3. Cultural and creative sectors
Cyprus
Last update: December, 2014
Cyprus is situated at the crossroads of three continents; due to its significant geopolitical location by being at the crossroads of civilisations, it has received the influence of many cultures and civilisations. The remains of the oldest known settlements date back to the Neolithic period, between 9000 and 6000 years ago. Cyprus was settled by Mycenaean Greeks in the 2nd millennium BC. Due to its significant strategic geopolitical location, the island was subsequently occupied by several powers including the Assyrians, the Egyptians, the Persians, Alexander the Great who seized the island from Persians; after the Ptolemaic period the island was ruled by the Romans, the Byzantines, the French Lusignan, the Venetians and then the Ottoman Turks. In 1878 the island was placed under the British administration until 1960 when it was granted its independence.
Throughout the island's long history its rich cultural heritage has been looted and destructed; the culmination of destructions occurred during the Turkish military invasion in 1974 and the subsequent occupation of 36.2% of Cyprus' territory; a substantial amount of historic and religious monuments in various regions of the occupied area have been destroyed, looted and vandalised. Moreover, illegal trade of cultural goods and art treasures stolen from museums and private collections of the occupied area has been traced in illegal antiquities trade markets and in auctions around the world.
As far as cultural policy is concerned, the responsibility for cultural heritage preservation lies mainly in three Departments of the central government. More specifically:
- The Ministry of Education and Culture through its Cultural Services has as its main responsibility the promotion of contemporary cultural expression in traditional and folk art.
- The Cultural Services support the following activities in connection with folk culture: Traditional music and dance ensembles are being subsidised for their costumes and for their participation in events of a traditional character in Cyprus and abroad. Also, travel grants are being provided to dance teachers and researchers are encouraged to attend dance seminars abroad. Furthermore, Shadow Theatre artists are being supported as well as other activities such as local festivals which promote traditional culture and folk arts.
- The Ministry of Communications and Public Works through its Department of Antiquities is responsible for ancient, Byzantine and medieval culture as well as the culture that had been developed during the Turkish Ottoman rule. In accordance with the Antiquities Law (cf. chapter. 4.2.2), the Department of Antiquities is responsible for the management and running of the Archaeological Museum in Nicosia and of the District Museums, as well as for the excavation, conservation, restoration and promotion of Cyprus ancient monuments as a whole.
- The Ministry of the Interior is responsible, through its Department of Town Planning and Housing, for the conservation and protection of the architectural and local cultural heritage as well as for the planning and control of physical development and land-use planning.
This information will be published as soon as possible.
This information will be published as soon as possible.
This information will be published as soon as possible.
Last update: December, 2014
Despite the fact that there is not any kind of integrated policy for the development of the cultural industries sector, the Cultural Services foster, on a rather vertical approach, the domain of cultural industries through various programmes of the respective arts' sectors.
More specifically, measures include:
Books & Literature
The "Programme for Subsidising Publishing Houses and Non-profit Organisations Engaged in Publications" was established on a pilot basis in 2009-2010, aiming at incentives for publishing companies in order to promote works of significant Cyprological content and references. The Cultural Services, within the framework of the «Enriching Cultural Journals and Newspapers» funding programme, aim at the increase of the publication of important magazines and newspapers, which highlight the cultural life of Cyprus and Cypriot artists in Cyprus and abroad, therefore, contributing to public awareness around cultural activities, artistic creations and intellectual activities in Cyprus. The Cultural Services, within the framework of the project for subsidisation of translations of Cypriot writers' work from the Greek language to foreign languages, aims to provide incentives for the promotion and dissemination of literature in Cyprus and abroad and to enhance the mobility of Cypriot literature and Cypriot writers in the international arena. The Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture, in order to assist the two communities to better get acquainted with each other through their literature, has continued in 2010, for a second consecutive year, the programme of subsidising the translation and publication of works of important Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot writers, from Greek into Turkish and from Turkish into Greek.
Music
In the context of music policy, certain festivals are being supported on the basis of a grant application procedure by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The Cyprus Symphony Orchestra Foundation is a private law non-profit organization and plays a pivotal role in the development of musical life in Cyprus. Moreover, the Foundation of the Orchestra has an active role in society through educational and community outreach programmes.
Visual Arts
In Visual Arts, the State Gallery of Cypriot Contemporary Art acquires works of art in order to enrich its collection (e.g. in 2010, 54 works were acquired). The Cultural Services are responsible for the coordination and preparation of the participation of Cyprus in international art events, where our country is officially invited to take part.
Theatre
The Cultural Services support the efforts of potential incubators of new talents and significant artistic creation.
Dance
In the field of dance, the Cultural Services through its funding programmes as well as through the promotion of certain institutions (i.e. the "European Dance Festival"), support dance events.
Cinema
Through the "Programme for the Development of Cyprus Cinema" the Ministry of Education and Culture finances national productions and European co-productions, low budget feature films, short films, debut films, documentaries, animation, experimental films, as well as the local distribution and circulation of Cypriot films in theatres and film festivals internationally. The Ministry is equally in charge for the circulation of the cinematographic production to Cyprus embassies abroad and other European organisations.
The implementation of the "Programme for the Development of Cyprus Cinema" has been carried out through the Cinema Advisory Committee. The Committee comprises both government officials and representatives from the private sector i.e., producers, directors and some personalities from the cinema sector appointed directly and namely by the Council of Ministers.
The Committee is mandated to recommend for funding to a competent Ministerial Committee the best proposals submitted by Cypriot Producers / Directors in the categories of feature-length films, short films and documentaries; as well, the committee encourages co-productions with other countries.
The committee is also responsible to study in depth the situation of cinema in Cyprus and make suggestions for the enactment of legislation governing all matters related to cinematography and in general audiovisual works in Cyprus.
The Programme has been approved by European Commission in 2009 and it is valid until 2015.
Festivals
As far as festivals are concerned, the Ministry of Education and Culture provides either indirect support to cultural organisations through the existing funding programmes, or direct support in the context of co-organisation with other partners (i.e. cultural organisations, embassies) and for the organisation of certain cultural events in the context of the International Festival "KYPRIA" which has been organised by the Ministry since 1985.
Please find the available information on this subject in 3.5.1.
Please find the available information on this subject in 3.5.1.
Please find the available information on this subject in 3.5.1.
Please find the available information on this subject in 3.5.1.
Please find the available information on this subject in 3.5.1.