Minutes: The 1st Meeting of Working Committee on Cultural Policy
2013.8.9
ON-PAM (Open Network for Performing Arts Management)
MINUTES of WORKING COMMITTEE OF CUTURAL POLICY, Kick-Off Meeting
□Date: March 14, 2013, 6pm-8pm
□Place: Kodomo no Shiro (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)
□Chairperson: Akane Nakamura (President, precog/Director, Drifters International/Board member, ON-PAM)
□Number of Attendees: 37 (The number of the committee members will be fixed after April 20)
□Documents: A draft activities of the Committee of cultural policy
A draft article of the Committee of ON-PAM
■Objectives of the Meeting
Proposal of “Draft activities of Committee” and “Draft article of Committee”
Exchange of ideas based on the outline of the drafts above and procedures of how to manage the committee.
■ Meeting agenda
1. Introduction and address of the President of the committee
President of the committee: Tatsuya Ito (President, Gorch Brothers / Board Member, ON-PAM)
I have a dream that I’ve been dreaming for a long time. My dream is to change current Japanese society into a society where ordinary people around us can feel close to culture and art. This is a great motivator for me to take part in this network. I’d like you, all the members, to achieve each goals through this open network. Even if your goal does not directly concern with your purpose, I’d like you to actively participate in this activity.
2. Outline of “the draft activities of Committee of cultural policy” (Ito, Nakamura)
Ito: We found that it took more than a decade to constitute the Theatre Law and this raised our awareness. So, in this committee, I woul’d like to consider and discuss development of the cultural policy for the decade ahead.
<Reference>A draft activities of Committee of cultural policy
<Explanation of outline>
Objectives
Goal and plan of the activities
Activity plan for 2014
Example of structure of the committee
Draft of the subject of the committee (cultural policy lab)
Structure of Committee of cultural policy
Annual schedule
<Questions>
Nomura (Producer, Komaba Agora Theatre/ON-PAM Secretariat): What are “part1” “part2””part3” in the example of the committee structure (cultural policy lab)?
Maruoka (PARC/ Board Member, ON-PAM): “Part 1” is a lecture with a guest and “Part 2” is a discussion based on the lecture. We hope to have “Part 3” later the same day, but there is a possibility to have that after. We expect people who’d like to lead the subject in the discussion to be in charge of examination of issues.
3. Article of committee
<Reference> A draft article of the Committee
<Explanation of the article>
<Questions>
Narushima (SPAC): I assume that the activity of this committee is to dispute policy recommendation. But actually, I am not sure if we could reach a consensus as the Association of Public Theaters and Halls in Japan and Japan Council of Performers’ Organization currently do. Or, is our mission to have a study meeting and networking? I think it is difficult to reach a consensus among the current committee members.
Ito: When it’s difficult to reach a consensus, I think it’s acceptable for us to enable both ideas of the parties. We don’t have to adhere to one style of proposal.
Narushima: Do you think people who cannot agree with the committee’s decision have to leave the committee?
Maruoka: I don’t think so. They don’t have to leave even if they don’t agree ideas of certain subjects. This is the open network, so it’s acceptable to create “sub networks” within the group when we don’t agree. Also, as ON-PAM has just started, we don’t have to follow the established way to make a proposal. It might be possible to make proposal by small groups or individuals. We are allowed to discuss and search for how proposal should be and how to make it happen.
3. Members’ self-introduction
<Self introducion>
<Questions>
Morihisa: I think we had better to make a members’ list.
Maruoka: Yes, I think we have to prepare as soon as possible.
Nishiyama (Seinendan): Is it possible to join in both committees of international exchange and cultural policy?
Nakamura: We are currently under consideration.
Nomura: We’d like to draw a conclusion after April 20, when all committees finish their kick off meetings.
Nishiyama: Where do you think we should have a committee’s meeting?
Nakamura: For Committee of cultural policy, it is highly likely to have meetings in Tokyo; however, to avoid concentration, we’d like to look for an opportunity to have meetings in other cities, too. Because of our limited budget, it is difficult to raise transportation expenses for the president and vice president to attend the meeting in multiple cities every time. I think it’s possible to have section meetings in each location.
5. Discussion on “draft activities of Committee of cultural policy” and “draft article of Committee “
Nomura: What kind of discussion did each director have to suggest this draft structure?
Maruoka: When we consider and discuss cultural pooicy, I think we don’t need to find the definition of right answer of “what is cultural policy.” And we thought that in order to start a new discussion, what we should do is to gather information of precedents and current issue.
Okuno (precog): I’d like to know what kind of past instance and cultural policy bring the situation to change?
Kaji: I’d like to know the cultural policy in Germany if anyone knows.
Yamaguchi (Tokyo Culture Creation Project): When I belonged to the Goethe-Institute, I focused on interactive policy on culture rather than domestic policy of the culture. We can establish a small group with the same point of view.
Okajima (Theatre Producing Company Yorunohate): Only way to take part in discussion or to make a proposal is to physically attend the meeting. It could be an obstacle to promote effective open network. We have to consider this to improve.
Maruoka: I agree. And we have a secretariat to distribute information to the members who cannot come and attend the meeting. To enable this function, it is overwhelming for volunteers to maintain the office. But if we try to run the office to profit labor expenses without enough preparation, it is likely that not its function but the work becomes the first priority and labor cost could be our main issue. As we’ve just newly started this network, why don’t we be free from these constraints? Sometimes we might hit an obstacle to move forward, but we can look for a solution based on members’ forwardness.
Nakamura: If we can afford, I’d like to propose to create website which members can only see.
Tomita: Shall I help you to do that?
Nakamura: Of course, please.
Okuno: Why are you having a meeting closed like this although this network is called “open network”?
Nomura: It’s because the members pay the membership fee.
Okuno: How about spreading information to outside network and making use of the feedback from them? It could be an advantage for the members in addition to get information.
Nomura: If it’s possible, it will be great. But the problem is a difference between resource management and ideal of how the committee should be.
Okuno: It’s a pity if location of the committee constrains participants’ activities. We can hold committee meetings both in Tokyo and Kansai (Western) area and communicate via U-stream.
Nomura: I’d like the members to bring ideas how to proceed meeting in Tokyo.
Yamauchi (Koike Hiroshi Bridge Project): Could we divide the members into small groups according to their convenience?
Nakamura: I think it’s a good idea.
Ito: I think it could work, but I expect the members actively participate and involve instead of making it to the member’s duty. So, we don’t want a system to automatically give all members some tasks to do.
6. Management Committee, Executive Committee, Sectional meetings in Committee of cultural policy
<Function>
Management Committee: To decide and manage projects and coordinate operations
Executive Committee: To manage each committee
Sectional meetings: To hold respectively according with proposals from each committee (Committee needs not to bear any expenses)
*After April 20, when all three committees finish each kick off meeting, we will decide at Board Meeting, how the members involved in the committees.
*Meeting agenda will be decided at the Management Committee. (the date is TBD)
7. Candidates for representatives
Yoko Narushima (SPAC)
Shoko Yamauchi (Koike Hiroshi Bridge Project)
Tetsuya Okajima (Theatre Producing Company Yorunohate))
Chihuyu Kitahara (Himawari)
Mitsuko Hirai (Juryoku / Note)
Above five people volunteered.
Nakamura: We’d like to discuss how to work with candidates the committee based on consultation and decision made by Management Committee.
8. Proposal for subjects for sectional meetings
Study meeting on cultural policy in Germany
Considering audience service
About effective network
Maruoka: I expect that the members actively hold sectional meetings on these subjects.
Nomura: As the subjects might be overlapped, we will organize them at the Board Meeting and announce them. If you have any proposals or ideas, please send them to the email address: info[at]onpam.net. I will go over them to lead them to the best way to manage these projects.