Austria
In Austria, the government functions are generally divided between the federal
state (Bund) and the nine provinces (Bundesländer).
The general clause of Article 15 of the constitutional law assigns most cultural
competence to the Bundesländer (an arrangement known as "cultural
sovereignty"), while the federal government has competence over "sovereign"
matters such as scientific and technical archives and libraries, artistic and
scientific collections and federal facilities (federal museums, the National
Library), federal theatres, historic monuments, religious denominations, foundations
and funds.
All Bundesländer governments have at least one department that concerns
itself with cultural affairs. With the exception of Vienna, every Bundesland
has its own cultural promotion act, most of which were implemented during the
1980s.
The State Secretary for the Arts and Media and the divisions of the Arts Department
of the Federal Chancellery are responsible
for the promotion of several artistic fields (visual arts, performing arts,
music, literature, film and new media etc.) regional cultural initiatives, bilateral
and multilateral cultural foreign affairs at the operational level (Council
of Europe, UNESCO, OSCE etc.), EU policy affairs and matters of the Association
of Austrian Federal Theatres.
Besides educational, school and university matters the Federal
Ministry for Education, Science and Culture is in charge of museums and
collections, protection of monuments, cultural heritage protection, National
Library, Vienna Court Orchestra , Phonothek, public libraries, school libraries,
folklore culture, EU co-ordination and restitution of cultural goods to the
victims of the Nazi regime.
The Cultural Policy Section of the Federal
Ministry for Foreign Affairs is responsible for international and multilateral
cultural affairs at the decision making level. Currently, Austrian international
cultural policy making has a worldwide network at its disposal, consisting of
28 Cultural Fora (Kulturforen) in 26 countries, 50 Austrian Libraries, 5 Language
Institutes (Österreich Institut), special cooperation offices in Washington
and Lvov as well as Austria's embassies and consulates general, which develop
specific cultural activities.
For more information on Austrian culture:
The Austrian Government
The State Secretary for the Arts
and Media/Arts Department of the Federal Chancellery
The Federal Ministry for Education, Science
and Culture
The Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs
The
Vienna Court Orchestra
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National Cultural sites
