Guest Lecture by Julius Heinicke: "Trans-national Cultural Policy: Colonial, Inter-Queer or Unkinnung?"

Various international forms of cultural exchange and cooperation have existed for centuries. Whilst cultural exchange between European and, for example, Arab cultures was taken for granted in the Middle Ages, it was exploited in the 19th century to serve colonial and nationalist agendas. These historical lines are crucial, as transnational cultural policy today faces the challenge of linking different perspectives whilst simultaneously countering increasing polarisation in both international and national cultural scenes. Cultural policy approaches that use art to explore diversity of voices still appear to be leading the way. But are these concepts still socially effective in a world that is becoming increasingly autocratic?

Julius Heinicke is Professor of Cultural Policy and holder of the UNESCO Chair in Cultural Policies for the Arts and Transformation. He is a Visiting Professor at the University of Toronto in Canada and the University of Arts in Belgrade.