Domestic and foreign cultural policy
Just as cultural policy has a national, domestic dimension, it also has an international, foreign dimension. International or foreign cultural policy has been central to Telemarksforsking’s work over the past two decades. This particularly applies to Telemarksforsking’s contributions to comparative research projects focusing on highlighting differences and similarities in the cultural policies of various Western countries.
Comparative cultural policy research
The research includes, among others, Per Mangset’s *Cultural Policy Models in Western Europe* published in Arnestad (ed.) Kulturårboka in 1995, and *Models of Cultural Policy in Western Europe* and *National Network for Cultural Policy, Norway*, published in van Hamersveld and van der Wielen (eds.) Cultural Research in Europe 1996, issued by the Boekman Foundation & Circle in 1996. Mangset was also central in the publication of the book *Sport Policy. A Comparative Analysis of Stability and Change*, together with Bergsgard, Houlihan, Nødland, and Rommetvedt, published by Butterworth-Heinemann-Elsevier in 2007. He has also contributed the chapter La politique culturelle en Norvège in Poirrier (ed.) Pour une histoire des politiques culturelles dans le monde 1945–2011, published by La Documentation Française in 2011. Regarding Nordic cultural policy, Mangset and Berge’s evaluation of the New Nordic Cultural Cooperation from 2011, and Mangset’s contribution *On the Corporative Tradition in Nordic Cultural Policy – with Particular Emphasis on the History of Swedish Cultural Policy*, published in *Nordisk kulturpolitisk tidsskrift* in 2015, should be mentioned. Last but not least, Bård Kleppe’s Ph.D. dissertation from 2017, *Regulating Autonomy. Theatre Policy and Theatre Management in Three European Countries*, is noteworthy. The dissertation is a comparative analysis of theatre policy and artistic work in Norway, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
Cultural policy as part of foreign policy
Telemarksforsking’s international cultural policy research also includes research on foreign cultural policy, i.e. the cultural policy pursued as part of or as foreign policy itself. Among the research contributions in this area are Mangset’s *Cultural Divisions in International Cultural Co-operation* from 1998, Berge’s review and systematization of international activities in the performing arts sector from 2009, *When the World Spins, We Spin With It*, Hylland and Berge’s evaluation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ delegated grant schemes and support for Music Export Norway from 2012, *Cathedral, Pavilion and Exchange*, Haugsevje and Røyseng’s evaluation of OCA, Office for Contemporary Art Norway, from 2013, *Exhibit / Inhibit*, Haugsevje’s evaluation of Sørfond – the Norwegian South Film Fund from 2015, *In a Position to Tell*, Berge’s evaluation of Valdres Summer Symphony’s cultural aid project *Playing for a Future* from 2017, and not least, Berge’s Ph.D. dissertation on the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomacy’s cultural policy responsibilities and role from 2017, *Look to Norway™ Current Norwegian Foreign Cultural Policy*.
Ongoing research – UNCHARTED
Among ongoing research within the field of international and comparative cultural policy, the project *UNCHARTED – Understanding, capturing and fostering the societal value of culture* should be highlighted. This project is part of the EU’s Horizon 2020 framework program: TRANSFORMATIONS-08-2019: *The societal value of culture and the impact of cultural policies in Europe*, and involves cooperation between nine partners: Telemark Research Institute, ELTE, University of Coimbra, University of Bologna, CNRS, University of Porto, Goldsmiths, University of London, University Paris 8, with Universitat de Barcelona and Arturo Rodríguez Morató as lead partner and project leader. The internal project leader at Telemarksforsking is Ole Marius Hylland.