The Basque Observatory of Culture started in October 2006. During these first six months many threads have been interweaved configuring the Observatory as an organization of reference for the organization, validation and generation of information about the cultural field of the Basque Country.
Assessment 2006: period centred on the design of the Observatory
The main objective of the last trimester 2006 was to build a solid basis for the subsequent development of the services of the Observatory as a whole. These first steps have balanced the efforts in order to develop internal and external tasks which allow the definition and giving of contents to the four pillars on which the Observatory 2007 will be supported.
A.- Conceptual Pillar. Designing the statistical Framework has been the central nucleus in 2006. Two reports which have served as reference for writing the first proposal of this Framework for the Basque Country have been previously elaborated:
- Report of the situation and assessment of the international statistical framework. It analyses the characteristics of UNESCO’s information system, the European Union (Eurostat) and the experiences of Québec, France, Spain and Catalonia.
- Report of the Basque Country. It deals with existing quantitative cultural information about the Basque Country in different sources and statistical operations.
These reports are available on the website of the Observatory.
B.- Information Pillar. A lot of progress has been made regarding the study, treatment and systematization of existing statistics on culture within the Basque Country with the aim of identifying what is lacking and also establishing the bases for the execution of new statistical operations during 2007. In this sense, two statistical operations have been drafted on Habits, Practice and Cultural Consumption and Financing and Public Spending within the Basque Autonomous Community. Also, a synthesis task of the sectoral studies has been carried out within the framework of the Basque Plan for Culture.
C.- Technological Pillar. For the collection, treatment and dissemination of information one of the central pillars of the Observatory will be the technological medium which will respond to these objectives. These are complex information systems which allow managing both production and storage of big quantities of data. These systems have technological mediums associated to manage the information in a dynamic and interactive manner. During these first months, various topics, mediums and computer and technological tools have been analysed with the aim of defining the most appropriate solution for the Observatory.
D.- Pillar of Communication and Institutional and Sectoral Relations The task of the Observatory must be accompanied by a policy regarding communication and institutional and sectoral relations. This policy must focus on disseminating interventions and, at the same time, generating new knowledge, feedback and permanently strengthening the Observatory. In 2006 the contents of the Yearly Report 2007 were defined. This plan should become one of the main dissemination and communication tools. The digital Bulletin has been designed as a way of periodically disseminating information of interest for and about the cultural sector. Also, a series of improvements for the Observatory’s web page have been proposed. These suggestions will imply significant changes in presentation and access to information. Likewise, accent has been put on the various events in which the Observatory has been presented, particularly, to the Basque Council of Culture, the Inter-institutional Commission and the Observatory’s Follow-up Commission.
Action Plan 2007: the Observatory is started
2007 will be a year of execution, development and dissemination of the first major interventions by the Observatory. They can basically be summarised in the following way.
A.- PLANNING, DESIGN AND ASSESSMENT
A.1.- Systems of Information
- Proposal of the cultural statistical Framework of the Basque Country: definition of the conceptual model and development of the indicators and variables which will be validated with the working groups. Action priorities of the Observatory will also be established (research lines R+D+I).
- Design of the system for the management of statistical information and technological platform.
- Design of the monitoring and assessment system of the Basque Plan for Culture and the application of a test drive to verify its consistency.
A.2.- Planning and Assessment of the Management of the Observatory
- Elaboration of the Annual Report 2007.
- Action Plan 2008, defining the main fields of statistical action.
- Assessment of the functioning of the Basque Observatory of Culture.
B.- STATISTICAL OPERATIONS
Execution of one of the four statistical operations, two of sectoral nature and two transversal, one of them on Habits, Practices and Cultural Consumption, and the other on Financing and Public Spending in the Basque Autonomous Community. The Observatory will carry out the task of designing, monitoring and analysing the outcomes of these statistical operations.
C.- COMMUNICATION AND INSTITUTIONAL AND SECTORAL RELATIONS
Two levels of work have been established for the development of the policy on communication and institutional and sectoral relations:
- on the one hand, the communication and dissemination of processes and outcomes obtained according to the different typologies of users.
- on the other hand, the opening of a framework of participation and reflection with the different institutions and cultural agents, as well as the sectoral groups of the Basque Plan for Culture.
During 2007 two new digital bulletins will be written, the website of the Observatory will be permanently updated and institutions and sectoral entities will be presented and visited in order to disseminate the outcomes and to exchange experiences and information. Work symposiums with those in charge of the cultural observatories and entities and international experts will be held with the purpose of exchanging experiences.
The ultimate aim is to strengthen the relationships and interaction with other public and private institutions and cultural agents in the Basque Country as well as with other territories and Observatories and cultural information systems at an international level.
