Study Commission on Culture in Germany

Commission continues work carried out by its forerunner during the last electoral term, with new points of emphasis

On 15 December 2005, the German Bundestag voted unanimously to set up the Study Commission on Culture in Germany. This body, which consists of eleven Members of the German Bundestag from all the parliamentary groups (along with eleven substitute members), and an equal number of external experts, held its constituent meeting on 13 February 2006. The Commission is chaired by Gitta Connemann, Member of the Bundestag for the CDU.

The Commission is to continue and complete the work begun by the Commission of the same name in the previous electoral term, whilst also dealing with two new areas of work.

The intention is for the Commission to review the current conditions for art and culture in Germany and, on the basis of this review, draft findings and political recommendations by 2007. This will allow the first steps towards implementation to take place before the end of the 16th electoral term. The areas on which the Commission is to focus include:

• Infrastructure, powers, legal framework,
• Public and private promotion of culture and the arts (structural change),
• The economic and social situation of artists,
• The culture  industry - culture as a locational factor,
• Cultural education, culture in the information and media society - communicating and marketing culture,
• Culture in Europe - culture in the Context of Globalisation.