Art projects are seen as enhancing place attractiveness and mitigating mitigation migration. (Foto: Foto: Ksenia Novikova/Barents Secretariat)
Cultural business development is mentioned as a reason for approval for only three of the project applications. The question of cultural business development was referred to in the FNI evaluation, where it was pointed out that 362 new jobs had been created in the cultural sector from 2003 until 2014, it was however not possible to isolate the effect of BarentsKult in this regard.4 Nevertheless, Barents Kult was seen as a successful tool for promoting district policy goals. The challenges of measuring the effect of BarentsKult in terms of cultural business development was faced by this evaluation team as well.
A mapping of the economy of the Norwegian cultural sector in 2018 estimated that the entire sector comprises 8.000 businesses, of which 80 percent were sole proprietorships.5 In that sense, interviewees from the cases pointed out that BarentsKult funds stimulate employment to the extent that it provides a steady income during the project period. There is also a sense that BarentsKult projects have ripple effects such as additional job creation in provider services. A mapping of the Norwegian cultural sector’s economy in 2018, Menon economics estimated a total of 35.600 employees in the entire Norwegian cultural sector. In addition, 15.000 additional jobs in provider services, such as accountants and canteen workers.6 We have not been able to find a similar mapping for the Barents Region. Nevertheless, we find it likely that these figures are applicable.
Out of 30 participants to the survey, 26 respondents felt that their projects have contributed to cultural business development to «some» or a «large» extent. In the case studies, seven out of nine interviewees either found that their project has contributed to cultural business development or is expected to do so in the future. 24 respondents stated that the project has enhanced the visibility of Northern Norwegian cultural actors in Russia. Here, increased visibility was seen as directly affecting the capacity to stimulate increased income.
Cultural cooperation is seen as making the Northern parts of Norway more attractive to artists and people in general. In the words of one of the project owners: «International art is a very important part of human life.
Breit et al., «Evaluering av støtteordningen BarentsKult», p. 10. Grünfeld, Leo, Bruvik, Nina Westberg, Guldvik, Maria Køber, Erraia, Jonas, Gaustad, Terje, and Gran, Anne-Britt, «Kultursektorens økonomi i Norge 2018,» Menon-publikasjon 55/2020 Menon Economics and BI Centre for Creative Industries, Microsoft Word - Menon-rapport 55-2020. Kultursektorens økonomi 2018-Endelig.docx (kulturradet.no). The mapping does not comprise film, and a number of these proprietorships have gone – or are on the verge of going – bankrupt due to Covid-19. 6 Kultursektorens økonomi, p. 3 4 5
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