Network for children and culture
In the spring of 2003 the Danish minister for culture appointed a new agency, Network for Children and Culture which is to co-ordinate the tasks within the area of children, culture and the arts and act as the advisory body to the Ministry of Culture.
The Network for Children and Culture consists of representatives from two of the ministry's institutions together with three ministries: the Danish Film Institute, the Danish Agency for Culture, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Children and Education and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Integration.
The Network is to ensure that all government grants for children, culture and the arts are spent in the most effective and comprehensive way. The Network will encourage cultural institutions to join forces in the great variety of projects on children and culture and help to develop new methods.
The Network's secretariat is placed in the Danish Agency for Culture.
Special focus on Young People
In 2009 the Network conducted a dialogue with a number of young people, municipalities, cultural institutions, youth culture centres and various youth projects. This dialogue forms the basis for the Network’s strategy for the work with young people.
The report Ungekultur i nye rammer (in English: Youth Culture in a New Framework. The report is only available in Danish) is the result of this development process. It offers a number of recommendations as to cultural initiatives within the youth area, examples of best practice and concrete suggestions as to what young people wish for in terms of art and culture.
Model experiment
In 2011 the Network has invited municipalities, cultural regions and relevant institutions to take part in a three-year model experiment. The experiment is going to qualify local art and culture activities for, with and by young people, and develop models and methods that can be extended on a national level.
The Network offers consultancy assistance and financial support to selected projects. The Network also facilitates knowledge-sharing via network meetings for selected model projects and also via open conferences, where everybody can have a share of the experiences harvested from the experiment.
The experiment is targeted all young people and disseminates art and culture to a great variety of young people, including those in outer areas and those in particularly vulnerable positions or with particular needs. In this way art and culture are canalised out to different youth groups, also those who have no previous connection or affinity with art and culture.
The experiment aims to call attention to young people’s ownership to and influence on art and culture.
