ΝΕΜΟΑNNUAL MEETING 2006 (HELSINKI, 24-25/11/06)
Current policy developments of great significance for the museum sector include the activation of the relatively newly established Museum Council and the introduction of a new bill on cultural sponsorship.
Activation of Museum Council
The Act of 2002 on the “Protection of Antiquities and the Cultural Heritage in general” provided for the establishment of a Museum Council to act as an advisory body to the Minister of Culture on museum policy issues, which, however, had remained inactive ever since. Last September the Minister of Culture appointed the members of the Council which held its very first meeting in the beginning of this month (November 2006). The Museum Council is membered by Ministry officials, museum directors and museum experts from the public and the private sector and an ICOM representative. It is intended to provide recommendations directly to the Minister on museum policy issues, propose measures which encourage museum collaboration and development, define the standards to be met by museums willing to obtain recognition by the state, give expert opinion on the foundation and operation of state museums, as well as the acquisition policy and ownership status of museum collections and other related issues.
Bill on cultural sponsorship
Α new Ministry of Culture bill which encourages private sponsorship of arts and culture was recently introduced and expected to be voted through and become law.
The bill provides for a tax exemption equal with 2/3 of the amount offered as a cultural grant by donors, be they private individuals or companies. Sponsorship beneficiaries can be the state, local authority bodies and private bodies of non-profit character. In order for a tax exemption to apply sponsorship proposals must pass through the Ministry of Culture. It is hoped that the new bill will be a powerful incentive to attract private funds for both contemporary arts and the ancient cultural heritage.
Extended working hours for State Archaeological Museums
In an attempt to provide incentive for a wider audience to visit their collections, a large number of State Archaeological Museums adjusted their working hours so that they remain open until 5 p.m. and in some cases until 7.30 p.m. throughout the summer and until November. Although it is still early to assess the impact of this adjustment on visitor numbers, first results are encouraging, as museums which extended their closing hours during the summer months show higher numbers of visits compared to those of 2005.
Museum Days and Conferences
Museums celebrated the ICOM International Museums Day (“Museums and Young People”) and participated in the national celebration of the European Heritage Days by organising a wide array of events under the general title “Culture at table: aspects of the history of nutrition”.
With respect to international museum conferences, Greece hosted the annual AVICOM confererence which was coorganised with the University of the Aegean and focused on the use of audiovisual media in museums and the European Museum Forum Workshop on “Island Heritage” which took place on the island of Melos. Finally, the National Committee of ICOM in collaboration with the Benaki Museum are currently organising an international conference on the conservation of icons to be held in Athens in December 2006.