The Finnish art policy handbook works as an opening for discussion on Finnish art and cultural policy development. It is a guide to the making and understanding of the arts and cultural policy in Finland. The handbook is a continuation of the Finnish Art policy event, which brought the general public, those working in the field of art and policy makers together to exchange views on art and cultural policy. The work focuses on the ten Finland-based political parties’ views on art and cultural policy and the analysis of these views. In addition, it includes the views of artists, politicians, researchers and reporters on the effects and making of art and cultural policy and of the changed conditions in the policy.
The authors of the publication are amongst others:researchers Pauli Rautiainen and Olli Jakonen, film director Hannaleena Hauru, artist Freja Bäckman, critic and performance artist Eeva Kemppi and the reporter Kimmo Jylhämö. The handbook is compiled by curator and artist Jussi Koitela.
The articles in the handbook repeat the question of the mobilising of art and cultural policy and bringing it to a more central role in Finnish society. The texts focus on reflecting amongst other things; how the reading and understanding of cultural policy history and its concepts could activate and produce tools to modify the funding of art and on the cultural and general political climate.
The handbook is published by the Baltic Circle –modern theatre festival and Checkpoint Helsinki. Financing of the handbook with regards to delivery and design work as well of the articles has been gathered together. As patrons of the campaign, we collect funding for the printing and distribution of the handbook.
With 2000 euros we will get a thousand first edition copies of the book.
With 5000 euros, we can invest more in the layout and printing quality of the handbook as well as double the number of copies, whereupon we can also distribute it to all the Finnish libraries.
The book is published on the brink of parliamentary elections in March.