will bring together ministers with prominent artists, thinkers and those involved in developing and implementing cultural policy. It is being organised as a collaboration between the Scottish and UK governments, the EIF and the British Council.

Scottish Government culture secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “The summit offers an unprecedented opportunity to discuss the use and value of the arts, culture and the creative industries, and their role in encouraging dialogue among nations. It will allow culture ministers to share ideas, and solutions to challenges that we all face.”

The programme for the event, on August 13 and 14, is being devised around three strands. The first of these is the role of the arts and culture in deepening and broadening understanding of the complex relationships between cultures and nations. It will also examine the challenges of sustaining private and public support for culture, as well as looking at future skills for the creative industries and the role of technology.

UL culture minister Ed Vazey said the conference “provides a wonderful opportunity for fellow culture ministers from around the world to come together and focus on the benefits of culture and the role it can play in improving dialogue.”

Jonathan Mills, director of the EIF, who has been a strong advocate of the strategic positioning of Edinburgh’s summer festivals with the Olympics, said the EIF “is delighted to contribute to international cultural discourse, and in particular to bring the viewpoint of artists to that discourse.

He added: “This event offers an opportunity for international partners and policy makers to observe at first hand the world class platform offered to their artists and companies by Edinburgh’s festivals. It will also be an opportunity to forge new relationships.”

Although the dates and strategic strands of the summit have been announced, the organisers have yet to announce programme details, or the venue.