ArtNexus Director, Neda Mansouri and a representative from the ArtNexus Reference Group, Petra Frank, Head of Dept Academy of Music and Drama, Gothenburg University, spent a week in Tirana, meeting with artists, civil society and the Ministry of Culture. Sweden’s ambassador to Albania, Elsa Håstad hosted an inauguration dinner, inviting Albanian artists and Minister of Culture Elva Margariti. The programme represents the first cultural collaboration between Sweden and Albania.
“ We are very happy to see that art and culture are given more prominence in development cooperation and look forward to collaborating with Sida and Swedish organisations in our partner country Albania”, says Anna Söderbäck, General-Director at the Swedish Arts Grants Committee.
Artnexus is a three-year programme at the Swedish Arts Grants Committee, funded by Sida and set to explore synergies between development cooperation and cultural policy areas; The programme will also promote artistic development and freedom; International exchanges; Help strengthen democratisation processes, by promoting art and culture and freedom of expression.
Capacity building activities, dialogue meetings and expert studies are some key programme components.
ArtNexus Swedish reference group includes the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida), the Swedish Film Institute, the National Touring Theatre, Swedish PEN, Swedish Artists’ Association, Academy of Music and Drama and Valand Academy of Art and Design at Gothenburg University, Music Alliance, Swedish Intellectual Property Office, Public Art Agency Sweden, Unga Klara, Swedish UNESCO Council and the Swedish Cultural Attaché to Turkey.
For more information, please contact:
Neda Mansouri, ArtNexus Programme Director: neda.mansouri@konstnarsnamnden.se, +46790291344.
