Norwegian cultural policy is marked by a strong governmental financial support, emphasis on a large (and recently expanded) Arts Council, a combined belief both in the intrinsic and instrumental value of arts and culture, as well as an active local, municipal cultural sector. Norwegian budgets of culture has been steadily increasing over the past 6-8 years, and there is a broad political consensus that it is a governmental and public task to ensure that there exists a large a variety of culture available to as many as possible.
This paper deals with the question of how this established model of cultural policy is challenged by a cultural sector that is turning more and more digital. What happens with the traditional toolbox of cultural policy when the objects and experiences that this policy supports are produced, distributed and consumed digitally? Does it change the way a national cultural policy can and should be implemented, or is it just business as usual? A secondary effect of digital culture, relevant to this context, is also that it might influence the way cultural policy should be analyzed from an academic perspective. I will also touch upon this question in my paper.
