|
|
Cultural Policy
The Ministry of
Education and Culture is responsible for
formulating and implementing the cultural policy
of the Government through its Cultural
Services.
The responsibility
that falls within the competence of the Cultural
Services is to awaken cultural awareness by
fostering the creative drive in the field of
Letters and Arts both in individuals and groups,
making culture available to all, so that there is
a greater participation and receptiveness on
behalf of the public and disseminating and
projecting cultural achievements abroad in order
to highlight its links with international
culture.
Literature -
Books
Literature has a
long tradition in Cyprus and in the last 30 years
there has been a marked improvement both in
quality and quantity. Today, more than 250
literary books are published annually and several
literary magazines are issued.
In order to
encourage Cypriot writers in their meritorious
intellectual activity the Cultural Services have
institutionalised a number of State Prizes
for:
(a) Literature
(since 1969) awarded biennially for poetry,
novel, short-story and essay, and new writers
under the age of 27.
(b)
Children%26rsquo;s Literature, awarded biennially
since 1976.
(c) Awards for
Excellence, awarded annually since 1993 for
outstanding contribution to the cultural life of
the island.
(d) Young Cypriot
Writer - book selected for printing.
The task of
selecting the awards out of the works submitted
is carried out by the Advisory Committee of
Letters which is appointed and chaired by a
Cultural Officer. The Cultural Services purchase
about 200 books of Cyprological content or
literary books by Cypriot writers in order to
support their work, and by distributing them to
overseas libraries and universities
systematically promotes contemporary Cypriot
literature. Recommendations for the purchase of
literary publications are also made by an
Advisory Committee. Within the framework of the
same policy, the Cultural Services organise book
fairs in Cyprus, participate in International
Book Fairs abroad (Frankfurt, Bologna, Cairo
etc), keep record of Cypriot publications etc.
(Cypriot bibliography), have associated Cyprus
with the international system of registering
books and periodicals (ISBN, ISSN) and have
established a centre of library cooperation
through which Cyprus lends and borrows books on
an international scale.
Publications
The publications
programme of the Cultural Services is a
substantial part within the framework of
activities of the services aiming to promote,
distribute and support the Cypriot book
publications. The programme itself includes five
series:
- General Series
(anthologies, albums, symposia proceedings
etc),
- Cypriot Folk
Poetry Series,
- Greek Literature
of Cyprus Series,
- Young Cypriot
Writers Series and
- Memorial Lectures
Series.
There is also an
English periodical “Cyprus Today%26rdquo;
which covers all cultural activity on the island.
It is distributed to libraries and ministries in
Cyprus but is mainly aimed at the Cyprus diaspora
and has circulation of 15.000 copies.
Libraries
In pursuit of its
aim of making good books accessible to the
reading public, the Cultural Services are
systematically concerned with libraries. Thus
Municipal Libraries are offered subsidies to
enable them to purchase books and new rural
public libraries have been established in order
to create focuses of culture in small communities
(there are 95 of them so far).
Lectures
The Cultural
Services organise scientific seminars, symposia,
and lectures throughout Cyprus. Within the
concept of decentralisation, lectures are also
delivered in rural communities. Speakers deal
with topics of wide interest ranging from
literature, education, psychology, art, cinema,
environment and architectural heritage. A welcome
novelty has been the live music performed to
support the music lectures and a mobile
exhibition accompanying the art
lectures.
Music
In the field of
music, the Cyprus State Chamber Orchestra and the
State Youth Orchestra were both created in 1987
by decision of the Council of Ministers, after
years of arduous efforts on behalf of the
Cultural Services. At present, the C.S.C.O.
prepares approximately 10 series of concerts
which are performed on a permanent basis in all
major towns in the free part of the island. In
addition to that, it gives regular concerts in
schools and occasional concerts on various
occasions.
The C.S.Y.D.,
consisting of 70 members aged 11-25, prepares 2-3
programmes a year which are presented in the
major towns. A 10-day annual summer school is
also organised for additional individual and
group tuition and training in chamber
music.
The Cultural
Services also organise concerts of Cypriot
artists who reside permanently abroad and of
foreign groups invited within the framework of
the programme of cultural exchanges between
Cyprus and other countries.
Associations -
Foundations
The Cultural
Services provide financial aid to nearly 80
associations or foundations which are interested
in cultural development. Financial support and
assistance are also offered to municipalities in
organising local art festivals. Within the
concept of cultural decentralisation
encouragement is given to private initiative too
and occasional grants are offered.
Dance
The Cultural
Services provide financial aid to Cyprus folk
dance groups and to modern dance groups. Groups
are also encouraged to perform abroad. Seminars
are organised to provide a basis of study of the
traditional Cypriot dances in order to avoid
alienation of regional dances and to improve
performance.
Visual
Arts
The Cultural
Services organise exhibitions of contemporary
Cypriot artists both in Cyprus and abroad as well
as exhibitions which come within the framework of
cultural exchanges with foreign countries or in
collaboration with overseas museums and
institutions of art.
The Cultural
Services also arrange and support the
participation of Cypriot artists in large
international exhibitions such as the Biennials
of Art in Venice, Sao Paolo, Alexandria, India,
Cairo, the Biennial of Young Artists of the
Mediterranean etc.
In order to enhance,
support and promote the work of Cypriot artists,
a number of their works of art is selected by a
special committee (chaired by a Cultural Officer)
for purchase to enrich the State%26rsquo;s Art
Collection.
The State Gallery of
Contemporary Art - inaugurated in 1990 - has been
set up by the Cultural Services.
It contains about
160 works by 77 Cypriot artists. The
neo-classical building which accommodates the
works serves as a permanent museum of Cypriot art
but occasionally it houses temporary exhibitions.
Besides the exhibition area, there is a
specialised art library on the same premises
which contains art publications, exhibition
catalogues and a large variety of international
art magazines and periodicals. It operates as a
study centre and a point of reference for artists
and students.
A system of
financial aid and other assistance is being
implemented for the Cyprus Chamber of Fine Arts
(EKATE) and the association of self taught
painters and for other individual
artists.
The Museum of
National Struggle
The Museum of
National Struggle comes under the jurisdiction of
the Cultural Services. Founded in 1962, it was
housed in the restored ruins of a 14th century
Franciscal Cathedral alongside the old
Archbishopric. The museum contains relics,
documents and photographs relevant to the
National Struggle of 19551959 waged by EOKA (the
National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters for
Liberation). About 35.000 people visit the museum
annually of which 16.000 are pupils. The museum
will soon expand into an adjoining building
which, at present, is under
construction.
The
“Kypria%26rdquo; International
Festival
The
“Kypria%26rdquo; art festival is organised
annually by the Cultural Services, the rationale
behind it being to upgrade the art movement on
the island and to highlight its links with
international culture.
Since its inception,
in 1993, it has become an institution making high
quality entertainment accessible to a wide range
of people. The various performances include
theatre, ballet, opera and music.
Alongside well-known
international artists or ensembles, Cypriot
artists who have distinguished themselves abroad
and acquired international reputation are also
presented.
Cinema
Under the auspices
of the Cultural Services special cinema gala
weeks with films from Greece and other countries
are organised. Film societies and clubs are
encouraged and sponsored by the Cultural Services
to promote quality films in Cyprus. Furthermore,
financial aid is also provided for the production
of short documentaries on cultural
topics.
Cultural
Treaties
The Service is
responsible for the implementation of treaties
with other countries. It also deals with cultural
issues concerning UNESCO and the Council of
Europe.
The Antiquities
Department
The Cyprus
Department of Antiquities deals with the
discovery, the maintenance, the protection and
presentation of the rich cultural heritage of the
island. Its activities comprise several fields of
action, such as excavation and conservation of
artifacts, the presentation of ancient monuments,
the protection of folk and ecclesiastical art,
the restoration of buildings of traditional
architecture etc. The final goal of all these
activities is the presentation of the
island%26rsquo;s unique cultural property to its
people and visitors for the benefit of pleasure,
knowledge and artistic inspiration.
The Department of
Antiquities publishes several books and pamphlets
(from scientific treatises to popular reports) on
its various activities, which circulate both
amongst the general public and the world of
experts in archaeology.
The Department of
Antiquities is responsible for the excavations,
in many sites. Foreign missions are carrying out
such work at a number of sites. All this aims at
discovery and study of the remnants of older
phases of the island%26rsquo;s civilisation,
dating from the pre-neolithic period 10.000 B.C.
to the Middle Ages.
Relevant to the
excavations and complementary to them is the task
of maintenance and protection of ancient
monuments and antiquities in general. This
includes reconstruction and/or maintenance of
ancient theatres, sanctuaries, castles, churches
and other monuments of every nature as well as
movable antiquities, metallurgy, handicraft,
icons, items of religious and popular art dating
back to neolithic times and up to 1940 A.D.
Maintenance of mosaics and frescoes is also
included.
In the belief that
the cultural heritage of a country, apart from
its archaeological value, is mainly a source of
knowledge, inspiration and high-level aesthetic
pleasure both for the people of the island and
for foreign visitors, the Department of
Antiquities preserves antiquities and presents
them to the people in a manner that is both
pleasant and educating.
The Cyprus Museum in
Nicosia houses the richest and most
representative collection of Cypriote antiquities
in Cyprus. In its exhibition rooms one may see
some of the most important pieces of Cypriote art
and get a comprehensive picture of the Cypriote
culture from the Neolithic period to the Roman
times.
There are also
district archaeological museums in all towns, two
site museums, in Episkopi (Limassol) for the
antiquities of Kourion and at Kouklia (Paphos )
for the antiquities of Paleapaphos, Folk Art
Museums at Yeroskipou, Lefkara and Phikardhou and
an Ethnological Museum in the Nicosia House of
Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios.
Most of the ancient
monuments and archaeological sites on the island
are open to the public and visitors may, with the
aid of inexpensive guide books, tour the
sites.
On the other hand
ancient theatres have been fully reconstructed
and host several theatrical, dance, musical and
other performances. At the same time mobile
Cyprus antiquities in the form of representative
collections are sent abroad for exhibition. Such
touring exhibitions are organised in many parts
of the world.
Cypriote antiquities
are also objects of scientific study during
international congresses and seminars on
archaeology.
An achievement of
the Department of Antiquities is the inclusion in
1980, of both Paleapaphos (Kouklia) and Nea
Paphos (Kato Paphos) in the World Cultural
Heritage List of Unesco.
In 1986 nine
Byzantine Churches situated in the Troodos range,
those of Agios Nicolaos tis Stegis in Kakopetria
village, Agios Ioannis Lambadistis in
Kalopanayiotis village, Panayia tou Moutoulla in
Moutoullas village, Archangelos in Pedoulas
village, Timios Stavros in Pelendri village,
Panayia tou Arakos in Lagoudera village, Panayia
tis Poditou in Galata village, Stavros tou
Agiasmati in Platanistasa village and Asinou near
Nikitari village were also included in the World
Cultural Heritage List of Unesco.
The Cyprus
Theatre Organisation (TH.O.C.)
Theatre in Cyprus
has flourished since antiquity and there is
wonderful proof of this with the existence of the
ancient theatres of Kourion, Paphos, Salamis and
Soli. The theatres of Salamis and Soli, have been
under Turkish military occupation since 1974.The
Cyprus Theatre Organisation (THOC) was founded by
law in 1971 with the aim of promoting the
Theatrical Arts in Cyprus and aiding cultural
links with other countries. During its almost
thirty years of operation the Cyprus Theatre
Organisation has staged more than 250 plays both
classical and modern as well as plays by Greek
and Cypriot playwrights. On average, nine new
productions are presented each year, four by
THOC%26rsquo;s central stage, four by its new
stage and two by its children%26rsquo;s
stage.
THOC employs on a
regular basis 23 actors and works with a group of
internationally acclaimed stage directors,
stage-costume designers and composers. Foreign
directors, stage-costume designers, composers and
actors are occasionally invited to work on a
number of THOC%26rsquo;s productions.
The Organisation has
toured abroad extensively giving performances in
England, Egypt, Germany, Bulgaria, Russia, Greece
and the U.S.A. Since 1980 THOC has taken part in
the annual Epidaurus Festival with plays from the
Ancient Greek Drama repertory.
The Cyprus Theatre
Organisation is also responsible for the
development of theatrical art in Cyprus,
undertaking the building of new and the
renovation of old theatre buildings throughout
Cyprus. It subsidises the “Independent
Theatres%26rdquo;, organises theatre seminars,
playwriting competitions, symposiums and annual
competitions for amateur drama groups as well as
school drama clubs. It also financially supports
theatres of Cypriot communities abroad. In
cooperation with the Municipality of Limassol,
the Cyprus Theatre has founded the Cyprus Theatre
Museum.
The Cyprus Theatre
Organisation is administered by a nine-member
Board of Directors, appointed by the Council of
Ministers for a period of three years. The
Director of the Cyprus Theatre Organisation is
appointed by the Board and his appointment is
approved by the Council of Ministers. An artistic
committee makes recommendations to the Board on
issues concerning the Organisation%26rsquo;s
repertory. |
|