ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΤΙΚΗ ΣΥΝΕΡΓΑΣΙΑ ΜΕ ΑΥΣΤΡΙΑ

 Austria

In Austria, the government functions are generally divided between the federal state (Bund) and the nine provinces (Bundesländer).

The general clause of Article 15 of the constitutional law assigns most cultural competence to the Bundesländer (an arrangement known as "cultural sovereignty"), while the federal government has competence over "sovereign" matters such as scientific and technical archives and libraries, artistic and scientific collections and federal facilities (federal museums, the National Library), federal theatres, historic monuments, religious denominations, foundations and funds.

All Bundesländer governments have at least one department that concerns itself with cultural affairs. With the exception of Vienna, every Bundesland has its own cultural promotion act, most of which were implemented during the 1980s.
The State Secretary for the Arts and Media and the divisions of the Arts Department of the Federal Chancellery are responsible for the promotion of several artistic fields (visual arts, performing arts, music, literature, film and new media etc.) regional cultural initiatives, bilateral and multilateral cultural foreign affairs at the operational level (Council of Europe, UNESCO, OSCE etc.), EU policy affairs and matters of the Association of Austrian Federal Theatres.

Besides educational, school and university matters the Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Culture is in charge of museums and collections, protection of monuments, cultural heritage protection, National Library, Vienna Court Orchestra , Phonothek, public libraries, school libraries, folklore culture, EU co-ordination and restitution of cultural goods to the victims of the Nazi regime.

The Cultural Policy Section of the Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs is responsible for international and multilateral cultural affairs at the decision making level. Currently, Austrian international cultural policy making has a worldwide network at its disposal, consisting of 28 Cultural Fora (Kulturforen) in 26 countries, 50 Austrian Libraries, 5 Language Institutes (Österreich Institut), special cooperation offices in Washington and Lvov as well as Austria's embassies and consulates general, which develop specific cultural activities.

For more information on Austrian culture:
The Austrian Government 
The State Secretary for the Arts and Media/Arts Department of the Federal Chancellery 
The Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Culture 
The Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs
The Vienna Court Orchestra