The relatively young Luxembourg visual arts sector has seen many dynamic developments, often thanks to public funding and supporting cultural policies and measures, with a long tradition for instance of publicly commissioned works. The latter are regulated by a 2014 law on the promotion of artistic creation that foresees, notably that during the construction of a building by the State, or the construction of a building by municipalities or public establishments financed or subsidized to a large extent by the State, a percentage of the total cost of the building, which can be below 1% and cannot exceed 10%, is allocated to the acquisition of artistic works to be integrated into the building. The maximum amount to be allocated to the acquisition of artistic works is 500 000 EUR per building.
The cultural policy foresees State funding for the development of cultural infrastructures and for grants and bursaries[1]. Moreover, the ministry of Culture is also pursuing a strategy of purchasing and commissioning works by Luxembourg artists. It also awards two prizes for visual artists on a rotation basis every two years: Prix Pierre Werner and Prix Révélation. In 2022, the ministry also created a new award, the Lëtzebuerger Konschtpräis, a biennial prize that is awarded to an artist for his/her body of work, his/her career and his/her lasting commitment to the Luxembourg art scene.[2] In complement, the association Cercle artistique Luxembourg organises every year an exhibition that is an important meeting place for local artists. Since 1902, it also awards every two years the Prix Grand-Duc Adolphe.[3]
Support in photography is being provided through various actors: besides crosscutting schemes from the ministry of Culture, the Centre national de l’audiovisuel plays an important role insofar as its missions include the production or support of production of works in the audiovisual field and to encourage studies, research and training. As part of these missions, the CNA has set up its grant “Bourse CNA – Aide à la création et à la diffusion en photographie” and created the Portfolio Days and Night, a triennial international forum for contemporary photography.
Luxembourg-born photographer Edward Steichen has inspired the setting up in 2004 of the Edward Steichen Award as “a biennial incentive supporting emerging European talents in the field of contemporary art (not only photography), initiated to support young artists’ international horizon and networks, especially between Luxembourg and New York, where Edward Steichen gained artistic prominence”.[4] Likewise, the European Month of Photography is an important biennial event.
Since 2015, the annual organisation of the privately run Luxembourg Art Week has become an important vector and meeting place for contemporary art. Likewise, Luxembourg’s presence at major international events has been much developed in the last years, notably through the decision to invest to become more visible at the Venice Biennale by transferring its pavilion to the Arsenale in 2018[5] or by supporting since 2017 a yearly high-profile showcase opportunity at the Rencontres d’Arles photography festival.
Based on an initial project for a national gallery for contemporary Luxembourg artists, the Government set up in 2021 the « Lëtzebuerger Konschtarchiv », Centre for the documentation on graphic arts. It’s missions are, among others, to document and index the production in graphic arts in Luxembourg, to lead scientific research on the topic and to prepare the creation of a national gallery. The aim clearly is to better document creation and creative processes in Luxembourg.
A specific focus is also put by national and local governments on young visual artists. For instance, tasked by the ministry for Culture, the Casino-Luxembourg, Forum d’art contemporain has invested a gallery owned by the ministry and runs it as a place of work, research, exchange and orientation whose aim is to promote and support young creation. Likewise, others such as Rotondes, do noteworthy work to support young artists from the Grand Duchy and its neighbouring regions of France, Belgium and Germany through the Triennale Jeune Création (Triennale for Young Creatives).
In the context of Esch2022, European Capital of Culture 2022, new infrastructures thrive in the area of visual arts, with the creation of the Konschthal and, linked to it, the upcoming new space for artist residencies at the Bridderhaus. Also the Batiment IV has been opened as “tiers-lieu”. Other places have been created or are in the making throughout the country, the availability of sufficient and affordable space for creation having been much debated in the last years. The ministry of Culture took up these demands by opening up the annexes of the State-owned Château de Bourglinster and by refurbishing and making available 45 studios in former police barracks to the Association des Artistes Plasticiens du Luxembourg that manages them. Other spaces are to follow.
When it comes to crafts, “master artisanship is still being undermined by a lack of available training and an inability to hand skills down to a new generation. Despite this, artisanship in the country is vibrant and, in particular, stunningly diverse. (…) In total, there are over 50 trades listed in the country”[6] and the majority of the craftspeople are registered with the Chambre des métiers. The CDM, in partnership with Banque et Caisse d’Épargne de l’État and with the support of the ministry of Culture and the ministry of Economy has founded the non-profit De Mains de Maîtres, an association dedicated to crafts that also organises a biennale that is placed under the patronage of TRH Prince Guillaume and Princess Stephanie.
[1] https://guichet.public.lu/en/citoyens/travail-emploi/activite-independante/statut-artiste/demande-bourse-aide-creation.html
[2] https://gouvernement.lu/fr/actualites/toutes_actualites/communiques/2022/10-octobre/11-letzebuerger-konschtprais.html
[3] https://www.cal.lu/prix-gd-adolphe.php; Accessed 8 December 2021.
[4] https://www.edward-steichen-award.lu/about/the-awards; Accessed 8 December 2021.
[5]https://mc.gouvernement.lu/fr/actualites.gouvernement%2Bfr%2Bactualites%2Btoutes_actualites%2Bcommuniques%2B2018%2B05-mai%2B27-bettel-venise.html
[6] Jean-Marc Dimanche (2021) Crafts Panorama in Luxembourg, https://www.kulturlx.lu/en/panorama-category/crafts/; Accessed 16 November 2021.
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