The collaboration with embassies and cultural institutes

The Collaboration Agreement

In 2022, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs renewed their mutual Collaboration Agreement about the conduct of international cultural relations. The Collaboration Agreement aims to strengthen international cultural cooperation with the goal of promoting:

• Denmark’s cultural exports
• Intercultural dialogue between participants in Denmark and abroad
• Marketing of Denmark as a country
• Renewal of Danish art and culture through international cooperation

All activities that are supported under this collaboration agreement must adhere to a set of basic principles for international collaboration

The following principles apply:

• Activities must be of high professional quality in every regard
• Activities must be anchored in partnerships between partners in Denmark and abroad, based on reciprocity and local interest
• Activities must ensure strong networks and partnerships that extend beyond the individual activity and ideally have a long-term perspective
• Activities must ensure high visibility through targeted communication

In addition to the Collaboration Agreement, a strategic framework will be drawn up that sets the course for international cultural collaboration with defined priorities. This framework is determined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture and is scheduled to be revised every two years following a dialogue with relevant Danish partners, including the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, the Danish Arts Foundation, professional organizations and relevant institutions within the areas covered by these ministries. The steering group continuously considers methods for involving participants with a view to securing a broad basis for the framework’s priorities. This involvement may take the form of annual meetings, hearings and continuous dialogue and communication, among other channels.

Steering group

A steering group with heads of division from the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will oversee the implementation of the Collaboration Agreement and the realization of the strategic framework. The steering group distributes the allocated funds to specific activities in accordance with the purpose and principles of the Collaboration Agreement and the priorities laid out in the strategic framework. The steering group also supervises the execution of the tasks resulting from this agreement.

The Agency for Culture and Palaces is responsible for the following tasks:

• Acting as a secretariat for the steering group, including drawing up proposals for the steering group concerning the implementation of the strategic framework
• Managing the allocated funds under the steering group’s supervision
• Operating selected tasks under the Collaboration Agreement and the strategic framework
• Operating cultural activities in connection with state visits abroad
• Coordination and communication between relevant participants in specific activities as well as continuous dialogue with and advice for participants, including annual meetings, support for networks with participants from Denmark and abroad, for example through residency programmes.