STREET ARTISTS IN EUROPE - Fondazione Fitzcarraldo

Street Artists in Europe
activities (commercial fairs). We are now witnessing the arrival of many artists from the
neighbouring countries of Eastern Europe.
3.2.2. General lack of recognition: some examples
3.2.2.1. Portugal
It was necessary to wait for 1995 for culture to be placed, for the first time, under the aegis of its
own ministry. Budget restrictions and the succession of six ministers of culture between 1995
and 2002 explain the recent institutionalisation of Portugal’s cultural policy. Nevertheless, the
Instituto das Artes (Institute of the Arts), which is part of the Ministry of Culture, allocates an
increasing amount of aid to street arts projects. International tours may be favoured thanks to aid
from the Cabinet of International Cultural Relations of the Ministry of Culture or the Cabinet of
International Affairs of the Instituto das Artes or the Instituto Camões (Camões Institute) of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
3.2.2.2. Hungary
Festivals play an important role in the dynamising of the Hungarian artistic landscape 42 . The
Hungarian government does not intervene financially in favour of street arts but certain
organisations can do so. They are generally private, cultural entities (themselves aided by local
governments) providing funding. Cities may support this type of projects.
3.2.2.3. Croatia
Street arts projects are part of festivals or more complex projects and their evaluation is carried
out in the framework of the jurisdiction of commissions like the Council for New Media, which
covers “alternative” culture and “youth” culture. The Ministry of Culture of Croatia states that it
is not in a position to provide the exact amount of funding dedicated to street arts projects. This
funding is part of the non-specific aid system.
Street theatre has also found a few specific festivals such as Cest is d'Best (festival in which
remuneration comes from passing the hat, created in 1996), Street Art Festival in Poreč (created
2001), Urban Festival (festival programming experimental art in public spaces, created in 2001).
There is also ZadArsNova (created in 1997), which is held in the summer and programmes
theatre and dance in the parks of the city of Zadar and Špancirfest in Varaždin.
3.2.2.4. Slovenia
Although there is no policy line explicitly in their favour, street arts are considered a fullfledged
art form, accessible to publics and worthy of support. Even if subsidies remain low, they
concern many street companies.
The support system consists of an annual bid for tender. Two types of aid can then be allocated:
for production and post-production and to support dissemination abroad.
Since 2003, the Ministry of Culture has supported the 12 largest independent cultural producers
and organisers on the basis of a three-year agreement. Renewal of this agreement and the related
bid for tender takes place every three years (the next one is in 2007).
42 For the historical and political panorama, see Lacombe, R., op. cit., p. 355-378.
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PE 375.307