Access to a Diversity of Cultural Expressions through Initiatives Focused on Special Groups - Artists with immigrant or intercultural background

The National Arts Council has taken initiatives to ensure that artists and art projects of immigrant backgrounds receive a special introduction to the possibilites of obtaining public grants for art and culture in Denmark. 

In its action plan 2011-2015 the National Arts Council has outlined how the council will work with cultural diversity. Among other things, it is stated that "Cultural and artistic diversity is a collective name for a large number of good intentions which are important to the work of the National Arts Council: Cultural sustainability, freedom of expression and mutual respect, equal opportunities for all, irrespective of their sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, or social background". 

The National Arts Council will focus on identifying and crossing social and cultural barriers experienced by the applicants, e.g. by expanding and developing the mentor mentoring scheme set up by the former art council on a trial basis. The Arts Council and its committees intend to discuss and specify their criteria for ensuring diversity and encourage applicants to challenge the aesthetic criteria of the Coucil with projects heading in new directions. 

The mentoring scheme was created as part of the intercultural project of the Council in 2007-2011. The objective of the scheme has been to make visible a group of artists in Danish cultural life, who have not been able to gain a foothold on the Danish art scene of different reasons. The basis is a classical mentoring scheme where the aim is to realise and develop the mentee's abilities and skills. The mentor puts his/her experience, knowledge and insight at the disposal of the mentee and can thus be a resource, who helps the mentee in gaining a stronger foothold, gives professional response and not least shares his/her experience, network and contacts. Between 20 and 25 mentor agreements have until now been set up between an intercultural artis and a professional, established artist. The objective of is to meet the need for information and mark interculturalism as an important catalyst for the development of Danish art life. 

Besides the initiative of the National Arts Council, work is ongoing in the associations of general education, sports associations, at libraries and many other cultural institutions to ensure - in a determined and targeted way - to make sure that there are platforms for intercultural meetings between the different cultures that exist at all levels of the Danish society.