RESOLUTION OF THE MINISTERS FOR CULTURE MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL of 7 June 1991 on the development of the theatre in Europe (91/C 188/03)

THE MINISTERS FOR CULTURE MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL,

Recognizing that the performing arts, including the theatre, are one of the most important expressions of the cultural life and democratic development of our societies and illustrate the fact that culture is a permanent exchange between those who create, and therefore their works, and men and women who feel the need for cultural experience transcending the logic of daily life,

Aware that the economic base of most theatres in the European Community is precarious but that a dynamic theatrical scene, while an end in itself, is also a source of valuable material for the cinema and television,

Conscious of the fact that in the Solemn Declaration on European Union (Stuttgart, June 1983) the Heads of State or Government advocated joint activities in the dissemination of culture and more extensive contacts between writers and artists of the Member States, and wider dissemination of their works,

Aware that the theatre is closely bound up with the life of local, regional and national communities and that the European Community can take a hand only in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity and of respect for the different cultural identities,

EXPRESS THEIR DETERMINATION to encourage the theatre in Europe and to enhance its European dimension by examining jointly in the context of new priorities for action in the cultural sphere as a whole the scope for promoting actions relating to:

(a) greater mobility for professional theatrical performers and productions;

(b)communication and artistic development between the various European theatres and between those working in them, in the first place through intergovernmental cooperation;

(c)translation of dramatic works, involving two types of measure to help make production more accessible: written summaries, simultaneous interpretation, sub-titling or over-titling on the one hand and the translation of quality dramatic works on the other.

The pilot project for financial aid for the translation of contemporary literary works, launched by the Commission in 1989, could cater to a greater degree for the translation of dramatic works of high quality;

(d)training at European level, by means of exchanges, workshops, traineeships and/or other initiatives;

(e)information and communication, which are the linchpins of the theatrical professions; a number of bodies already play a vital role in exchanges and understanding within the theatre community. Encouragement should be given to these initiatives and a study made of ways of stepping up exchanges of information, both national and Community, in the professional arts sector;

(f)other initiatives, such as writing for and working in the theatre, experimental theatre, theatre for and by children and theatre for and by young people, video-making around theatre performances and widening of the audience,

CALL ON the Commission, taking into account other programmes established by the Community and working in cooperation with the Council of Europe and European organizations of theatre professionals, to support preparatory work in this area and, in cooperation with the Committee on Cultural Affairs, report to the Ministers on possible actions.