Fair Practice Culture
- A Study of a Code of Practice for Art and Culture
Working conditions for artists and cultural and creative professionals are precarious and pay is too low. We have known this for a long time, but the Covid crisis highlighted the need for better and safer working conditions, fair pay and more transparent working structures.
What can we do to create a more sustainable cultural industry?
An inspiring approach toward a sustainable cultural industry is the Dutch model for fair practice. In the Netherlands, since 2016, a Fair Practice Code has been developed and implemented. This code acts as a natural "code of conduct" or a "Nordic Swan Ecolabel" for fair working conditions, which cultural institutions must adhere to and live up to in order to receive operational and activity funding.
Inspired by the Dutch model, the Danish Composers' Union and UKK – Organization for Artists, Curators, and Art Mediators have teamed up for a new joint project, Fair Practice Culture, which aims to explore the possibilities of a Fair Practice model in Denmark.
You can read more about the Dutch Fair Practice Code here.
Photos: Sine Nielsen
Phase 1: 2023–24
Conversations, Report and Consultation
Through workshops and meetings with more than 100 artists, producers and representatives of cultural institutions, we have worked with and discussed the Dutch model and the values it is based on, as well as what a Danish version should contain if it is to work for the culture sector in Denmark.
The initiative and report in phase 1 are supported by Bikubenfonden, Augustinusfonden, Koda Kultur and UKK - organisation for artists, curators, and art mediators.
Phase 2: 2025–
Towards a Danish Fair Practice Code
The Danish Composers' Society and the association of Danish Visual Artists are continuing the work on Fair Practice Culture over the next few years in collaboration with the Council of Danish Artists. We work towards developing and implementing a Danish code of Fair Practice for arts and culture in Denmark.
Creating a Fair Practice Code for the entire cultural field is an ambitious goal that will take time. Sub-goals and further exploration of the model, its potential and possible consequences are necessary next steps. This work must be developed and promoted by many actors and in-depth industry discussions will therefore be a key element of phase 2, to engage each individual art field in defining what fair practice is within their field and where action is needed.
Furthermore, we work on increasing and strengthening the dialogue with cultural institutions and the political sphere.
The labour market of the cultural sector is international, and if Denmark becomes part of the growing international Fair Practice movement, we can not only benefit from existing experience, but also contribute to developing and qualifying new models and sharing our positive experiences, so that artists across national borders encounter similar standards for the conditions under which they work.
Phase 2 of Fair Practice Culture is run by The Danish Composers' Society, The Visual Artists Association (BKF), and The Council of Danish Artists.
Press (DK)
"Arbejdsforholdene for kunstnere og kulturaktører er usikre og lønningerne er for lave. Det har vi vidst i lang tid, men corona-krisen tydeliggjorde behovet for at skabe bedre og tryggere arbejdsvilkår, rimelig betaling og mere transparente arbejdsstrukturer".
Art Matter, 2023
"»Hvor mange her arbejder i kulturlivet?« indledte moderator Lene Johansen torsdag eftermiddag på Kulturmødet Mors, hvorefter langt størstedelen af tilhørernes hænder røg i vejret.
»Gud velsigne jer andre,« lød det derefter tørt fra paneldeltager og feministisk oplægsholder Emma Holten med henvisning til de pauvre arbejdsvilkår i kulturlivet, der har været heftigt debatteret ved flere lejligheder i det forgangne halve år, og som ligeledes var på dagsordenen til dagens debat."
Jennifer Frydensbjerg Lehmann, 2023, journalist Kulturmonitor
