ERICarts

The European Institute for Comparative Cultural Research (ERICarts, www.ericarts.org) was founded as an association in 1993.

The institute co-operates with individual researchers and research institutions from over 30 countries. The core activity of the institute is to co-ordinate independent and multinational comparative research studies focused on the status of various artistic and media professions and fields, cultural policy and cultural industry developments as well as cultural education.

This work is carried out via transnational research teams made up of experts from around Europe. Some of its most recent and current transnational research activities include:

• "Cultural policies in Europe: a compendium of basic facts and trends" (cf. www.culturalpolicies.net) in co-operation with the Council of Europe; (35 countries involved in 2003).
• "Creative Europe" carried out with the support of the Network of European Foundations for Innovative Cooperation (NEF), Brussels, and its partner-foundations from the Netherlands, Italy and Sweden (4 transnational partners and over 30 research experts - cf. www.creativeurope.info).
• "Creative Artists, Market Developments and State Policies". Background paper for the Swedish EU Presidency conference "Conditions for Creative Artists in Europe", 30 March - 1 April 2001, Visby, Sweden.
• "All Talents Count: Policy Frameworks for Cultural and Media Diversity" carried out in co-operation with the International Working Group on Cultural Diversity and Globalisation (secretariat of the working group is currently located in Canada).

Publications on Women in the Arts and Media

ERICarts was co-project leader with the Zentrum für Kulturforschung on the three year project "Women in Arts and Media Professions: European Comparisons" which resulted in a European publication (Pyramid or Pillars) and two European expert conferences. It has been the project leader for the EU-study "Culture-gates".

Cliche, D., Schmidt, L. (eds.), Women in Arts and Media Professions: Report from the 1^st European Expert Conference. Königswinter/Bonn, 1997.

Cliche, D., Mitchell, R., Wiesand, A., Women in Cultural Policies. Background Paper for UNESCO Intergovernmental Conference on Cultural Policies for Development, "The Power of Culture", Stockholm, Sweden, 30 March-2 April 1998 (English and French versions).

Cliche, D., Mitchell, R., Wiesand, A. (eds.), Pyramid or Pillars. Unveiling the Status of Women in Arts and Media Professions in Europe. ARCultMedia, Bonn, 2000. (Also available in French and German).

Cliche, D., Mitchell, R., Ristimäki, E. (eds.), ARSIS Special Edition 2/2000: Women in the Arts: Changing Landscapes. Arts Council of Finland publication, 2/00, September 2000.

Cliche, D., "The Landscape of Women Artists and Media Professionals in Europe" and "The Status of Women in Arts Education". In: Boosting Gender Equality in Higher Arts Education – A Handbook. ELIA – European League of Institutes of the Arts, Amsterdam, 2001.