Denmark

Last update: March, 2012

There is no explicit Danish policy linking the overall aim of equal access to cultural life to broader issues of civic participation, citizenship, civil society development / cohesion.

Examples of initiatives in the last 5 years to improve cultural participation are:

• in 2003, The Ministry of Culture initiated a reading promotion campaign. The aim of the campaign was to strengthen children's desires and ability to read and thereby their enjoyment of reading. The programme was due to last till 2007;
• in the area of cultural heritage, the Danish government, in February 2005, put forward a goal of "better access to our cultural heritage";
• one of the initiatives was to give the public free access to the two biggest national museums, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts and the National Museum of Denmark, and free access to all state approved museums for children and young people under 18. This was initiated in January 2006;
• the government also developed seven initiatives for development and research in museum communication. One of the initiatives was to develop a common way of carrying through surveys of museum visitors, which will make it possible to compare different surveys in the future;
• another initiative was to develop an Internet portal (http://www.e-museum.dk) where schoolteachers can search all of the educational material of Danish museums, and thereby, use the knowledge placed in the museums in their teaching. The portal was opened in June 2006;
• Danish cultural institutions spend between 350 and 400 million DKK annually on making culture accessible for children. Many museums provide special activities for children, and the Danish Film Institute, some of the higher arts educations and libraries organise different activities for children. Moreover, there are music schools offering music education for children;
• in 2008 the Ministry of Culture published the report Reach Out!, which is meant to emphasise the importance of user-generated content and user-generated innovation. They official aim of the report is threefold. First, it is meant to inspire the cultural institutions to reach out for new target groups. Second, it welcomes further fusion of cultural institutions and the experience economy, looking upon the population not just as users, but also as consumers. Third, to use some of the potentials in digital communication to bring the users closer to the professional cultural live, by for instance getting them to air their voices, or to participate in artistic processes; and
• in 2009 the Ministry of Culture published the report Culture for all, which as the name indicates, focuses on increasing cultural participation. The main weight is put on strengthening the cultural agreements with the regions, to facilitate user-generated innovation (5 million DKK have been earmarked for a cooperative agreement for the next three years with the Ministry of Culture and the Centre for Culture and the Experience Economy), to focus on getting children and youth involved, to make art, culture and cultural heritage more visible in the public space, and to open up further the cultural institutions. Furthermore, focus should be on communicating cultural activities on digital platforms and reforming the cultural institutions, so that they can respond better to changing user-patterns.

Debates on cultural participation

• the decision to extend free access to state approved museums caused some debate. Some museums argued that it would erode the value of the museum visit, if this was not a deliberate decision of the museum visitor. Others argued that the less barriers for the museum public, the better. Free access has resulted in considerably more visitors to the museums; and
• another debate has been on how to encourage more visitors to cultural heritage sites and museums.

Last update: March, 2012

Latest comparable numbers for Danish cultural consumption and participation are from 2004. These numbers are compared with corresponding numbers from 1987, 1993 and 1998 (see Table below).

Since 1993, there has, in general, been an increase in the amount of time spent watching television. This can be seen as the result of an increase in the supply of television broadcasting and a decrease in the participation at museums and theatres and other classical, public financed and organised cultural institutions, especially for people aged over 60 years. Instead, there has been an increase in attendance at concerts and cinema going.

Reasons for changes in cultural habits seem to be:

• more and more cross-media and cross-cultural initiatives are competing for users;
• cultural activities are more horizontally than vertically reflected and organised in the experience-society; and
• the capitalisation of culture in recent years is, to a higher degree, focusing on promoting amusement activities as a supplement and alternative to "enlightenment" activities and public cultural institutions supported by state and municipalities.

Compared to the rest of Europe, Denmark and the other Nordic countries have higher cultural participation rates and higher use of public cultural institutions, from libraries to symphony concerts.

Table 5:    Participation in cultural activities, percentage of adults over the age of 15

Source:    Trine Bille et al: Danskernes kultur- og fritidsaktiviteter 2004 – med udviklingslinjer tilbage til 1964. Akf forlaget 2005.

The comparative research on Danish cultural participation, from which the above information is extracted, will not be conducted again in the foreseeable future. It is therefore not possible to compare new figures that methodologically correspond to these figures above. However, the Special Eurobarometer 278 survey from 2007 produced figures that are comparable with other national statistics within that same survey. According to the survey, 27% of the selected population had been to the opera at least once during the previous twelve months, and those who visited the cinema 69%, the theatre 40%, concerts 58%, public libraries 68%, historical monuments 76%, and museums and galleries 65%. 89% of the selected population had, at least once, watched a cultural programme on TV or listened to such a programme on the radio, while 83% had read a book. In all cases, the cultural participation of the Danish population is above the EU27 average.

Concerning amateur activities, 16% had played a musical instrument, 27% had sung, 6% had acted, 26% had danced, 23% had written something (a text, a poem, etc.), 52% had been involved in decorative work, handicrafts or gardening, 51% had done some photography or made a film, while 29% had done other artistic activities, like sculpture, painting, drawing, creative computing such as designing a website, etc. In all cases, the Danish population was above the EU27 average.

Regarding Internet use, 53% of the Danish population use the Internet, apart from professional activity every day, a number only topped by the Netherlands in the EU27.

Main development trends

From a methodological point of view, the numbers extracted from Table 4 cannot be compared with the numbers extracted from the Eurobarometer survey, as different methods of data collection is used.

If a further look is taken at Table 4, and the development from 1987-2004, there has been an increase in the amount of time spent watching television over the last ten years. This can be seen as a result of an increase in the supply of television broadcasting.

On the contrary, the share of inhabitants reading a daily newspaper has decreased over the last ten years. This can be seen as a result of new possibilities for being updated on news via television and Internet.

There has been a decrease in visits to museums and theatres over the last ten years. Instead, there has been an increase in attendance at concerts and cinema going.

The cultural activity of the Danish inhabitants is very much dependent on differences, with respect to social, demographic and geographic circumstances. The degree of cultural activity is very much connected to the level of urbanity, education, employment, country of origin and lifestyle. People living in rural districts are the least culturally active, whereas people living in the capital are the most cultural active with regard to the number of different cultural activities in which people participate. People without education and people without employment are also the least culturally active, whereas the longer the education and the bigger the salary the more culturally active people are on average.

With regard to gender, there is a significant difference in respect of people not participating in cultural activities. 26% of men have neither been to a ballet, musical, opera, drama, classical concert, museum or library during the last year, whereas this only counts for 16 % of women.

With regard to age, cultural participation starts to decrease when people pass the age of 60. For the younger age groups, there is no difference in activity between different age groups.

Inhabitants in Denmark with another ethnical background than Danish do have a significant distinction from the average pattern. One of these distinctions is in the rate of library use; 9% of ethnical Danes use libraries almost every week, while for immigrants with a western background the number is 20%, and for immigrants with a non-western background the number is 37%. The survey also suggests that immigrants use free newspapers and Internet news sites more than ethnical Danes. On the contrary, there are some cultural activities which immigrants attend less than ethnical Danes, namely theatre, concerts and sports events. Regarding the rest of the different cultural activities, there are no significant differences between the participation in cultural activities of ethnical Danes and immigrants.

The Eurobarometer survey, from 2007, shows that Danes are frequent guests and users of subsidised cultural institutions, and come top of the list of EU countries in several areas. The same goes for Danish use of the Internet, where 43% of the selected population visit museum or library websites or other specialised websites to improve knowledge, 57% for searching for information on cultural products and events, 61% for reading newspaper articles online and 48% for buying cultural products, such as books, CDs, DVDs and theatre tickets online. Danes are also frequent users of Social Networking Sites; approximately 50% of the population has a profile on Facebook.

Even though recently there have not been any large scale comparable surveys on cultural participation and consumption, the Culture for all programme, issued in 2009 – was a call very much aimed at increased cultural participation. This has since been an ongoing process, for instance with reports like Outreach! – and research on user behaviour and participation patterns within the museum sector.

Please find the available information on this subject in 6.2

Last update: March, 2012

Amateur arts and folk culture

Denmark has traditionally been very active in the voluntary cultural area, thanks to the public movements behind Danish cultural policy (see chapter 1.1).

Historically, amateur art in Denmark is strong in the field of music and since World War II also in theatre. Today there are two main national amateur organisations in Denmark. The Joint Council of Voluntary and Amateur Arts Associations in Denmark (AKKS) and The Danish Amateur Theatre Association (DATS) have more than 115 000 active members who participate in primarily music and theatre activities on a regular basis, organised in local voluntary associations. Statistics from AKKS show that more than 25 000 cultural events every year in Denmark are organised by the voluntary amateur associations in AKKS and DATS.

Co-existing with the organised amateur activities, however, there is a large, but unknown, number of amateur activities in less formally organised forms like film, dance, photography, painting and literature - or they take place on a more on/off basis in for instance educational or social projects or organised by the municipalities or local cultural houses.

The major trends in amateur arts in Denmark in 2011 are, therefore, several co-existing trends:

• First and foremost there are the traditional amateur associations with activities like folk music, folk dance, classical choirs and orchestras, brass bands, musicals, and stage plays as well as community plays. The participants are mostly very young or from the older generation.
• Secondly there are a very large number of citizens who from time to time are active in arts-related projects in schools, at work or in their leisure time.
• Thirdly there are a large number of young and ambitious amateurs who are aiming at careers as professional artists – even if this is not possible right now, they work in the same way as professionals, i.e. rehearsing many hours every day for a short while and not, like most amateurs, once or twice a week.
• Fourthly there is also quite a large group of professional artists who occasionally participate in amateur activities without payment and a large group of amateurs who occasionally get paid for their performances. In other words the field is complex, and the terms professional / amateur sometimes do not really fit reality, especially because the technical development of the digital media has made it possible for amateur artists to promote themselves almost in a professional way.
• A fifth trend is that an increase in participation is seen within “new” art forms from Asia, Africa and the Middle East, brought to the North by globalisation, in community art forms such as street dance and hip hop music and in merger forms between art and sports like parkour.
• A sixth trend is noted in that the older generation are organised in formal voluntary associations whereas the younger generations tend to prefer a less formal organisation through websites and facebook groups using the platform of the internet. This development is challenging the formal national organisations and legislation.
• The seventh and final characteristic trend is that amateur arts seldom are organised along parameters such as nationality, sex or disability. There are, of course, examples of male and female choirs, of theatre for the elderly or people with physical or mental disabilities - and of cultural associations for immigrants with amateur activities. But this is not the main trend. The main trend is that the art form is at the core of the cultural activity and the deciding factor when choosing an amateur activity.

Despite being large in numbers, amateur arts in Denmark have traditionally been supported politically in a more indirect manner than professional arts and only partly through the arts legislation. Until 2011 amateur arts in Denmark was subsidised and regulated under the General Education Act managed by the Ministry of Education as well as under The Music Act and The Theatres Act, managed by the Ministry of Culture. After the general election in the autumn of 2011 the three Acts were united in the Ministry of Culture where any new political development at this moment remains to be seen.

The main principle of public support to amateur culture is, therefore, still that the national associations, the national programmes for the development of talents and the occasional national funds / pools aimed at amateur arts are financed through both the State Budget and the annual lottery surplus allocations. The general conditions for the municipal support to local associations are set by the regulations in the General Education Act and applied by the municipalities.

Music and Theatres Acts and the Ministry of Culture's share of the lottery surplus

By means of The Music Act, the Ministry of Culture may support “artistically working amateur choirs, orchestras and their associations”. In 2010 an arm's-length-body granted DKK 6.428 million (equivalent to EUR 857 000) to amateur music organisations and events within this legal framework and financed via the State Budget.

Likewise, amateur theatre is mentioned in the Theatres Act, where it is stated that support may be given to “artistically working amateur theatres and their central organisations”. In reality, since 1970 this has meant funding distributed to and through DATS – up till and including 1996 financed via the State Budget and since 1997 financed via the lottery surplus but distributed by the Ministry of Culture. For the year 2010-11, DATS was granted DKK 3.684 million (equivalent to EUR 491 200) within the legal framework of The Theatres Act.

Furthermore, financed by the lottery surplus, the ministry grants annual support for the amateur culture umbrella organisation AKKS. For 2010-11, the grant amounted to DKK 523 000 (equivalent to EUR 69 700).

It is also from the lottery surplus that the occasional national funds / pools aimed at amateur arts have found their funding. Most noteworthy was the Cultural Fund that gave a “boost” to the co-operation between amateurs and professionals during 1990-97. Later the Ministry of Culture's development a fund for amateur and folk culture activities distributed DKK 11.225m (equivalent to approx. EUR 1.5m) during 2001-06 to innovative amateur projects throughout the country. And later again, a fund called the Project for the development of amateur culture, amateur art and voluntary cultural work distributed DKK 5.0 million (equivalent to EUR 666 700) between 2007-09 to the national amateur and voluntary arts associations’ development projects.

Since 2009 there has, however, not been any additional governmental funds specifically aimed at amateur arts.

The General Education Act and the Ministry of Education's share of the lottery surplus

Besides the Music and Theatres acts, The General Education Act plays – and has historically in particular played – a very important role in the financing of the national (not any longer) and, not least, the local amateur associations. For many years this support has been ever decreasing, first at the national level but later also locally, being administered by the municipalities.

From The General Education Act, the national amateur associations have received support for their professional advisors and the general education of their members and member groups. But this support has almost vanished.  As an example, DATS received DKK 759 000 (equivalent to EUR 101 200) in 1987, but in 2007 the amount had dropped to DKK 69 763 (equivalent to EUR 9 300).

The greatest impact of the General Education Act has always been on the local amateur associations, as this legislation sets the conditions for the funding from the municipalities to the amateur associations. This includes both funding for the general education of their adult members (i.e. music tuition) and the funding to the associations themselves and their premises. The latter two are primarily aimed at associations working with children and youth.

However, a revision of the act in 2002 led to very extensive cuts in the funding from the municipalities. This primarily hit the funding for the general education of adults that has decreased by 45 per cent. But the funding for the local associations and their premises has also dropped by 5 and 9 per cent respectively.

Finally, The Ministry of Education's share of the lottery surplus has historically been of great importance for the financing of the national amateur associations specifically aimed at children and youth through funding distributed by the Danish Youth Council (DUF). But also in this field the arts associations have experienced cutbacks. From 2002 to 2010 the total support from DUF to the arts associations dropped from DKK 6.432 million (equivalent to EUR 857 000) to DKK 2.835 million (equivalent to EUR 378 000).

Despite the decrease in funding, the amateur organisations are still a strong and pro-active force in Denmark focused on solving issues such as the recruitment of new members especially from youth and minority groups, co-operating with related organisations and initiatives like national performances of music, developing talent, strengthening international, European and Nordic networking and striving to get political acknowledgement for the work done by and for the large group of ”older” members in their associations and for arts education in general.

Read more about the amateur arts in Denmark on http://www.akks.dk

The Network of Children's Culture

Danish cultural policy has also traditionally been very active in the area of culture for children, especially in the making of TV-programmes, many of which are well known all over the world today in children's theatres and music schools. Culture for children has been an important and official part of the work of the Ministry of Culture, with its own department, working groups and secretariat since the 1970s. The performance contract system between the Ministry of Culture and the public cultural institutions (see chapter 1.2.2) are encouraging the institutions to give their activities for children a top priority. The Danish Film Institute has its own funding support for the production of children's films etc.

In 2006, the report "Children's Culture for all of Denmark" was published by the Network of Children's Culture, together with a status-report on its work in 2005 and a plan of action for 2006-2007. The Network of Children's Culture was established on 1 January 2003. The Network consists of the Danish National Library Authority, the Danish National Cultural Heritage Agency, the Danish Arts Agency and the Danish Film Institute. The aim of the network is to initiate and to co-operate on present and future culture initiatives for children. The network should bring new projects to life across existing cultural fields - and find amendments on the existing culture-for-children-policy. The experiences of the activities improved by the Network of Children's Culture in 2005 have been positive in all parts of children's everyday life. The vision of the new plan of action for 2007 is that all children shall meet art and culture, that all professional public cultural institutions will have to contribute to this aim and that all forms of art will have to be available for children.

The Network of Children's Culture has published the book Children's Culture in the Municipality with ideas and inspiration to initiate projects for children's culture after the Local Governmental Reform. The reform of the regions and municipalities has given visible and clear division of responsibility between the new municipalities and the state. It is expected that this will strengthen local culture, including amateur culture. The new municipalities are now responsible for local music schools, theatres, museums etc. (see chapter 1.2.1 and chapter 1.2.2). The voluntary work within the local amateur communities is – as it was before the reform came into force in January 2007 – still coordinated and run by the municipalities.

In June 2007, the Network of Children's Culture appointed 14 Danish municipalities to join the general experiment Children's Culture in the Municipality – new roads and methods in the work with children, culture and leisure time.

In March 2008, the Network of Children's Culture published a new plan of action for 2008-2009. The plan is based around three issues which have been very successful in the recent work of the network:

• presentation of art and culture in the public day-care institutions;
• integration of art and culture in primary and lower secondary school; and
• culture for the family with special focus on the activities of culture and leisure institutions.

More information on the work of the network: http://www.boernekultur.dk

Cultural houses and community cultural clubs

Denmark has had a public and deeply rooted tradition of cultural centres since the late 18th century and the establishment of village halls as part of the Danish co-operative society-movement. In the 1960s and 1970s, the movement was re-awakened by self-organised citizens on the wave of the cultural and political changes in 1968. One of the first was Huset (the "House") in Copenhagen, which established rooms for musical and theatrical performances, exhibitions, debates and political activities, just like the other self-organised centres in the big cities of Europe at that time.

In the 1990s, more political interest was given to prestigious and well-established cultural centres in the municipalities. The former village houses and community centres and their emphasis on social gatherings and political involvement was weakened in the promotion of professional cultural events. The audience moved to some extent from being participants to spectators in the new "cultural palaces".

During the 2000s the wide range of cultural centres seems to have found a balance between the deeply rooted sense of community and socio-cultural behaviour and the focus on art and experiences. The majority of the centres are characterised both by their ability to present works of art at all levels as well as their ability to facilitate local cultural and artistic initiatives. Being firmly rooted in the local community the cultural centres also provide the setting for local associations and organisations within civil society. In addition to this they seek to engage in socio-cultural projects, often functioning as the bridge between local organisations and authorities.

It is estimated that the 80 cultural centres that are members of the national association of cultural centres, Kulturhusene i Danmark, present tens of thousands of public events and activities every year. In addition to this the cultural centres have continuous activities in open workshops and host a large number of meetings, gatherings and activities in workshops which are not publicly announced. The entire number of yearly visits to the cultural centres amount to approximately 4 million.

Through their membership of Kulturhusene i Danmark, the cultural centres are also part of the European Network of Cultural Centres (http://www.encc.eu), which represents approximately 2 000 centres in 14 countries.

The cultural centres are partly funded by the municipality and partly by the citizens via income from selling tickets, renting out meeting facilities, and different forms of catering, public programmes and private sponsors.

The national association, Kulturhusene i Danmark, receives a minor operating grant from the Danish Ministry of Culture. There is, however, no legislation or permanent funding of the individual cultural centres available on a national level.

For further information see http://www.kulturhusene.dk