Category:Art as Cultural Diplomacy

Introduction to the Program

Art can be instrumental in shaping the tone and nature of intercultural relations. It provides, on the one hand, a medium through which cultural heritage and identity can be experienced and interpreted. On the other hand, it can create a unique space for artists, audiences, and other stakeholders in cultural management to come together on a neutral platform.

Despite this influence, the use of art to raise awareness of different cultures, promote social cohesion, and strengthen intercultural relations, is the subject of little research and analysis, and is consistently undervalued. The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy has therefore created the program "Art as Cultural Diplomacy" to bridge this gap and provide a platform for interdisciplinary discussion and research on these issues by stakeholders from the artistic field, civil society, politics, diplomacy, and academia. The program conducts activity that explores the transformative role art can play in society, and therefore highlight future possibilities for its constructive use by artists, civil society organizations, and government actors.