ARS DOR

Vacancy Number: 51 /Pr-2012

Location : Chisinau, MOLDOVA
Application Deadline : 18 March 2012; Extended deadline: 1 April 2012
Type of Contract : Individual Contract
Starting date:April 2012

Reference to the project:

“Transitional Capacity Support for the Public Administration of Moldova”

Expected Duration of Assignment :6 months

Please notice that in line with TCS Project rules, which guard against substracting capacity from the civil service, current civil servants are barred from applying for this position. The former civil servants are eligible to apply not earlier than in a year after the separation from civil service.

BACKGROUND
The project “Transitional Capacity Support for the Public Administration of Moldova” was designed upon the request of the Government of Moldova to enhance capacities of the Moldovan Central Public Administration in order to accelerate the reform process and achieve Moldova’s short and medium term development goals. The project seeks to address urgent short-term capacity needs of the public administration, through provision of Capacity building consultants (CBC), at a time when Moldovan central government institutions face serious financial and human resources gaps. In addition to helping the Government pursue critical reform priorities, the intervention is designed to catalyze the on-going implementation of central public administration reform. It is coordinated and managed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and State Chancellery of Moldova and will complement on-going work by other donors.

The elaboration of an integrated National Culture Development Strategy (Strategy) represents one of the priorities of the Government Programme “European Integration: Freedom, Democracy and Welfare” (2011-2014) and is included as a key priority in the Governmental Action Plan for 2012.

Through several activities implemented in 2011, as is the elaboration of the Ministry’s Strategic Development Program, the elaboration of some new public policy documents in the area of cultural institutions, and based on consultations with the civil society the Ministry of Culture (MoC) has already initiated the process of elaboration of the Strategy, which would represent an overarching framework for the development of cultural institutions, for fostering of creative industries, for the protection of the national patrimony and the promotion of cultural activities throughout the country.

The Strategy will be aimed at restructuring the existing cultural systems and at encouraging the cultural market to develop in order to contribute to both the social and the economic development of the country. The Strategy will also look for opportunities to develop the cultural infrastructure in the regions. The Strategy will aim at targeting all the sub-sectors in the area of culture development, based on existing needs, but also on the existing development potential. The Strategy process will also include an impact analysis of the key proposed actions, and a costing exercise.

The Strategy elaboration process will benefit of some previous assessments and documents elaborated with the support of other donors, as are the evaluation of the artistic education by UNESCO; the elaboration of the Culture Strategies in the regions of Moldova supported by Moldova Soros Foundation; the elaboration of new policy proposals regarding cultural institutions, supported through the World Bank Trust Fund on Central Public Administration Reform.

SCOPE OF WORK, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ANALYTICAL WORK
The Consultant will have as a primary objective to increase the capacity of the MoC to elaborate a National Culture Development Strategy for the period 2013-2020. This will be achieved through the provision of consultancy services; technical assistance; joint work with various civil servants; capacity building and training activities.
In order to achieve the stated objectives, the National Consultant will have the following responsibilities:

Coordinate a joint working group within the MoC, which would steer the Strategy process, and which will comprise the following departments: the General Department on Cultural Strategies and Policies; the Department for Cultural Patrimony and Visual Arts; the Department of Cultural Policies in the Regions and of the Written Culture; the Department of Professional Arts, Art Education and Cultural Industry; the Department of Finances and Accounting; the Policy Analysis, Monitoring and Evaluation Department; as well as representatives of civil society, artists and other relevant parties;
Provide support and guidance in the elaboration of a comprehensive sectorial analysis, based on the previous assessments and policy documents;
Provide support in accessing lessons learned and best practice in the area of culture from relevant EU countries;
Support the elaboration of the draft Strategy, using the existing requirements for the elaboration of public policies of the Government of Moldova, in close co-operation with the joint working group and the relevant Departments;
Provide assistance with the elaboration of a draft Action Plan for the implementation of the Strategy, including costing of the proposed activities (in co-operation with the relevant Departments);
Provide support with the elaboration of relevant impact assessments of the proposed actions;
Facilitate the identification of the resources required for the implementation of the proposed activities, including support with the identification of potential donors, form country and abroad;
Support with the organization of the public consultation on the draft Strategy and Action Plan.
To provide any other related assistance.
REQUIREMENTS FOR EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
University degree in culture; arts; social/humanitarian studies; culture management; cultural policies, or equivalent;
Work experience of at least 3 years in the area of policies, within public institutions or other kind of organizations; experience in cultural policies would be an advantage;
Knowledge of culture related issues and sectors in Moldova, in particular culture policies and culture management, and development of creative industries;
Knowledge of European policies in the area of culture management;
Extensive experience in qualitative and quantitative policy elaboration, including impact analysis;
Communication skills, abilities to work as part of a team;
Proven abilities to elaborate technical documentation, normative acts and or/strategy documents;
Responsibility, creativity, flexibility;
Fluent in Romanian and English; knowledge of Russian would be an advantage.
IT literate.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS
Proposal: explaining how applicant responds to each of the qualification requirements (please provide brief information on each of the above qualifications, item by item);
Personal CV and contact details for 3 references;
Financial proposal (in USD, specifying a total requested amount per month, including all related costs e.g. fees, phone calls etc);
An example of a report/study/analytical paper elaborated by the applicant.
Duly completed P11 Form.

From 14-16 March, Soros Foundation Moldova and ECF are convening a three-day workshop in the Moldovan capital Chișinău – offering a new way of thinking about community development through culture.
The workshop marks the launch of the two-year “Troika Moldova” project. Through resource mapping and planning, local cultural operators aim to reveal and support underutilised infrastructure that already exists in the country’s villages.
Moldovan rural communities today are faced with enormous challenges – growing poverty, high levels of youth unemployment, underdeveloped public services and social disintegration. By uniting regional administrators, local “Houses of Culture” and non-governmental organisations in powerful “troikas”, the available cultural resources will be analysed and activated. Increasing cultural activity will attract tourism and new business, thus improving the quality of life in the rural areas.
The carefully selected cultural operators will attend a series of workshops, study visits and develop plans for activating the local cultural resources. The emerging projects will be supported by “Troika Moldova”. Throughout this process, the “troikas” will be guided by local trained consultants and international experts to bring them best practice examples from across the cultural sector – as well as offering specific training to each of the troikas in cultural mapping.
“Troika Moldova” is developed through the European Neighbourhood programme financially supported by the Arts & Culture Programme of the Open Society Institute – Budapest, the Soros Foundation Moldova and European Cultural Foundation.

The beginning

Houses of culture operate in national isolation, with limited international communication; they appear among winners of grants (e.g. of the Culture Programme) only accidentally, although they represent a reasonable part of cultural infrastructure in most of the European countries, especially in the East. In 2003, BO initiated a research and produced a preliminary report on socio-cultural activities. However, the necessary funding has never been gained for an international comparative survey.

Getting into focus

National statistics prove that in our region community cultural centres (houses of culture) occupy a large part in public cultural budgets and in data on cultural habits, jobs, consumption etc. Ironically, however, these data are almost entirely absent from global (Unesco, Council of Europe, European Union) statistics as well of cultural policy discourse – despite of recent upgradings of frameworks of international cultural statistics both at Unesco and at Eurostat. The constituents of the issue: the institutions, the professionals and their activity, do not even have common names or statistical identification. At the same time houses of culture have serious conceptual and functional dilemmas, bordering crisis.

The organisers of the joint conference of the Compendium experts and the Amateo network for active participation in cultural activities in Ghent on 9-10 June, 2011, prepared a small collection of the chapters the Compendium of Cultural Polices and Trends in Europe dedicated to amateur arts, cultural associations and civil initiatives from 43 country reports. The chapter includes a paragraph for cultural houses and community culture clubs.

Besides describing the case, the renewal of the content work at these intitutions is also in our focus. Nevertheless there are few examples only about such accomplishments.

The need for evidence based policy

Cultural policy issues such as access to culture, cultural habits, inclusion, creativity and innovation, creative and cultural industries etc. are incomplete without due regard to community cultural centres. There is a need for evidence based advocacy in this regard.

There is still time to make a year-end contribution to the ARS DOR Association! Through its grants and services the ARS DOR works to keep the arts at the center of our lives and our communities. Your contribution will ensure that this work continues and that the arts remain a vital part of our life in Moldova. Donate today!

ARS DOR is a Centre of Art and Professional Development that promotes culture as an important factor for political, social, economical and cultural reintegration of Moldovan society to the European platform. The mission of ARS DOR is to contribute to development and promotion of the cultural sector of the Republic of Moldova, bringing it in line with the European standards.
If you’ve already sent in your contribution, thank you for supporting the arts in Moldova!

Best wishes and Happy New Year!

Ghenadie Sontu
Executive Director

Joi 15 decembrie ora 19.00
sunteti invitati la Palatul Stirbei : Calea Victoriei nr 107
Prospekt gallery si Asociatia Culturala Oblica prezinta :
THE COUNTER REALIST
Un solo show de : ANDREI GAMART
Curator : Adina Zorzini

THE COUNTER REALIST

În perioada cuprinsă între 15 decembrie 2011 şi 12 ianuarie 2012, galeria Prospekt în colaborare cu asociaţia culturală Oblica prezintă la Palatul Ştirbei, situat pe Calea Victoriei la nr. 107, un solo show ca o contra realitate: în cadrul proiectului The Counter Realist, artistul basarabean Andrei Gamarţ construieşte un storyboard al subconştientului propriu, în care perspectivele interioare prezintă o realitate invertită, în care gândurile trasează un univers colateral, iar visele descriu o poveste fără sfârsit despre viaţă şi artă. În această atmosferă bizară, ca de crepuscul, structurile interne ţin locul faptelor, realităţile alternative de dincolo de concret sunt teritoriul subiectului, iar experienţele personale modificatoare trecute şi viitorul auto-prezis compun timpul reprezentării.

Aspectul general tenebros suprarealist al lucrărilor este dublat şi de instalaţia ca o scenografie interactivă pe care Andrei Gamarţ a conceput-o special pentru Palatul Ştirbei, prin care publicul este forţat sa intre, la propriu, în viziunea onirică a artistului: folia neagră care acoperă suprafaţa de călcare şi, care indică traseele de vizitare în interiorul spaţiului expoziţional ranforsează şi susţine astfel, dimensiunea realismului magic a întregului proiect.

Ansamblul de lucrări, subiectele lor complicate şi epica lor alambicată, titlurile lungi şi lirice, maniera de prezentare a acestora şi spaţiul ales pentru show-ul artistului (un monument istoric de secol 19), toate converg către noţiunea de contra realism, iar din acest punct de vedere, expoziţia lui Andrei Gamarţ reprezintă un contrapunct faţă de mainstream-ul artei contemporane româneşti, o contra poziţie în raport cu producţia de artă conceptuală sau de observaţie realistă împachetată în spaţii white cube sau locaţii postindustriale.

Dincolo de tema principală, aceea a realităţilor alterate, dar în relaţie strânsă cu demersul de autocunoaştere, de problematizare a sinelui, proiectul The Counter Realist prezintă în egală masură, rezultatele artei ca metodă prin care artistul îşi caută identitatea în cadrul existenţei umane şi, în cele din urmă, forma proprie de iluminare: din această perspectivă, expoziţia reprezintă jurnalul unui contra realist, un sinopsis al evenimentelor cruciale, fondatoare, care definesc sensul vieţii pentru Andrei Gamarţ.
Adina Zorzini

We are happy to announce the winners of our Cultural Diplomacy Residency programme: Alexandra Rusu, Ana-Maria Onisei (for April-July) and Ghenadie Sontu (for September-December).

Click here for the full list of candidates.
A big thank you to all applicants for their interest!
The main objectives of this innovative programme of training and coaching in cultural management are:

- To develop skills and abilities that are crucial in project management and cultural diplomacy;

- To acquaint with the standards and practices that characterize one of the most sophisticated and competitive cultural markets in the world

- To learn the working practices and procedures of the Romanian Cultural Institute.

The residency begins with an intensive theoretical and practical training at ICR London and at a British cultural partner institution. Afterwards, the residents will work within our team on cultural projects in different areas: literature, music, dance etc.
When: January-December 2012
Where: Romanian Cultural Institute London