New technologies and digitalisation in the arts and culture

Information and communication technologies (ICT) are increasingly being used as a "bridge" towards particular segments of cultural industries, between culture and other sectors, and towards the public. ICT companies are increasingly giving support to cultural activities through sponsorships and donations. However, neither side is doing this according to any government programme, but according to available regulation concerning taxes on sponsorship and donations. ICT use is increasing in particular cultural industries, such as librarianship and archives, which are leading to new employment. With the creation of the Cultural Council for New Media Cultures in 2004 the financing of artists working with new technologies became more transparent and they gained easier access to public funds. One of the most active promoters of new media culture is the Multimedia lnstitute, a non-governmental organisation in Zagreb, which promotes different perspectives on the issues raised by the use of new technologies and media in contemporary culture, presenting discourses from civil (activists), technical and media cultural scenes. The Multimedia lnstitute is a member of CLUBTURE - a network of non-governmental and independent cultural organisations, clubs and initiatives operating as a programme platform for exchange. ln the first five years since the independent cultural organisations established a CLUBTURE Network, they have organised more than 1 000 programmes around Croatia and they initiated a media project http://kulturpunkt.hr and a magazine Magazin za hakiranje stvarnosti 04 (2004- 2006). The Network advocates for new cultural policies, at national, regional and local level. lt has initiated projects of regional cooperation and education programmes. The changes in the field of digitalisation are swift and the number of users of new technologies is growing rapidly, but these developments are not followed by equally swift responses in cultural policies. Nevertheless, it must be mentioned that several projects of digitalisation of cultural heritage have been undertaken by the Ministry of Culture.